Safer Sex

Safer sex refers to practices that lower the risk of transmitting or acquiring sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. It includes barrier methods like condoms, internal condoms, dental dams, and gloves, along with strategies such as PrEP, regular testing, treatment as prevention, and open conversations with partners. Many educators prefer "safer sex" over "safe sex" because it reflects a harm-reduction approach: most sexual activity carries some risk, and the goal is to reduce that risk rather than demand abstinence. The concept took shape during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and has been central to LGBTQ+ health activism ever since, shaping how communities talk about pleasure, consent, and protection together.