Sex without condoms only with up-to-date exams and between monogamous couples, say doctors

Every week, around 5,000 young women aged between 15 and 24 are infected worldwide with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), according to statistics from UNAIDS Brazil, a joint United Nations program on disease. However, Gabriel Breier, an influencer who preaches natural fitness (ie, no anabolic use), considers condoms a “lack of respect” for men, as well as “antibiological.”

“There are crazy people who date and stuff, and the girl starts asking the guy to use a condom. I think it’s unusual. Because having sex with a condom is something anti-biological, because it’s not you who’s touching the girl, it’s the plastic,” he declared. he. He further said that “[se] you’re having sex with a condom, you’re a beast”.

experts heard by Sheethowever, assess that the decision to abandon condoms should be made together and accompanied by regular examinations of the partners, in addition to the couple being sure that the relationship is monogamous for both.

With 134 thousand followers on Youtube, 234 thousand on TikTok and 108 thousand on Instagram, the influencer has small numbers close to the scenario he was willing to face, such as the increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in women and early pregnancies, serious problems in the Brazil and in the world.

In the last 15 years, according to UNAIDS, a United Nations agency, they have come to represent 53% of the world’s HIV cases and 30.6% of those infected by the virus in Brazil (87.8% of them through heterosexual relationships).

Today, infected with the virus who seek treatment soon after infection may not develop the disease, but without the diagnosis, the risk of becoming ill increases.

In addition, the country has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy, with 400,000 cases per year, according to data from the Ministry of Health.

Criticism around the influencer’s speech took shape in the voices of celebrities and Twitter users. With 14.5 million followers on Twitter, youtuber Felipe Neto asked women to continue using condoms, “especially if it’s to prevent the world of men like this,” he wrote.

User Jacy Carvalho, who has 80,000 followers on the network, tweeted indignantly: “USE A CONDOM while single or in a serious relationship or married.”

For Jamal Suleiman, an infectious disease specialist at Instituto Emílio Ribas, the relationship needs to be truly monogamous and both need to have negative STI tests and vaccinations up to date against diseases for which there is already prevention, such as HPV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis A.

“If one is positive, and specifically speaking of HIV, the viral load needs to be low to not use condoms. You need to see if you have the capacity to infect or not. You also have the option of doing pre-exposure prophylaxis”, said the doctor. The infectologist stressed that in an open relationship the use of condoms is recommended and, although there are prophylaxis options, there is no reason to question the effectiveness or necessity of the method.

​Infectious disease specialist Karen Mirna Loro Morejón, responsible for the Hospital Infection Service at Unimed Hospital, echoes Suleiman’s speech. She states that condoms are part of the strategy to prevent infectious diseases.

“If there is a joint decision by the couple not to use [camisinha], that this be done consciously and with all risks assessed. To focus on other prevention methods combined with regular testing for STIs.”

The teacher defends frank and respectful dialogue with a health professional, and female self-care so that intimate demands are welcomed and doubts resolved before any decision is made.

“We have many women who were infected by their partners. The majority, in fact, did not know their diagnosis, but some knew and had not revealed it to their partners”, he says.

Jose Valdez Madruga, infectious disease specialist and coordinator of the AIDS Committee of the SBI (Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases), also believes that the decision must be taken jointly by the couple, and that it is necessary to be clear if the relationship is monogamous for both.

If they do not have the same serological status, the positive must be on treatment with an undetectable viral load and the negative with up-to-date pre-exposure prophylaxis. “There are factors that need to be considered when deciding whether or not to use condoms. Sometimes, only one is monogamous and only discovers that the other is not monogamous when a sexually transmitted infection appears”, the doctor pointed out.

Evalcilene Santos, 45, a human rights activist and activist, has been living with HIV since she was 22. For her, condoms need to be defended as one of the most important inputs in the fight against the transmission of STIs and for the preservation of women’s lives.

“I was never told about condoms. When I found myself, young, already having a daughter and breastfeeding with HIV, it was very horrible. Could it be that today I would be infected with HIV and taking medication every day, with sequelae in my body? having this infection and people still not talking to me because of stigma and discrimination.”

The activist also states that continuing popular education, access and female autonomy to use condoms and other forms of prevention are essential as she considers that sexist speeches like that of the influencer can kill women. “We women have the right to our bodies, to [escolher] whether or not to use a condom. Forcing a woman not to use when she requests it is sexual violence”, recalls Evalcilene.

Jenice Pizão, 63, from the National Movement of PositHIVas Citizens, called the influencer’s speech “irresponsible nonsense” and says that he should suffer legal penalties due to “such a lack of sensitivity and knowledge of the subject.

“A prejudiced, misogynistic speech. How do you consider an influencer? I’ve been living with HIV for 32 years, I got infected due to a total lack of information at the time, thinking that the virus didn’t exist in my environment. It was a mistake and with that I got infected”, regrets.

She also cites more recent technologies, such as pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis offered by the SUS (Unified Health System).

“With the correct treatment, the viral load is undetectable and does not infect anyone. The information it transmits is information that can lead to very serious damage and encourages risky behavior. Therefore, it should be penalized”, he declares.