Sexually transmitted diseases are extremely common in America. Some studies suggest that 1-in-3 sexually active people have an STD of some sort. Other studies claim that 1-in-6 sexually active adults have herpes.
Given the prevalence of STDs, many people view getting infected as something you “charge to the game.” At “feminist empowerment” site Jezebel, women openly brag about their sore-inflicted genitalia:
JezebelMoe: I think New Yorkers don’t use condoms because they all already have STDs and know they’re not that big a deal.
JPRESS: It’s true. Herpes, specifically. And also HPV. Everyone I know has HPV. And people who say they don’t totally have it, they just don’t know it yet. They have it worse than anyone.
The attitude of Jezebel writers is typical of American women. Although an STD may be inevitable, there are some ways to avoid them. First, don’t fear the Bogeyman. Let’s get the big one out of our minds.
If you’re a straight man, you will almost certainly not contact HIV. In fact, the risk is so low that it doesn’t make sense to fret over it.
Although the government and media treats HIV like a crisis impacting all, that’s a lie. HIV is not a disease that straight men who have sex with straight women need to concern themselves with. This CDC chart lists new infections by demographics – age, race, and gender.
(HIV infection rates by age, race, and gender.)
“MSM” in the chart means men who have sex with men. “IDU” means intravenous drug users – i.e., filthy druggies.
As you can see in the chart, HIV impacts (in this order):
- White men who have sex with men
- Black men who have sex with men
- Hispanic men who have sex with men
- Black heterosexual women
- Black heterosexual men (see note about “down low brothers,” below)
- White heterosexual women
- Hispanic heterosexual women
- Black male intravenous drug users
- Black female intravenous drug users
Straight (non-IV drug-using) men almost never get AIDS.
Heterosexual men aren’t even listed on the chart of new HIV infections, as the rate of new infections is too low to note. In fact, as explained below in the excellent Details expose, there has never been a documented case of a straight man contracting HIV through heterosexual intercourse.
HIV is really hard to transmit. HIV does not penetrate the skin barrier. HIV need an “open route” into the skin.
For a straight man to contract HIV from a woman during heterosexual intercourse, two conditions must be present:
1. There must be an open sore such as a cut or herpe.
2. Salvia or blood must come into contact with that open sore.
Even if both conditions are present, the rate of infection is less than around 1%.
CDC data does indicate some heterosexual men contract HIV each year. Look at the data, but with a skeptical eye.
Although there were 508 new cases of HIV infections attributed to heterosexual contact, it is likely the case that those newly-infected men were not being honest. Men who engage in gay sexual contact or use IV drugs aren’t likely to admit it to a doctor.
(Diagnosed HIV Infections Attributed to Heterosexual Contact, by Sex and Race/Ethnicity, 2012 – United States and 6 Dependent Areas)
Has there ever been a single documented case of a straight male contracting HIV through heterosexual sex?
We are taught that HIV affects everyone. That is a lie. HIV is a disease afflicting gay men and black women. Of course that doesn’t mean no one should care about AIDs. But it does mean we should rationally assess our risk.
Is HIV something we men need to worry about?
Details magazine did an amazing expose on HIV that every man should read:
Straight men and women make up 90 percent of the population, but they account for only 15 percent of non-childhood AIDS cases. Only 6 percent of men with AIDS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, contracted the virus from straight sex. And even that figure doesn’t hold up to a closer look. Several studies now suggest that most men who claim they got the virus this way are lying. They got it from sex with other men or sharing needles with addicts. Those studies also show that many women listed in the straight-sex category are either IV-drug users themselves or have likely contracted AIDS from sex with an IV drug user..
Don’t be gay. Don’t use illegal drugs. Don’t have sex when you or she has an open wound or a herpes wound. That’s it. You’re safe from HIV.
Let’s look at some more CDC data on HIV infection rates. Who is at risk?
Straight women have higher rates of HIV than straight men.
That said, there is a group of straight people – women – who have extremely high HIV infection rates. You can scream racism all you want, but the statistics are what they are.
Black women have higher than average rates of sexually transmitted diseases.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) provides this data about STD infection rates among black women:
Straight men and women make up 90 percent of the population, but they account for only 15 percent of non-childhood AIDS cases. Only 6 percent of men with AIDS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, contracted the virus from straight sex. And even that figure doesn’t hold up to a closer look. Several studies now suggest that most men who claim they got the virus this way are lying. They got it from sex with other men or sharing needles with addicts. Those studies also show that many women listed in the straight-sex category are either IV-drug users themselves or have likely contracted AIDS from sex with an IV drug user..
Don’t be gay. Don’t use illegal drugs. Don’t have sex when you or she has an open wound or a herpes wound. That’s it. You’re safe from HIV.
Let’s look at some more CDC data on HIV infection rates. Who is at risk?
Straight women have higher rates of HIV than straight men.
That said, there is a group of straight people – women – who have extremely high HIV infection rates. You can scream racism all you want, but the statistics are what they are.
Black women have higher than average rates of sexually transmitted diseases.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) provides this data about STD infection rates among black women:
What does “down low” mean?
Since homosexuality is frowned upon in the black community, black men are forced go to on the “down low,” a term for staying in the closet. These “down low brothers” engage in sexual intercourse with men in secret and then infect their female sexual partners. Wikipedia explains:
Down-low is an African American slang term that refers to a subculture of men who usually identify as heterosexual, but who have sex with men; some avoid sharing this information even if they have female sexual partner(s). The term is also used to refer to a related sexual identity. Down-low has been viewed as ‘”a type of impression management that some of the informants use to present themselves in a manner that is consistent with perceived norms about masculine attribute, attitudes and behaviour.’”
As black women have high rates of herpes infections, the HIV from closeted black men enter through the open barrier provided by a herpes sore.
How can a man avoid STDs?
The simplest ways to avoid contracting a serious STD are: a) Don’t be gay; b) Don’t have sex with someone with herpes. (If you have herpes, obviously do not have sex, as an open would could infect your sexual partner as well as put you as risk for HIV.)