Fluid bonding: safe sex without condoms

Casually skipping using a condom might feel great in the moment, but afterwards, you’ll end up kicking yourself for it. STD’s and unwanted pregnancies are always a risk. Despite that, half of the Netherlands takes the risk of having unprotected sex with a complete stranger. Luckily, there is a worthy alternative to condoms: fluid bonding. In this article, you’ll read what it is and how it works.

Sex without a condom

Everyone agrees that sex without a condom is unparalleled. That intense feeling of two bodies merging into one is absolutely amazing. But many people will just have to accept that they will need to use contraceptives. Especially when it comes to having sex with a stranger, it’s essential to always use a condom, but stubbornness and alcohol tend to get in the way of doing so at times. Research shows that almost half of all men and women don’t use a condom during sexy encounters with one-night stands. For shame!

“Almost half of all people don’t use a condom during sex with one-night stands.”

Even though the birth control pill and the IUD provide reliable protection against pregnancy, STDs have free-range if you don’t use a condom. So it’s time to put on a condom or get familiar with fluid bonding.

Also read: Everything you need to know about condoms

What is fluid bonding?

The term ‘fluid bonding’ came over from America. To save you the long story, fluid bonding basically means: safe sex without a condom. You mutually share your bodily fluids and, in doing so, enter into a commitment. Before you’re ‘fluid bonded‘ and have unprotected sex, it’s important to rule a few things out and have a good conversation about it. The intention isn’t to stop using condoms all of a sudden.

Either way; when you have sex without a condom, you’re connected to each other in a certain way. It’s more intimate, but at the same time, it’s riskier. When you’re fluid bonded, it doesn’t mean you are in a relationship together, but only that you’re sharing bodily fluids. This requires a level of responsibility and communication.

This is how you have safe sex without a condom

Safe sex without a condom can only be done if you’re well prepared. You mainly need to rule a lot of things out and make sure you’re using a female contraceptive, like the pill or an IUD. A fling with a one-night stand without using a condom is something you can just forget about. Do you have a regular sex fling? Then read on before immediately getting rid of your protection.

Take an STD test

Besides the fact that it’s a good idea to take an STD test every so often, it’s especially needed when you decide to make love without using a condom. Make an appointment at your Local Health Authority or general practitioner. Have your (sexual)partner do the same and talk about it. Even if you show no symptoms, it’s a good idea to get tested. Sometimes you can have an STD without even knowing it.

Communication & trust

Having sex without a condom requires a lot of mutual trust. It’s important to know if the other person has multiple bed partners at the moment and whether or not they fool around with them safely. Keeping each other in the loop regarding these sexual developments is crucial to prevent problems in the future. Getting an STD because someone didn’t tell you about their sexual past would be cruel.

Also read: Introducing: vegan condoms

Female contraception: the pill or an IUD

Besides STDs, there is another risk that comes with unprotected sex: pregnancy. Luckily, the chance of getting pregnant when you take the pill on time is only one half of one per cent. But with an IUD, you’re even safer. The chance only being 0.2 per cent. So, you’re never completely safe, but you’re safe enough to have sex without a condom. Like testing for STDs, it’s not a bad idea to take a pregnancy test every now and then.

What are your considerations?

There are a few reasons to choose fluid bonding—the most popular reason being the desire for intimacy. Whether we like it or not, a condom forms a sort of barrier. It’s not hard to imagine that at one point, a couple would want to truly feel each other, without a barrier or lube, but just au naturel. That is why sex without a condom is an excellent addition to the sex life of couples who are in a relationship.

“The main reason to have sex without a condom is the desire for intimacy.”

Are you used to having sex without a condom? Then it’s even more annoying having to wear one. However, you can only really take the condom off when you’ve made some good agreements with your sex partner and can be, and stay, open and honest with each other. But even then, you run a minimal risk, though this is worth it to many people. Now that you know what safe sex without a condom is, it’s time to decide for yourself!

Do you go for fluid bonding, or will you keep things safe by having sex with a condom on?