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Disagreements about agreements – many gay couples lack clarity on sex outside their relationship
Roger Pebody, 2013-04-05 07:10:00

The majority of American gay men in relationships say they establish a ‘sexual agreement’ with their partner, both to minimise HIV risks and to maintain the quality of their relationship, according to research published online ahead of print by the Journal of Sex Research last month.

However, partners do not always agree on whether they have an agreement, on whether it was explicitly discussed, or on what sex is allowed with other people. And the agreement had been broken by one or both partners in just under half the couples studied.

The study has also found that around a quarter of the HIV-negative men who have casual sex attempt to 'serosort' or use 'strategic positioning' when doing so. However, regular HIV testing was far from universal in this group, making such practices potentially unreliable. 

“From a public health perspective, we need to encourage gay couples to have more honest and explicit discussions when establishing and honouring sexual agreements,” commented Dr Jason Mitchell of the University of Michigan, who conducted the research. “Sexual agreements are not only advantageous from a prevention standpoint for couples, but the agreement can also help strengthen their relationship.”

A sexual agreement is made between two individuals, and concerns what sexual behaviour may occur within and outside their relationship. Some agreements may simply clarify that sex is not permitted with other people. Other agreements may concern the relationship being ‘open’ to a lesser or greater extent. Many couples use agreements, in part, to limit their risk of HIV infection. 

Source:1