Subj : SEX IN THE AGE OF CORONAVIRUS
To : All
From : Major Queen
Date : Tue May 05 2020 06:04 pm
MAY 5, 2020 SOURCE EXPRESS
In a time of physical distancing, Body Positive's Mark Fisher asks what is
the future for casual sex, sex on-site premises and people engaged in sex
work?
Physical isolation is the new normal as restrictions due to COVID continue.
Walking outside or sharing a bench are considered dangerous and hugging or
kissing as a form of greeting is forbidden. Having sex with people outside
your bubble is not an option so consensual sex inside your bubble is your
choice which can be with your live-in partner or yourself.
There are lots of guides to abstaining from sex and how to physically
distance and these have led to a tripling in the sale of sex toys during the
lockdown so most people are getting the message. As a community LGBT are used
to being policed around their sexual desires. Consensual sex between men aged
16 and older was criminalized until the Homosexual Law Reform Act came into
effect in 1986. People living with HIV are still criminalized today for
non-disclosure of their HIV status with a sexual partner. Now with
coronavirus people can potentially be criminalized for having consensual sex
outside of their bubble. Recently, 8 men in Barcelona were raided and
arrested for consensual sex during their lockdown. With some countries
predicting that physical distancing may be with us until 2022 or at least
until there is a vaccine that can be manufactured and distributed at a global
level to provide collective immunity which is something that may never
happen. What is the future for sex on-site premises or for people engaged in
sex work? What is the future for casual sex?
With the HIV/AIDS pandemic, we were forced to do a similar assessment of
risk. Our friends and lovers were dying around us but sex and intimacy are a
vital part of life and desire is a trait shared by all. The simple act of
touch and connection is part of what brings people together as a community.
In the initial responses to HIV, we had bathhouse raids and the face of the
grim reaper in adverts in an attempt to stop people from having sex.
Campaigns were based around fear and the ABC's (Abstinence, Be faithful and
use Condoms) with funding being tied to these principles and in a number of
countries condoms were not an option due to religious beliefs. Today we are
promoting Abstinence and Be faithful. Stick to people you can trust to limit
the size of your bubble and thus your level of exposure. Keep everyone at
least 2 meters away at all times.
Most of us have modified our behaviours to meet the new normal but not
everyone is able to do this and no one is providing alternatives on how to
minimize risk. We have witnessed this with people taking part in outdoor
activities, hosting house parties and rushing to congregate at cafes and
takeout as they become available. Physical distancing in a social capacity is
difficult for everyone to maintain for an extended and undefined period of
time. Some people don't care, some people are challenged due to mental
health, addiction, social inequities or financial strain. Some people
struggle with compulsive behaviour and have lost access to the support and
social networks that they rely upon in times of need. Some people don't have
the luxury of choice or control of their lives due to varying power dynamics.
Some people are experiencing powerful levels of depression due to the
situation we are in and are indifferent about themselves and others at the
moment. Some people have lived on the edge for a long time and don't respond
well to being told what not to do. And some people just don't understand the
risks that are being presented to them. We don't criminalize these people. We
support them. We minimize their risk of harm by connecting them with the
support services they need and helping them to alter their behaviour safely.
We help them to take control of their choices and the consequences these may
have on other people.
If physical distancing is with us for a long time we need solutions that will
enable people to connect or these activities will be forced underground to an
unregulated non-compliance that increases risk. We need to accept that the
enforced prohibition of physical connection is not possible in the long term
and develop strategies for people to manage their behaviour appropriately. We
are placing peoples physical and mental health at risk through this lockdown
process and risk creating a form of community-level PTSD. These mental health
and social supports need to be scaled up and enhanced to meet the increased
demand that we all know is bearing down on us due to the lockdown.
For the short and medium-term we need to accept there are levels of risk and
ensure people understand transmission routes and how transmission chains are
formed through close physical contact to enable people to manage their own
activities appropriately. If you do have sex with others, have a few partners
as possible and avoid group sex. If you usually meet your sex partners online
or make a living by having sex, consider taking a break from in-person dates.
It may be time to maintain a little black book of people you have connected
with (and when). One of the ongoing challenges with eliminating STI's has
been effective contact tracing in the age of hook-up apps like Grindr where
there is limited contact information beyond a screen name. In the age of
Coronavirus, it's important that you can reach out to anyone that may have
been exposed through a phone call, txt or email. Ensure you have this contact
information for everyone you connect with and know when you met up in case
you are diagnosed. Expediting testing and being able to trace these
connections quickly is the main method to stamp out the virus and stop it
from continuing to spread. This will be the new norm until we get a vaccine
or herd immunity. Based on our experience with measles it is unlikely there
will be planet-wide elimination of coronavirus and hopefully one day our
borders will again be open to allow tourists to come visit New Zealand. Now
is the time to plan for the new reality of sex in the age of Coronavirus as
it is already here.
Body Positive Inc. is a group founded by and run for, people with HIV/AIDS.
They welcome all people living with HIV and AIDS in New Zealand and look to
break down isolation and builds a sense of community while advocating on
behalf of HIV+ people on a national level. For more information visit
bodypositive.org.nz
