By: Spring has sprung, friends! Even if we are still waiting on the weather to catch up.
Amidst these April showers and budding flowers, one other thing is all-but-certain: As the warmer temperatures usher themselves in, things are about to heat up in more ways than one.
Yes, of course, we’re talking about sex. Are you surprised? We’re literally called Sexual + Being … but we digress. As our clothes become skimpier and our social selves come out into the sun, going to pound town feels like a foregone conclusion. That’s (not-at-all) science, folks!
With our sex lives likely on the up and up, it’s more important than ever that we do everything we can to maintain our sexual health. In a bit of primo timing, April also marks National Minority Health Month and STD Awareness Month — times for all of us to both focus efforts on improving the health of racial and ethnic minority populations across the country and ensuring we are doing our personal part to stay sexually healthy.
We have rounded up the hottest ways in DC to do just that. Take a look.
Get your booty to the clinic!
First thing first: Let’s do a little self check-in. When’s the last time you got tested?
Don’t be shy, answer honestly! If you are struggling to remember, there is no time like the present. Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can occur asymptomatically, so this isn’t a “wait until you feel bad” kind of situation. It can make all the difference in your health and your partner(s’).
If you’re comfortable, check in with your doctor about the options they offer. If not, you’re in luck! Throughout the District, there are number of sexual health clinics that you go to to receive no judgment and low-cost testing for a myriad of different infections.
Address: 77 P Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Address: 1225 4th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 (with other options in Maryland, too!)
Address: 1525 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
Most offer appointments if you call ahead and, from personal experience, they are kind and welcoming as they could be. So what are you waiting for? Get yourself tested already!
Understand your at-home testing options
After years of COVID-19 lockdown, maybe you’re feeling a little iffy about in-person visits to the above testing centers. Maybe you’re shy about going in and talking about your sex life.
We get it, we’re still in a pandemic after all. And, yeah, opening up about who and how often you’re banging can be nerve-racking (although it shouldn’t be!). Well, we got you.
GetCheckedDC and DC Health offer a number of different at-home testing options for a number of STDs that you can order right now, use at home and get results all without taking a trip to your preferred medical professional. Seriously, it’s that easy!
Know your options for safer sex
At the risk of sounding repetitious here, do you know how the tools at your disposal for having safer sex? Let’s have a refresher.
Condoms. Birth control. PrEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis). Dental dams. If your name was Thanos, these would all be your sexified infinity stones and it’s critical that you know how they work and where you can access them.
Check out sexualbeing.org for more information the above resources, including how to access them for free or low cost.
Consider your sexual habits
Look, we are no kink-shamers or STI-blamers here at Sexual + Being. It’s, quite literally, your body and your choice in how, with who, and when you have sex.
That said, it’s essential to check in with yourself and do a personal assessment of your own behaviors and attitudes towards sex. And what better month is there to do that than April?
Are you being safe for you and/or your partner(s)? How are you feeling personally about your sexual habits at the moment? Are there ways to make yourself safer, happier, and more comfortable?
Of course, these are all BIG questions, and your answers might yield nothing more than “Nah, I’m doing the deed and feeling pretty great about it.” But a little self-reflection can’t hurt, you know? In fact, it might turn into you developing a new safe sex practice that makes you feel safer and sexier.
As we look ahead to April, let’s spring into (insert eye roll here) the sexiest and safest versions of ourselves. Happy humping, fam!
Ryan Carey-Mahoney
Ryan Carey-Mahoney is a writer and LGBTQ advocate based in Washington, D.C. A journalist at heart, he's worked in digital strategy for over five years and has yet to turn down an opportunity to proofread. Talk to him on social media (@thegoodcarmah) about bi+ visibility, politics, and Beyoncé.
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