Why are gay men more likely to contract an STD/HIV than others?

Question

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Answer 1

make no mistake about it, the group with the largest amount of people being infected by HIV are men who have sex with men. The chance of you getting the HIV virus through heterosexual sex is extremely extremely small, especially durning just 1 encounter, the chance sky rockets with homosexual sex. This is not a "stigma" Homosexual men represent 70 percent of all the new HIV infections among men and 51 percent (the majority) of all people being infected. The numbers also increased from 2003-2004, the data which the most recent released. im going to use Illinois as a example since i live there. in 2006 60 percent of the people who got HIV were homosexual men (including MSM contact along with IDU), that number drops to 13 percent for IDU (drug users) and 5 percent for heterosexuals

the reason this is is because durning anal sex, the anus tends to tear because unlike the vagina, the anus isint susposed to have things pushed inside it. That being said, you increase your odds of getting any STD if you have anal sex with a woman also.

Answer 2

Hi there,

They aren't. Recent studies in dictate the fastest growing group is women of African decent. The number of newly diagnosed cases of HIV in the gay community is on the increase again. Much of this is due to current head spaces of gay youth: many do not know what it was like during the early years of the epidemic. Now, with the medical advances, many (of course not all) gay men think that if they do get HIV, so what. They take a pill every day and so be it. The use of crystal meth in the gay community has also contributed to the rise in HIV cases. There is also a very small percentage of gay men whom are "bug catchers": for whatever reasons these people want to become infected so that they are part of a group or "club". As incredulous as this sounds it does exist.

Cheers.

Answer 3

I don't think it's necessarily gay men that are more likely - it's anyone who is engaging in sex without protection. There is still quite a stigma attached to HIV being prominent in gay men and that's very unfortunate. On the other hand, gay men may be more likely because they possibly engage in oral sex more often, thinking they don't need to protect themselves that way when in fact they do.

Answer 4

"Propensity to have very short-term, numerous sexual partners, unprotected sex."

Although Id have to agree with you, this statement is subjective and based on conjecture therefore it will never be politically correct. From a medical standpoint, the anus just isnt designed for thrusting and friction like a vagina is.

the poster below me is a prime example of misconception. The only area of the world where HIV is even remotely close to being distributed equally among sexes is in africa. But since they DO ****NOT***** test the vast majority of africans with antibody tests, the basis of HIV in africa is simply on assumption.

Answer 5

this is a common misconception among many people. In fact HIV/AIDS is more common in the heterosexual community than in the homosexual community.

Anyone, be they straight, gay or bisexual, who participates in unprotected sex or promiscous sex is at risk to STDS. It's probably gay men who are more aware of the dangers than straight men, or even women.

Do not generalise before you do your research and read up on the facts.Stigmatising gay men with being the source of STDS and HIV/AIDS is an old fashioned idea, brought about by people who think being gay is wrong, and these diseases are their punishment. That way of thinking is very wrong and ignorant...a bit like yourself

Answer 6

While it is true that it USED to be more promonent in the gay community it isnt necessarily true.

However, unprotected anal sex causes more tearing of the tissue therefore HIV is easily contracted. As opposed to vaginal intercourse.(which can also tear)

No matter where you choose to put it, if its not wrapped up it can be passed from one person to another.

Answer 7

Because they are in no risk of getting anyone pregnant, they have very causal short term sex with a lot of partners. So their viral juice goes to the rectum which infects one person and then grows exponentially from then.

The anal cavity is much less strechable than say a vagina (since it streches with baby's birth), the anal cavity tears exposing blood vessels with the infected semen.

Answer 8

HIV/ AIDS ORIGINATED AMONGST HOMOSEXUAL MALES, BECAUSE THEY PRACTICE ANAL SEX, AND HAVE MANY PARTNERS.


FILTHY.

Answer 9

Because they are more likely to have more unprotected sex with different partners. But
Heterosexual men and women often think that because they have sex less often that they will be safe.
For one thing, people will say that they are "clean/healthy etc." without really knowing if they are carriers or not.
This goes for homosexual men as well - better to be safe than sorry.

Answer 10

Why don't you do a little research on HIV/AIDs so you don't embarrass yourself with questions like this.

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/