The moment and the way in which each person exercises their sexuality must be a strictly personal decision, but, unfortunately, there are many external factors that influence this area of life.
From the pressure of friends or their partner to the difficulty in accessing such an important protection method as the condom, adolescents and young people often start their sexual activity exposing themselves to infections that could clearly be avoided with the use of a condom. .
Although part of the charm of sexuality is the unexpected and impulsive, many times it is better to plan a sexual encounter in order to be surer that this relationship will not leave us with unwanted consequences, such as a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or an unplanned pregnancy.
Step by Step
It should be remembered that a person’s sexuality does not necessarily depend on their interaction with someone else. Autoeroticism or masturbation is also a sexual practice, and by doing it, people are exercising their sexuality in freedom.
But even in this solo practice, you can take some precautionary measures to avoid health problems. What you are going to stimulate yourself with, whether it is your own hands or a toy designed for this use, must be washed beforehand with soap and water to eliminate possible harmful microorganisms. These would not necessarily be STIs, but they could be bacteria or other germs that cause infections.
Another option in the range of sexuality would be to interact with another person, although without reaching penetration (anal, vaginal or oral). This goes by different names depending on the country you live in, but it can be summed up as kissing and intense caresses (even mutual masturbation) that give great sexual pleasure.
To make this practice safer, in addition to hand hygiene and/or sex toys, it should be added not to take sexual fluids from one person to the genitals of the other. In other words, if a girl is masturbating her male partner, she should be careful not to touch herself afterwards, as she could be bringing precum or semen to her vulva and that would facilitate the transmission of infections. The same would happen the other way around, if a man touched his penis with vaginal fluids, or if the encounter was between people of the same sex.
Decisions, decisions
Although you have a lot of practice in these other sexual activities, vaginal, anal or oral penetration is an important step that changes, in some way, the panorama in terms of the implications (and risks) of sexuality.
To speak of the famous “first time” is to think of the romanticism or the idealization that many media show us about it. But many times prevention is left aside, which is, finally, what will give us the peace of mind to enjoy the moment without feelings of guilt or worries in the days that follow.
In a material aimed at adolescents and young people in Venezuela, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) recommends considering in advance the possibility of making a penetration for the first time.
To do this, it invites you to ask yourself the following questions, answering them simply with yes or no:
- Do you want to have it?
- Are you sure and convinced of what you are going to do?
- Do you think this is the right time for it?
- Do you already have an agreement with the other person? (This means having previously spoken and is not impulsive or under pressure)
- Do you have the tools for your own protection at hand? (That is, you will be responsible for your protection and you will not leave that task to the other person)
- Do you feel pressured or pressured to have this sexual relationship?
They may seem simple and even a bit redundant questions, but it is important to answer them honestly, so you will know if you are making a good decision for your life and that you are aware of minimizing the risks of acquiring an STI such as HIV or having an unplanned pregnancy.
Sexuality is a source of pleasure and satisfaction, and should not be a factor of concern or anguish. To make sure this is the case, the key is prevention. That’s why at AHF Latin America and the Caribbean we offer you free condoms and free HIV tests, so you can make informed decisions about your sex life. Come to our offices in your country or write to us by Whatsapp and find out about our services.
