HIV+ Gay Sex

A booklet about being gay, having HIV and sex. Second Edition (2002).

This booklet was produced by the AFAO [1]Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations. AFAO is the peak non-government organisation representing Australia's community-based response to HIV/AIDS. AFAO's work includes education, policy, advocacy and international projects. /NAPWA Education Team (ANET) in 2002. It is the second edition of a resource first released in 1997.

The full text of the booklet is available here, or you can obtain a hard copy from AFAO, NAPWA or from your state AIDS Council or PLWHA group.

Introduction

This booklet is about being gay, having HIV and sex. It has been written primarily for gay men with HIV, and for this reason is written from a positive man’s perspective.

For HIV negative readers who may not know the status of their sexual partners or may be in a relationship with a man who is HIV positive, we hope this booklet gives you some insight into the issues facing gay men with HIV.

Many questions may confront you about sex when you’re HIV positive. Some may be quite specific. Others may be more complex…

“Should I tell my partners I’m HIV positive, and if I do, when and how?”

“What health issues are there if I don’t use condoms with other positive men?”

“Can I have a safe and satisfactory sexual relationship with a lover who is HIV negative?”

“How do I minimise the ways in which HIV might get in the way of a good sex life?”

“How does my HIV status affect my sexual confidence and self-esteem?”

“What effect can sexually transmitted diseases have on my health?”

This booklet is designed as a starting point for helping you to work out your answers to some of those questions.

We have included edited quotes from both negative and positive gay men who have shared their stories with us. Their experiences highlight the personal impact HIV has had on our lives.