SafeRated: Safer Sex in Porn

[updated December, 2011]

BananaGuide supports porn companies that take measures to protect their models from HIV and other STDs. We know that lots of guys enjoy watching bareback porn and may not understand why we believe condom use by porn models remains good policy, so we've put together a FAQ on this important issue.

Why does BananaGuide care?
Because we believe it is the responsibity of the gay adult industry to protect the health of its models. Even with vastly improved treatments, HIV/AIDS remains a health threat. Though manageable with drugs, HIV is still incurable and the use of condoms when fucking is the single most effective way to prevent transmission of the virus during sex.

Do bareback producers take precautions to make sure models have the same HIV status?
There is no consistent policy among bareback producers for pairing models. Some try to use only models that are HIV positive; others try to use only models that are HIV negative. Some test their models; others just ask models what their HIV status is and take them at their word. Furthermore, while some studios may state that they have a screening or testing policy, there is no way to verify this. With all of these "ifs" it's simply impossible to gage the true risk level when we see condomless fucking onscreen.

Can't HIV testing screen out HIV+ models?
The most common form of HIV testing detects antibodies that the immune system has created to combat the virus. But during the earliest phase of HIV infection the body's immune system has not kicked in sufficiently to produce antibodies at a detectable level. Therefore someone who is recently infected can test negative yet still pass the virus to his partner. Most people develop detectable antibodies approximately 30 days after infection; the vast majority of people (97%) have detectable antibodies within 90 days.

There are more sensitive (and expensive) tests that look for the genetic material of HIV itself (rather than antibodies.) These are known as PCR tests and they will produce a positive test result within 15 to 30 days of infection.

The long and the short of it is that -- even with the best tests available -- just because someone tests negative doesn't mean he is negative.

What if both models are HIV+
While many HIV positive men choose to have unprotected sex with partners they know are also HIV positive, the problem with bareback porn is that we have no way of knowing if this is actually what is happening onscreen. For model privacy reasons, studios never make a statement that their models are HIV+, though sometimes you can guess by the appearance of the models or the reputation of the studio.

What about "virgins" or "first timers"?
There is no way to verify that models haven't fucked before and are therefore probably HIV-. Porn producers just want to create a fantasy for their viewers.

Can't 18-year-old models decide for themselves?
While twink bareback does appeal to the "young and innocent" fantasy, young people are more likely to take higher risks and are easier to manipulate. Young models may be getting into situations without fully weighing the consequences of their actions.

Can watching porn affect people's attitudes or sexual behavior?
We think that individual attitudes and behaviors are affected by media, including entertainment; safer sex on the screen reinforces the idea that sex with condoms is hot.

What can I do?
Porn is market-driven. As a consumer be aware that your choices do make a difference. Even if you do enjoy viewing bareback porn, try not to write off all the other great porn available to you just because of a little latex.

ABOUT THE SAFERATING

What does SafeRated mean?

SafeRated "High" - the site protect its models by using condoms in fuck scenes.

SafedRated "Medium" - the site carries third-party bareback content (ie plug-ins) or a small proportion of original bareback video scenes.

SafeRated "Low" - the site carries a significant amount of bareback video.

Do you take other types of higher risk sex, such as cumming in the mouth, into consideration?
All sex has some risk to it, but by far the highest risk sex is fucking without a condom. The SafeRating applies only to whether condoms are used during anal sex scenes.

Does the SafeRating affect the a site's review score?
No. The SafeRating is a separate rating and does not contribute to the total score out of 100 that we rank sites on.

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