Sexual practices and safe( r ) sex perceptions in self-narratives of people living with HIV (PLH)

Abstract

Abstract As previous findings from related studies have argued, it is an accepted view among members of gay and bisexual communities that PLH (people living with HIV) bear a greater responsibility in reducing the risk of HIV infection than HIV-negative people when they are having sex with HIV-negative or untested men. This responsibility also includes the notion that PLH should always reveal their HIV-positive status to their sexual partners. This mechanism works through the collective presumption that we regard anybody as HIV-negative until we learn otherwise: that is, until the HIV-positive status of that person is revealed. This presumption definitely has harmful effects on HIV prevention, since it facilitates the spreading of HIV-infection through potentially causing carelessness, reducing feelings of fear, thus propagating risky sexual behaviour. While keeping this collective presumption – that if a person’s HIV status is unknown, they are automatically presumed HIV-negative – in view, I analyse excerpts of interviews with PLH regarding sexual partners, condom use, interpretations of safe(r) sex and risky sexual practices. Keywords: HIV/AIDS, sexuality, condom, risky sexual practices