• xor@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    9 hours ago

    if only STI’s weren’t a thing, polycules would be great….
    but, i’d rather be single than have to deal with pustules on my genitals for life….
    ….
    i bet they’d all be cured by now if idiots didn’t see it as some divine retribution….

      • WhiteRabbit_33@lemmy.world
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        11 hours ago

        Yep, this is exactly it. Practice safe sex, get on PrEP for HIV prevention, talk about testing and status with any potential sexual partners in or out of the polycule, and get tested every 3-6 months.

        • Hugin@lemmy.world
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          8 hours ago

          Yeah. My polycule is small but my friend is in a big multinational one. They have a google doc spreadsheet with STD results and sexual relationship tracking (fluid bonded, barriers, etc).

      • xor@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        9 hours ago

        yes because you can absolutely trust and guarantee safety amongst everyone in your polycule, and because you can totally be safe from STI’s that are transmitted by skin contact….

        you can be safer, but not safe

    • ImmersiveMatthew@sh.itjust.works
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      12 hours ago

      I am unsure if that is completely true as my past experience in the lifestyle was that everyone was very on top of regular STD (think you meant this not SDI) testing and safe sex practices to protect all involved, whereas normal dating there is a lot less of that plus secret polycules you are not even aware you are in (cheating). Not seen a study on this but this was my observation at least.

      • xor@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        9 hours ago

        STI… but the problems with people cheating are present in polycules or any other relationship…
        people lie and cheat….

        i’m not saying they’re completely bad and nobody should ever do it (sorry downvoters, you have my blessings), it’s just the kind of thing that concerns me in these scenarios….

        afaik, people tend to do things like get herpes, not tell anyone, and tell people it’s not even worth tripping over… just a lil herpes…

        and as long as your polycule isn’t a closed loop, it’s essentially infinitely large….

        • YarHarSuperstar@lemmy.world
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          7 hours ago

          Personally I would never be in a relationship with someone who would do that but i am pretty picky with very firm boundaries.

      • Hugin@lemmy.world
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        8 hours ago

        Yeah my fluid bonded girlfriend had a condom break with her other boyfriend. So she just told me and we switched to condoms until she could get retested. No big deal.

        If we hadn’t been poly it would either have been a I cheated on you conversation or worse she exposed my to possible STD without my consent.

      • andros_rex@lemmy.world
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        9 hours ago

        Herpes can be spread, even with condoms. Often asymptomatic, also so common/with a test that is also so prone to false positives that they don’t test for it in most panels.

        PREP, PEP, and doxyPREP are great things. There should also be no stigma around STI’s - a large chunk of adults get one at some point in their lives. Trich or HPV I think the vast majority of people don’t even know.

        The big thing is that everyone should be an adult and open/honest about their risks and tolerances. The more partners you have, the more likely a condom is to break or something is to go wrong. There’s a balance in all things.

        • Pup Biru@aussie.zone
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          7 hours ago

          would you like to elaborate?

          because

          • HIV is preventable through PrEP
          • gonorrhoea is curable with antibiotics
          • syphilis is curable with antibiotics
          • chlamydia is curable with antibiotics
          • mgen is curable with antibiotics
          • many of the above are preventable with DoxyPEP
          • herpes is treatable
          • HPV is preventable through vaccination

          and your “pustules on my genitals” is just complete FUD