It sort of makes sense that if you have a lot of sexual partners, your risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases would increase, because they are sexually transmitted diseases, and there you are, participating in an activity that aides and abets their transmission. But a study confirm the common sense: Swingers get HIV and syphilis and gonorrhea a lot!
At least, a lot more than gay men. And even young people in their 20s.
Millions of people worldwide are estimated to be swingers, defined as straight couples who regularly swap partners at organised gatherings and clubs and indulge in group sex. However, experts say that their lifestyles represent a hidden but significant source of STIs.
The study, published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, found swingers who attended three Dutch clinics had some of the highest rates of STIs, along with young heterosexuals and gay men. Those over the age of 45 were most likely to be infected, while women who attended swinging parties had higher infection rates than men.
“Potentially, they may act as an STI transmission bridge to the entire population,” said Nicole Dukers-Muijrers, of the South Limburg public health service, in Geleen, who led the study.
So while the FDA requires blood donors to answer questions about whether they’ve ever had gay sex, given or received money for sex, or had sex with an intravenous drug user, there’s nothing on there about whether you’re a straight person who hits up swingers parties — even though THE DATA, which is all the FDA supposedly cares about, suggests this group of people is the highest risk.
But if the FDA and the Dept. of Health and Human Services ever lifts the ban on gay blood, what do we do about gay swingers? Or, as they’re called in the trade, “club kids”?
How about we take this to the next level?
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Klarth
This raises a good point. If the gay ban is only about risk, they need to at least ask these questions of straight people, and that is not the case. We’re being singled out as exceptional health risks, as if we corner the market on STDs.