dxmlw@dcatla.UUCP (Michael L. Weekley) (06/06/89)
[A straight friend of mine were having a discussion about AIDS a few days ago, and I was presented with questions I could not honestly answer. So where better to look for answers?] Q. What are the most likely vectors for the disease to enter the body? My A. In terms of "standard" gay sexual acts (I'm ruling out things like scat (ugggh!), rimming, etc. due to what I gather are their OBVIOUS faults), the biggest vector would be being a "bottom" during anal sex. Next would be being a "top", then giving fellatio (no ejaculation in the mouth, but pre-cum is probably present). Is this correct? I assumed condoms are being used for the anal sex. However, if condoms we NOT used, the order of risk would still be the same, no? I have been told that if you are a top, you still are at risk if some fluid(s) are "wicked" up your urethra (sp?) before, during or after ejaculation. [please note that "order of risk" is the probability of being a bottom being riskier that a top. OF COURSE not using a condom increases the risk!] Q. What is the "safety level" of giving someone a blowjob? If you haven't got any mouth sores, didn't just brush your teeth (bleeding gums), etc., what are the risks? My A. I assume that is a relatively "safe" act to perform. However, can any measure of "safe" be enough with the alternative is your life? What if any concrete facts are available about the safety of such acts? Q. Would it help to have any sort of non-toxic spermicide present in your mouth while giving fellatio? (something with Monoxynol-9, for instance?) My A. I really don't know. Would it? Q. At least in the gay community, indications are that the rate of new infections having stablilized and even started to drop, due to increased awareness, the use of condoms, and the increased practice of "safe" sex. Is this true? My A. I don't know this one either, but I would like to think that it is true. People certainly seem to know about AIDS now, and I've never met anyone who would possibly object to using a condom if they needed to, nor would anyone engage in any of the more risky acts. Is this true? Can anyone tell? ------------------- I realize that for the soc.motss people, this is a serious posting after all the fun of late about nature vs. homosexuality, and I'm almost sorry to bring it up. Lately, however, the issue of AIDS has been brought up a good bit and it's got me down. I want to learn more from people I HOPE have some of the (few?) facts available, and I think we could all benefit. Consider for a minute that on yesterday's (6/5/89) evening news it was pointed out that the epidemic has been with us for 8 years now, and that the at an AIDS conference in Montreal the keynote discussion was how the disease was still very much out of control, and will claim a HUGE HUGE HUGE number of new victims in the next few (10 or so) years. rah. :-((( Oh yeah, it was also mentioned that they now think that the gestation period of the virus can last up to 10 years. Is this the time between infection and detection, or between detection and ARC/AIDS? Now returning you to your regularly scheduled net.news..... -- Mike Weekley ...!gatech!dcatla!dxmlw "What, me worry?" Development, DCA/Crosstalk Communications, Inc. -- A.E. Newman