Guide
Staying on top of it
The more you know, the better it gets
If you already know the basics and want to take a more proactive approach to sexual health, this guide is for you. Sexual health information isn’t always written with LGBTQ+ people in mind. Here you’ll find practical information about prevention, screening and staying on top of your health, so you can make informed decisions with confidence.
Protect yourself and your community
Barriers, lube and toys: knowing what works for the sex you’re having.
Protection isn’t only about reducing risk. It’s also about pleasure and how we look after ourselves and the people we have sex with.
Protection isn’t one-size-fits-all. Different kinds of sex call for different tools, and understanding how barriers like condoms, gloves and dams, lube and toy hygiene work can help reduce risk while making sex more comfortable and enjoyable.
Fluids and transmission, decoded
How STIs pass between bodies.
A lot of sexual health myths come from not knowing how infections are transmitted. Some STIs pass through skin-to-skin contact (including HPV, herpes and syphilis), others through sexual fluids or blood (including chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV and hepatitis A, B and C), and a few – including herpes, syphilis and mpox – can spread through both routes.
Understanding how infections can be passed, and the differing risks involved with different sexual activities, can help you navigate your sexual encounters with confidence, alongside using barriers, testing regularly and communicating with partners.
Quick tips
- Match your barrier to the activity: condoms, gloves, dams, lube and toy hygiene all work differently.
- Know your routes: some STIs pass through skin contact, some through fluids or blood, and a few through both.
- Build testing, cervical screening and vaccination into a routine you don’t have to think hard about.
- Protection isn’t only about reducing risk. It’s part of pleasure too, not something separate from it.
Healthy habits that stick
Small routines, big impact.
The easiest healthcare habits are the ones you don’t have to think too hard about. Building testing, cervical screening and vaccination into your routine can help you stay one step ahead.
