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@Richard I think you missed the point -- I was stating that I understand the reluctance to go without condoms when having sex. Your note "Hence there is still the need to use condoms!" is EXACTLY what I was saying. Read my comment again.
Actually, SidSidSid, a suitor's HIV+ status, HIV negative status or unknown HIV status tells me nothing about his or her potentially having any other STD / STI "dripping or spurting" or not. Hence there is still the need to use condoms! As for the person saying, "it's OK, I'm on PrEP", well he or she is only protecting him or herself and anyone they sleep with from HIV but not from anything else unless they use condoms.
The decision to use condoms depends upon many factors and STDs other than HIV are one important factor. A suitor's undetectable viral load tells me nothing about his potential to be dripping (literally) with gonorrhea or spurting out syphilitic spirochetes. I want to go on record as resenting the tone expressed by the article and the headline that comes across as "these silly stupid f*gg*ts are still using condoms when they could be taking those c**ks bare and those loads deep."
I agree with Banksy. We can't tell if a person is HIV positive or negative from what he or she tells us. But the use of ARVs by anyone make it safer for us all, as well as treating them. Also, people who are HIV positive might well be safer to have sex with than untested people because people who are HIV positive might well be taking more care of themselves and others than untested people. It remains very precarious out there, but effective use of ARVs is responsible and caring.
The very same author of this article wrote another article in 2016 titled "Interpret Scientific Results About HIV—Without a PhD" in which the results were reframed in scientific and mathematical jargon that portrayed presumptions of safety as hasty or inaccurate. THIS MAGAZINE AND THIS AUTHOR WERE PART OF THE PROBLEM. This magazine is never going to be respected by its readers until it owns what it has done to us.
I'm wary of condomless sex with HIV negative people. There are still other STDs and who knows what else is lurking. Even the proper use of Prep requires the use of a condom. And it has failed with it. How do i truly know someone is undetectable? Do i need to visit their doctor first? Could they be in the middle of med failure or allergy caused viral load spike? Are they using meth or drinking and have decided to hell with it? I will always use condoms and will always serosort the best I can.
RichardUK
No, Sidsidsid, I didn't miss your point. It was agreeing with you and yet I was going further in your direction, too. I was also saying that many a PLWH will often be taking great care of him / her self both as regards HIV to be UD and also acting preventatively against other STDs. But we can't tell who truly is and isn't taking due care - be it a PLWH or not, or be it a person on PrEP or not. Hence, condoms use is best practice whether we like it or not!
July 4, 2018 • UK