EL Policy on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

AT EL we strongly encourage you to have a discussion about STI status before you interact sexually with anyone. One cannot give informed consent to a sexual act if one is unaware of STI status, i.e., both your own and/or that of the people you interact with.

We do not require testing for STI’s as a condition for entry to our events. So you need to be aware that it is always possible that some people in the space will have STI’s. Presuming this to be true:

• We strongly encourage everyone, who engages in activities which may involve the exchange of bodily fluids, to practice safer sex protocols by using condoms, latex gloves and dental dams.

• We also require the use of towels and sarongs on any surface on which sexual activity takes place, as Hepatitis C and other infections can be transmitted via surfaces.

• In any workshop which involves genital touch, the use of gloves is mandatory. Viroclean, a hospital grade disinfectant, is always available in play spaces to clean toys.

• Participants at events will be advised as to the STI risk level of all clothing-optional activities, risk minimisation recommendations and reminders are given at the beginning of all our events.

As of November 2022, the major STI’s currently present in Australia are:

1. Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Herpes, which require a urine sample for testing.

2. HPV (Human Papillomavirus) and Trichomoniasis, which require a swab.

3. HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis, which require a blood sample.

All these tests can be done confidentially and for free at any Sexual Health Clinic in NSW or by your GP. There are also emerging STI’s, such as Monkeypox (which can be tested for with a swab by a GP).

Here is a very helpful table from the US Centre of Disease Control recommending screening for different STI’s taking into account your age, gender and who you have sex with.

We encourage everyone who attends our events to get tested regularly, especially if you have multiple partners and/or take part in activities with a higher risk of infection, such as sex work, drug injection, anal sex, and/or have sex with partners who themselves are at higher risk.

Our Policy Regarding the Disclosure of STI status

At EL we do not force anyone to disclose whether or not they have an STI. However, we encourage and applaud you for doing so, as it creates a more informed and safer erotic environment.

Disclosing an STI to a potential partner is an inherently vulnerable thing to do. It requires bravery and often involves surmounting a fear of rejection. And yet, it has the potential to de-stigmatise and make us more knowledgeable and mature in our intimate lives.