At Hornet, we are committed to the health and wellness of our community. Hornet has developed this short guide to sexual health, which we want to share with you and encourage you to read.
Consent
Hornet is a sex-positive app, but consent is an integral part of sex life. It is important to respect other people’s boundaries, ask what is acceptable for the other person, and not forget about your own preferences and taboos.
Each of us has our own understanding of what it means to enjoy sex, what our preferences are in sex, what we consider safe sex, how far we are willing to go on a first date, and so on, and these ideas can vary greatly from person to person.
This is why it is important to get explicit consent from your partner before initiating any sexual contact, and to ensure that they have given you a clear idea of what they find acceptable, enjoyable, and safe. This is called ensuring consent. Ask them if they would enjoy a certain act before initiating it, and look for signs of hesitancy. If your partner says no, or stays silent and moves away from you, these are signs that you should stop and check if they’re okay.
To get the most out of your meeting, don’t ignore your desires. Share with your partner your expectations for the date, what you personally like and enjoy, and what you find unacceptable in sex. This is you being open about your preferences and giving consent to what will happen between the two of you. Giving consent is communicating to your partner that you feel comfortable and that you’re enjoying the date throughout.
Remember that consent is reversible – both you and your partner can change your mind and refuse to do something or stop it completely at any time. Even if you or your date has given written or verbal consent to something sex-wise, it does not mean that you or they are obliged to do it; do not be afraid to refuse. And we ask you to respect this.
Let’s look at some examples where consent is involved, but it’s not so obvious:
- Informed consent around sexual health is crucial. If you’ve been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection, we encourage you to tell all your ex-partners so they can get tested and treated. Also, let any of your future ones know about it so they can make an informed decision. If you know that you have an infection and have not warned your partner about it, you are knowingly putting their health at risk. This is unlawful in some countries. Therefore, we encourage you to get tested frequently and share your status in your profile (read more about Know Your Status).
- It may seem harmless to one person to send an explicit photo of themselves at the very beginning of a conversation, but many people do not accept this approach to communication at all. Before you send the hottest photo of yourself, make sure that the other party is willing to receive it, and ask for their consent. The same applies to text messages; overly explicit text might not be welcomed by your interlocutor. Hornet does not allow posting nude photos or explicit messages in public profiles and posts or sending them in unsolicited private messages.
- Always use photos of yourself. If there is another person in the photo – make sure they gave you an explicit consent to share it publicly in your profile. If you notice that someone is using your photo without your consent – please let us know by writing to support so we can take necessary action.
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
Only together can we keep our community safe and healthy. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) spread from one person to another through sexual contact. Many STIs can be easily treated, and vaccines are available for some.
Regular STI check-ups help ensure early treatment, reducing health risks and lowering the chance of transmission to sexual partners.
Everyone who is sexually active should get tested for STIs and HIV at least once a year, even if they always use condoms. If you frequently change partners, testing every 3 to 6 months is advised. STI testing should include a blood and urine sample, as well as throat and rectal swabs.
Many STIs don’t cause symptoms at all or for a long period of time. If you are at the stage of having burn or discharge from your penis, throat, or butt, discomfort when you pee, a rash and/or ulcer in your mouth or on your genitals, don’t wait — get tested immediately! If you’ve tested positive, you should let your ex-partners know, so they can get tested too. This resource gives more information about STIs and how far back you have to go when thinking about who you need to tell about your positive test. You can also look for local internet resources in your country.
Many STIs can have no symptoms for a long period, but can still affect your health if left untreated. If you notice any of the following symptoms, it’s recommended to get tested:
- Discharge from your genitals or ass/anus/rectum
- Itching or burning around your genitals
- Pain or discomfort when peeing
- Blisters or sores around your genitals or ass/anus.
Check out this resource for more information about STIs.
Using condoms remains the most effective way of protection from STIs.
Vaccincations
Vaccination, also known as immunization, is one of the most effective methods of disease prevention. It provides long-lasting protection against infections, including some that can still spread even when using condoms.
Only two viral STIs have safe and highly effective vaccines against them — Hepatitis B and Human papillomavirus (HPV).
Although Hepatitis A isn’t an STI, it can still be transmitted during sexual contact. The hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for men who have sex with men and who have multiple sexual partners.
