Everything you need to know to have a safe gay hookup
If you’re a single gay guy and keen to find a partner, it would be only natural to get excited about arranging hookups. But it’s equally important to exercise caution. There’s no reason why your get-togethers should be anything other than wonderful experiences. But let’s be pragmatic. Not everyone you will come across is going to have the same ulterior motives as you. But as long as you follow certain ground rules, you can guarantee your safety. To assist you with your quest for happy gay flings, we’ve provided some useful pointers to take on board.
1. Use only proven platforms for hookup
You might have come across all sorts of suggestions about the ideal place to arrange gay hookups. The LGBTQ community has always been enthusiastic about the digital environment. It’s because going online provides access to safe social hubs, where individuals can take their time developing a rapport before taking advantage of the introductory tools to organize a gay hookup on a dating platform of their choice.
But you can’t just assume that because a platform is online and accessible to gay males across the globe, it will always be 100% trustworthy. Always check out the reliability of these resources first. Never contemplate using a service that hasn’t been proven. The best LGBTQ services will offer a wealth of FAQs and blogs, as well as customer services where you can tap into further background information.
- Make sure he shows his real face
Until you’ve reached a stage where the chemistry is undeniable and you’re ready to hook up, get to know the guy more thoroughly. Be aware that some dating sites are host to ‘catfish’ or fake profiles. A modicum of detective work matching his username to his social media outlets should be enough to satisfy you that the image and charming personality appearing in your web browser is, in fact, his real face.
3. When you meet him offline, follow your instincts
You can ensure safety measures are in place before you even leave home for a face-to-face liaison. Tell your flatmates or text friends about your intended rendezvous. And always be honest. Never be afraid to admit your ultimate plan for fear of incurring disapproval. If you’re cruising for rent boy action, say this is the case. There have been high-profile cases where someone was too embarrassed to share their hookup details with their buddies, and things went tragically south.
(Once you get into the realm of paying for sex, you are entering a dimension fraught with danger, covering everything from unreliable partners who might have addiction issues, to violent pimps or imbecilic straights who get a kick from ‘gay-bashing.’) There’s a lot to be said about following your instincts, and if an inner voice is telling you there are red flags surrounding a particular hookup, it would probably be best to take heed!)
4. Protect yourself from sexual infections
Always pack your own condoms. If you’ve forgotten, you can’t rely on the integrity of someone you don’t know that well in a hookup. How do you know when he purchased his protection? Condoms have an expiry date printed on their packaging for a good reason. They do go out of date, and once that has passed, they start degrading and losing their potency at shielding the participants from infection. But having access to protection is vital for gay hookups.
We may be a long way away from the HIV/AIDs epidemic that so ravaged the gay community, reaching its peak in the late 1980s/early 1990s, but there is still no effective cure for HIV. This potentially debilitating disease can only be managed. While it is no longer the automatic death sentence it once was, it remains a potent threat, especially during unprotected sex.
But aside from HIV/AIDs, there is a whole raft of potential diseases and infections out there, including Gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, and genital herpes, not to mention ‘lesser’ but still troublesome examples, such as public lice or scabies. The golden rule is, if you’re going to indulge in gay hookups, especially with individuals whose sexual history is a mystery to you, always take appropriate precautions.
5. You should regularly be tested for STIs
As well as ensuring your hookups are conducted with a fresh packet of condoms in your back pocket, you should ensure your sexual health is monitored regularly. You can make appointments with your local doctor’s surgery and request everything from blood tests to manual inspection of your pubic area in case of skin conditions – itchiness around your genitals could indicate anything from lice to herpes. There are also drop-in clinics in various locations. Utilize your favorite search engine to get a list of the most recommended locations.
- Non-STI conditions
Ok, gay hookups will often have sex on the agenda, but there are other factors to be aware of. Erectile dysfunction is not necessarily a symptom of an STI, but it can hamper your enjoyment of a get-together. The upshot of this situation might negatively impact your self-esteem, and the longer this persists, the more likely it could lead to mental health issues, such as stress, then depression. The good news for you is that you can seek natural cures to counter what can be an awkward condition for otherwise healthy males!
While it can be a little alarming to be faced with what are often ideal remedies for ‘worse case scenarios,’ there’s nothing wrong with being equipped to deal with every eventuality. Learning the basic safety measures will give you a degree of confidence when you are getting into the gay dating game.
Much of it might seem commonsense – after all, who wouldn’t want to take precautions to avoid STIs? But it’s all about being realistic. Get your head around the fact there are anti-social gay guys out there but know exactly how to deal with them. Now you can begin seeking gay hookups – and having fun!
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Everything you need to know to have a safe gay hookup