My Journey to Safe and Fulfilling Sex Education | Opinion

  • This story is for OutFAU, our student publication covering Florida Atlantic University. To see more from OutFAU click here.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Zerrato.

It is my belief that the most important part of sex is understanding your own body. Although sex is instinctual, and many have a basic understanding of intercourse, there is so much more to it than just penetration. On top of understanding your body, it is essential to understand the consequences. Sex can be fun and a great way to strengthen a relationship or, in my case, ruin the relationship I have with my own body.

To enjoy sex, you should know what feels good physically, mentally, and for some spiritually. There is so much information on the internet, books, magazines, and most importantly, other people. Explore your own body, touch yourself, try different adult toys, or just watch educational videos on YouTube or porn! Whatever you decide to do, just make sure you take it seriously.

Understanding your boundaries and what you are comfortable engaging in will create a safe sexual encounter. It’s okay to say no and pull back if things get weird. Kinks are always fun, and with X, Onlyfans, and Feetfinder being popular adult sites, we can explore particular sexual desires more openly. Being comfortable with what turns you and/or your partner makes for an enjoyable time.

Some will not be engaging in sex until marriage, are practicing celibacy, or, for whatever reason, have not been sexually active or educated. As students, it is crucial to understand that there are life-changing consequences to sex, such as pregnancy, STDs, and STIs.

I became HIV positive at 23/24 because, as a gay man, the only sex education I had received was based on basic heterosexual relationships. I did not fully understand the uses of condoms besides preventing pregnancies. I trusted a man who told me that gay men don’t use condoms because we can’t get pregnant and we don’t want shit on our dicks, and my dumbass believed him. With medication, luckily, I have it under control and am Undetectable, which means there is a 99% chance that I will not pass on the infection.

There are many ways to prevent STDs and STIs, like condoms, medication, and vaccines. PrEP helps prevent HIV, while DoxyPEP helps prevent STIs such as chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea. Another very important part of sex is being honest with your partners about your status or any positive results from testing. It might be embarrassing or humiliating to admit to someone that you might have passed it on to them, but it’s worse to allow someone to remain sick or pass it on to someone else to save face. FAU offers free testing and contraceptives on campus. Check out fau.edu/shs/services/sexual-reproductive-health/. It will give you all the information you need about what the campus offers. Do yourself and your partners a favor, have fun, be healthy, and most importantly, practice safe sex by educating yourself and others.


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