Safe sex or safe love: competing discourses?

AIDS Care
D RosenthalS Moore

Abstract

The way in which sex may be constructed as safe through its relationship with 'love' is the concern of this study. Interviews with 112 heterosexual women and men from discos and bars in Melbourne, Australia, catering to single adults revealed the pervasive construction of sex within the discourses of 'love' and 'romance'. The relationship of these discourses to unsafe practices is discussed and the article presents an analysis of the normative function of the sex-as-love/sex-as-desire opposition in terms of safe sex and HIV/AIDS prevention. We conclude that health messages which emphasize that 'sex is unsafe' may be counterproductive. We illustrate how women and some men construct casual sex as a strategy for obtaining the possibility of 'love'. For these women and men, 'safe sex' as 'unprotected sex' is viewed as a strategy for maximizing the possibility that the casual encounter will result in a longer term relationship. On the other hand, 'unsafe sex' as 'unprotected sex' is viewed as a strategy that is more likely to interrupt the construction of romance in the causal encounter thus risking the possibility of love as the desired outcome.

Citations

Jun 4, 2005·AIDS and Behavior·Laurie J Bauman, Rebecca Berman
Feb 28, 2006·Archives of Sexual Behavior·Fatima Juarez, Teresa Castro Martín
Feb 26, 2011·Archives of Sexual Behavior·Maria-João Alvarez, Leonel Garcia-Marques
Dec 13, 2005·Sexual Health·Sharful Islam KhanAbbas Bhuiya
Jan 14, 2010·Journal of Homosexuality·Benjamin Nieto-Andrade
Jan 21, 2012·Psychology & Health·Daniel N Jones, Delroy L Paulhus
Apr 10, 2002·AIDS Care·A SankarG Roberts
Jan 25, 2013·Culture, Health & Sexuality·Katherine Twamley
Sep 29, 2004·The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care : the Official Journal of the European Society of Contraception·M Wulff, A Lalos
Oct 7, 2009·The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANAC·Mark A Meyer, Jane Dimmitt Champion
May 8, 2007·Social Science & Medicine·Damien RidgeJonathan Elford
May 7, 2010·Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health·A Michelle CorbettMargaret R Weeks
Feb 11, 2015·The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care : the Official Journal of the European Society of Contraception·Derrick SsewanyanaChristiane Stock
Apr 7, 2016·Journal of Sex Research·Panteá Farvid, Virginia Braun
May 31, 2013·Journal of Sex Research·N Tatiana MastersCynthia A Stappenbeck
May 3, 2016·Journal of Sex Research·Kristina B HoodFaye Z Belgrave
Jun 23, 2007·Journal of Advanced Nursing·Leah EastKathleen Peters
Feb 20, 2021·Prevention Science : the Official Journal of the Society for Prevention Research·Laurie J BaumanCheng-Shiun Leu

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.