SEXUAL COMMUNICTION: TALKING ABOUT SEX
Talking about sexual health with a partner shows that you care about yourself and your partner and that you want to share information to safeguard both partners’ health. Your personalities as well as the nature and length of your relationship will have a lot to do with when and how you choose to talk about the subject. The best time to have the talk is well before becoming sexually involved. The worst time is in the heat of the moment, when you’re about to engage in sex. Although this may seem obvious, many people find themselves making this mistake over and over again.
When you and your partner have gotten to know each other and feel comfortable talking about becoming intimate, choose a time when you are together in private and won’t be interrupted. It’s a good idea to have your options clearly in your mind as well as some general guidelines about what you do—and don’t—want to do. Make up your mind that you’re not going to allow yourself to feel pressured into doing anything you don’t want to do. Although it may not always work out that way, it’s almost always best to let relationships take time. If a partner is worth getting to know better, he or she will stay around without sex. Indeed you may decide that after getting to know a partner, you don’t want to become intimate.
“I’m starting to feel close to you, and before things go any further, I want to talk about safe sex. Is this a good time for you?”
“I want to talk with you about a topic that’s a bit uncomfortable for me to discuss, but I think it’s important. I want to talk about safe sex and using condoms. Is that O.K. with you?”
*76\213\8*
