Risky sex

Until recently, efforts to promote safe sex among gay men ages thirty to forty-four were thought to be successful. Yet this group, while informed about the risks of contracting HIV, no longer consistently practices safer sex. Why? Health workers researching this "relapse" have suggested that such factors as guilt among survivors, alcohol and drug use, and low self-esteem are possible causes of continuing dangerous sexual behavior. Risky Sex critiques this reasoning through an exploration of the actual lifestyles and sexual behaviors of men in this age group. Using as its base a study of the gay community of West Hollywood, California, this book profiles seven gay men who have engaged in risky sex, whether in a monogamous relationship or in other social contexts. In candid, in-depth interviews, they discuss their experiences in the age of AIDS, their attitudes toward sex, and their motives for engaging in behaviors that are widely considered to be dangerous health risks. .̃ Risky Sex is a much-needed intervention in the studies of human sexuality and HIV prevention education; it will be of immense interest to gay men and of value to health care providers and planners, as well as to educators, social workers, and counselors.