I have been enjoying the well written and uplifting story What Else Is There?, thank you Al Norris for writing and sharing it.
I am curious about a bit of advice Uncle George gave to the young men, though:
This was a side of my uncle I had never seen. He reached into the bag he had and tossed each of us a foil-wrapped condom. "One thing you both should get into the habit of doing is put a sock on that damned worm,each and every time."
This was known as the "condom code" in the bad days of AIDS. From what I have read and experienced, this kind of dogmatic approach is no longer considered a useful approach to controlling HIV spread, even before PrEP became widely available. About a decade ago I participated in a counseling session for sexually active gay men and the approach used was to know your risk, understand what you are comfortable with, and work on maintaining boundaries.
I found the counseling surprisingly useful. A partner had done something I was uncomfortable with while I was asleep and it helped me get through that.
For me, even before PrEP, I have participated in risky behaviors (bottoming without protection) when I felt comfortable, and used a condom when not. While being of an age and disposition that makes it unlikely I will have another partner, PrEP adds another variable, but condoms are still useful for preventing the transmission of other diseases I'd rather not deal with.
Seems to me that for two young men who haven't had any previous sexual contact they should have the option to experience the intimacy of exchanging fluids.
[Updated on: Thu, 23 March 2023 17:06]
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