Jack's First Perspective

Perspective, June 2001

Lately I have been receiving some feedback along these lines:

Dear Jack,
Your site used to be fun and hot, but now it's so full of warnings that I don't enjoy your site anymore.

Hey, sorry. But in case anybody has forgotten, HIV and AIDS are still prevalent in our society. And last I checked, barebacking wasn't something solely to be enjoyed by HIV-positive men.

When I started barebackjack.com I made a commitment not only to try to create as entertaining and stimulating a website as possible, I also made a commitment to be responsible to our community. Part of that responsibility includes reminding people that while barebacking is certainly much more sensually exciting and satisfying than run of the mill "Safer Sex", barebacking is also still the number one cause of HIV transmission in the world.

Most of us, I suspect, are aware of this fact. And until recently I have been under the impression that the lion's share of the men who have openly sought out bareback sex have been those who all along have shunned condoms, or who have made the decision somewhere along the way to do so prior to getting on the internet and advertising for raw sex partners.

Now, from my vantage point, what I am noticing is a strong surge in newcomers to the bareback scene. Websites such as this one, chatrooms, and a plethora of seductive images and stories are now capturing the interest of men who previously have never considered raw sex or were too afraid of AIDS to explore unprotected sex. These men are mostly HIV negative, since up to now they have been using condoms and have never had a drop of sperm (either negative or positive) shot up their butts.

It is for them that I have added the warnings about HIV transmission and viral load. I know how easy it is to be caught up in the lure of real, natural, unprotected, feel-good sex. It is easy to slip into a condom, but even easier to justify in the heat of passion to forego the use of one. It is also easy to transmit or catch HIV, especially after a few too many drinks or a bump of one's recreational drug of choice.

Despite what the uneducated public fears, it is not, nor has it ever been my purpose or the purpose of this website to encourage the spread of HIV. Instead, this site has always focused on educating through entertainment. Sure, I want more people to return to bareback sex. That's why I submitted my body into a medical trial for an HIV vaccine. It is my hope that someday there will be both a vaccine and a cure for HIV and the barrier of safe sex will come down so that we as a whole can begin to fully enjoy sex as human beings should enjoy it... without barriers and without fear.

For those of us who are HIV negative, it's a bit of a crapshoot. There is always the sense that the Sword of Damacles hangs over our beds. For those who are positive, that sword has already fallen. But even though HIV is manageable for up to 20 years (by current projections), it is still something that most negative men don't want to manage, and most positive men don't wish upon others.

Sure, the warnings are a bit of a downer, especially when you already know the risks. However there are people who forget the risks based on various factors, not the least of which is "...well, he LOOKS healthy", or the reduction of their inhibitions from alcohol, drugs, or even hormones.

Until there is a viable vaccine available against HIV and/or a cure to the virus, we still have to practice a certain amount of responsibility to our fellow men. Not only should you be aware of potential risks for yourself, but the risks you may present to others. It is by exercising responsibility that we can help break down the wall of fear that has others in our gay community and beyond addressing us as reckless, emotionally flawed, or suicidal. The abdication of responsibility will only continue to fuel that negative sentiment and create ferocious resentment and anger towards those of us who openly enjoy sex without condoms.

Responsibility is a word long known for its undesirable demands. If we take responsibility, it means we cannot behave recklessly or with sexual abandon in the big picture only. What I mean by taking responsibility is to openly discuss your HIV status with your sex partners before doing the deed. It also means playing with people who are least likely to bring risk into your life or theirs. In all, that's not too much to ask. There are plenty of men on either side of the Poz/Neg fence to play with without endangering anyone. The most important responsibility, however is to yourself. Know your risks and engage in only that which YOU feel comfortable. Remember, nobody gives you HIV... you get it based on YOUR decisions and actions.

Until HIV is put to rest with all the other communicable diseases that once threatened man's existence, the warnings and reminders you see on this site will remain. These are not to offend anyone's intelligence, but to remind people that certain actions sometimes have irreversable consequences. If you already know this, please consider viewing these warnings as helpful to those who may inadvertently toss all caution to the wind, and move past the warnings and enjoy the rest of this site. And please also take comfort in the fact that I have put the warnings and reminders there because I do care about you and your health.

Fondly,
Bareback Jack