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Sex

BBSTIs

Chlamydia Gonorrhea Syphilis Hepatitis B Genital herpes HIV/AIDS HPV Scabies Pubic lice

Do you know what BBSTIs are?  

BBSTIs: they’re not just transmitted sexually!

It’s possible to catch a BBSTI (blood-borne and sexually transmitted infection) in different ways. Do you know what they are?

Contraception

•    if you don’t use a condom during sex
•    if you have unprotected oral-genital relations (contact of the mouth with the genitals: penis, vulva, or anus)
•    if you don’t use a condom with all your sexual partners
•    if you have several sexual partners

Drugs

•    if you share drug injection or inhalation paraphernalia (such as needles, straws, crack pipes)
•    if you carelessly pick up a used needle

Tattooing and piercing

If you get tattooed or pierced with a needle that isn’t new or hasn’t been sterilized

Sharing objects

If you share personal objects (razor, toothbrush, sex toy, etc.) that could have come into contact with contaminated secretions or blood

Do you know...?

Do I need to take a screening test if I’m a virgin?

It’s not obligatory, and your risk of having a BBSTI is very low. 😘 Talk about it with your partner. It’s important for you to trust the other person and be able to talk about your sexual history, with or without penetration. But if a test will make you both feel better, don’t hesitate to do it. Otherwise, condoms are always good protection.

Is there a way to know if someone has a BBSTI?

Most BBSTIs don’t have symptoms, so a person can have one without knowing it. You may not feel or see anything at all, on yourself or on your partner. Men may react more to some BBSTIs, while women react more to others. The only thing that always works is taking a screening test! That will give you peace of mind.

Can I catch an BBSTI by having oral sex?

Yes! 😛 You can catch an BBSTI be engaging in fellatio, cunnilingus, a combination of both (69), or anilingus (stimulating the anal region with the tongue). During cunnilingus or anilingus, it is recommended that you wear a dental dam. This is a sheet of latex that you put on your partner’s vulva or anus to protect yourself from BBSTIs. You can by them (even flavoured ones!) in a drugstore or sex shop or make one yourself with a condom.

During fellatio, you can use a condom: there are flavoured condoms that are specifically designed for oral sex. However, a condom won’t protect you from genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), pubic lice, or scabies, since the infection in those cases may be outside the area covered by the condom.

I’ve been avoiding sex because I’m scared of BBSTIs. Is that normal?

Nothing is 100% safe. Being ready to have a sexual relationship means accepting the risks that come from being sexually active. If you feel too anxious, there are some things that can help you manage your anxiety. What would make you feel safer? Don’t hesitate to talk about it with a friend, a family member, the sexologist at your school, or the Tel-jeunes team.

How can I ask the other person to use protection without making them angry?

We protect ourselves from BBSTIs so we don’t put our own lives and other people’s in danger. It should be a reflex: when you want to have sex, you have to use protection! Wanting to protect yourself doesn’t mean you don’t trust the other person.

To have peace of mind during and after sex, the condom is the only effective method that protects against both pregnancy and many BBSTIs. Of course, the ideal situation would be to talk about contraception with your partner BEFORE having sex. That way, you’d avoid having to make a decision in the heat of the moment...

Between the two of you, you can surely find ways of integrating condom use into your sex life that are exciting and even fun!

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