It’s so much sexier to talk about threesomes, unicorn screenings, and cocks… but once in a while, sexually active people—of any age, orientation, poly or mono, kink or vanilla, status—need to review safe sex, and stay up to date on protecting their bodies and health.
It’s never a bad time to review your sex habits, beliefs, partners, and to reinforce healthy practices.
Here are some important reminders about safe sex and options that work well for polyamorous people.
Condoms are key.
Obviously sex feels better without having your dick wrapped up like a mummy, but the condom is the essential tool of sexual liberation. It protects your most cherished possession from STIs, and it protects your partners. What you lose in skin-on-skin contact, you gain in variety and peace of mind.
If it’s been a while since you’ve experimented with different condoms, try some new ones. There are so many varieties, and you want to make sure you’re wearing the best fit. If you don’t particularly like the ones you’re using, you may be pleasantly surprised to find that another brand feels a lot better.
Some poly folks have skin-on-skin sex with primary partnerships, and practice safe sex with all other partners.
Poly folks who have a primary partnership often practice safe sex with all other lovers. That extra intimacy is one of the defining factors for them of their primary commitment, and trusting each other to use protection with everyone else makes it possible to feel secure together.
Have a safe polycule.
Not all poly practitioners are in open relationships in the sense that they date unlimited people. Many have a triad, or a polycule—a set of partners in any number that are committed to each other. After HIV and STI screenings, they enjoy sex with each other in any variation, but don’t go outside of that chosen group.
Have regular checkups with your doctor.
Make sure you’re part of an open, trusting, and honest relationship with a doctor. If your doctor doesn’t know you’re polyamorous and you’re embarrassed to tell him or her, get over it or find another doctor who is more liberal.
Doctors are there to serve you, complete with your good habits and bad, whether or not they agree with everything in your life. A doctor has heard it all, believe me, so get real with yours.
Maintain health and well being in general.
Safe sex isn’t just about putting on a condom and popping pills when an infection crops up.
Getting fresh air and sunshine vitamin D, stretching, staying active through the seasons, eating a wide variety of healthy foods, keeping your apartment clean, getting enough sleep—all of these help to keep you happy and bolster your immunity so that fighting off germs and viruses, whether at the mall or in bed, is a breeze.
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