SFisting: That Burning Sensation
The first in our three-part series of perspectives on Burning Man. Today we hook up, tomorrow we Rant, and Thursday we Rave.
When reminded of the upcoming event known by insiders as "Burning Man", San Francisco denizens will have a variety of associations come to mind when evoking the costly desert Bacchanalia. Lube caked with playa dust. Anonymous sex with people who haven't showered in a week. Oh, and lots of creative enlightenment peppered with drug busts, heatstroke and, um, community. But here at home among clinic workers and sex hotline operators, our thoughts are about the souvenirs that keep on giving long after the man has burned and the ozone has thinned a bit more: ever-rising STD and STI reports. It's no wonder the attendees are called "burners."
But before you end up at Herpes Camp holding a cardboard sign that reads "will trade water for antibiotics and Famvir" do, as we say, "know before you blow".
SFist Violet has a perfect attendance record for Burning Man, and she isn't going to the desert this year, either.
Obviously, no one is telling their potential sex partners that they're infected before engaging in sex acts -- or, they don't know they're infected, or are too filthy with playa dust to see an outbreak. When you're reluctant to screen a new sex partner (as in asking about STDs and using a condom), keep in mind that HIV will kill you, Herpes and HPV last a lifetime and the latter is likely to give you cervical cancer if you're female. Does that white Rasta hippie in caked clown makeup still look worth it? We thought not.
We know you're asking, "but what if I just lick all the dust off?" Unprotected oral sex is still a risk; going down on a woman is a low risk activity for Herpes and HPV, unless she's having an outbreak and then you're getting a gift that keeps on giving (yes, HPV can blossom like a pretty bouquet in your throat). 1 in 3 men and women carry HPV (genital/oral warts) and many don't know it because the virus might not show up for years. It's true that you can contract Herpes when the virus is shedding (the period prior to an outbreak when there are no visible sores), but smart people with Herpes can typically tell when they're shedding, and won't engage in sex during this time. Medications like Famvir are extremely effective in preventing outbreaks, so if your partner discloses their herpes status but is on a medication such as Famvir and are in the clear for sex, your chances of contracting herpes are extremely low. Use a condom when giving a new male partner a blowjob if you want to be absolutely safe; if he objects, you know you have a loser on your hands (but at least not in your mouth). Additionally, you lower your risk for contracting an oral virus if you do not brush your teeth -- tooth brushing opens tiny cuts around your gums to make you bleed, giving viruses the ultimate ticket to the burn in your bloodstream. So that naked guy with socks and Birkenstocks with the gnarly, clotted teeth? Mustache rides are free in the desert, ladies!
Infections love heat, dark moist areas and dirt, which is why they get into Black Rock City for free. Carry baby wipes to keep yourself clean: look for ones that are alcohol-free, unscented and pH balanced. Don't buy ones with added oils and moisturizers if you plan on using latex condoms -- and please plan on using condoms (not just for keeping your camera dust-free). Use latex or polyurethane (non-latex) condoms; don't get any oil near your latex, you can use oil with your non-latex condoms but use lots of lube as they don't stretch like latex and might break if they dry out, and avoid animal skin condoms at all costs as they are not proven effective against HIV transmission. Buy and carry a pack of latex or non-latex gloves, as your (and your partner's) hands will be filthy, and genital contact with germs will give you an infection, especially if you can't clean yourself off afterward. Also, if you're not sure that your sex partner is virus-free, a glove for a handjob might save you accidental transmission of the virus or infection to your eyes, nose, mouth or elsewhere later.
For a complete list of links and resources about safer sex, and to get questions answered, visit San Francisco Sex Information. For a quick reference chart on STD and STI transmission by sex act, see this chart. After that, if you can still get it up (ladies and gentlemen), have fun in the desert. And remember: follow your bliss, but watch out for crabs.