DoxyPEP
DoxyPEP is the use of the antibiotic doxycycline after sex to help prevent bacterial sexually transmitted infections.
Studies show that DoxyPEP reduces the chance of getting chlamydia & syphilis by around three-quarters and the risk of gonorrhoea by around half. It gives no protection against any infections caused by viruses such as herpes, warts, HIV, and hepatitis.)
HIV Knowledge Base
Access to HIV prevention and treatment is a fundamental right. At Hornet, we are committed to raising awareness about HIV and combating stigma through initiatives like the Know Your Status (KYS) feature, which was implemented in 2011.)
Early detection can make a big difference in your treatment: the sooner you are tested, the sooner you can take control of your health. While there is no cure for HIV, getting tested often can help you stay healthy by getting on treatment early. Achieving an undetectable viral load means people can live a long, healthy life, and the chance of transmission is virtually impossible.
We encourage you to share your HIV status in your Hornet profile and to keep it current. Disclosing your status is nothing to be ashamed of and it’s good for the community. We can all work together to prevent HIV and reduce Stigma.
Where do I get tested?
The only way to find out if you have HIV is to have an HIV test, as symptoms of HIV may not appear for many years.
There are 2 main types of HIV tests:
- Home testing kit: HIV self-tests are a great way to learn your HIV status on your own time and in your own space. It required you to collect a saliva sample or a small spot of blood yourself and test it at home. The result is available within minutes. In most countries, you can find organizations that provide self-testing kits for free. Alternatively, you can buy an express test in pharmacies
- Blood test: where a sample of blood is taken in a clinic or laboratory, and then sent for testing. Results are usually available on the same day. You can find the nearest testing center on the internet by visiting your country’s public health services website or other local organizations. Information about testing facilities in some countries can be found here and here.)
Can I do something to prevent HIV?
Yes, you can. There are several methods of HIV prevention.
- Condoms: When used consistently and correctly, condoms have been proven to be highly effective in preventing the transmission of HIV, as well as other STIs. Condoms are most effective at preventing HIV transmission when used with a water- or silicone-based lubricant. Avoid oil-based lubricants, as they can weaken the condom and increase the risk of condom breakage.
- Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): An HIV prevention strategy that uses antiretroviral drugs to protect HIV-negative people from HIV infection. People take antiretrovirals (ARVs) when they are at risk of exposure to HIV to lower their risk of infection. Every three months, it is recommended that the HIV and sexual health tests be repeated.
- Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP): A way of preventing HIV infection that involves using a four-week course of the drugs used to treat HIV, taken very soon after you may have been exposed to the virus. For PEP to be most effective, it should be started as soon as possible after potential exposure to HIV. Ideally, begin within 24 hours—and no later than 72 hours.
I’ve tested positive. What should I do?
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with HIV, it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed, shocked, or even angry. It might be hard to process everything right now, but you’re not alone.
Many people living with HIV can expect to live as long as their peers who do not have HIV.)
If your HIV positive status was confirmed, you need to visit your doctor, who will select the medication that suits you the most. These antiretroviral medications will help you to live a long and healthy life. These medications don’t eliminate HIV from the body, but they can keep the amount of HIV in the body at a low level and also prevent the person living with HIV from transmitting the virus to anyone else. If HIV isn’t treated, it can lead to AIDS.
Once diagnosed, it’s really important to go to a specialist HIV service to access medical care. Treatment guidelines recommend that everyone with HIV start treatment right away. When you’re on effective treatment and your viral load is undetectable, you cannot pass on HIV.)
If you are on a treatment and reach an undetectable viral load, there’s good news: you can expect to stay healthy – and you can’t transmit the virus to anyone else when having sex (Undetectable = Untransmittable). It should be remembered that it can take several months after you start taking HIV medications for your viral load to become undetectable. It is important to go to your doctor regularly to make sure that your viral load stays low and you remain undetectable.
Advantages of starting HIV treatment include:
- Once your viral load becomes undetectable (which may take up to six months), you won’t be able to transmit HIV to your partners.
- If HIV has been affecting your health, treatment can help reduce symptoms and illness.
- It prevents the virus from multiplying in your body.
- Your immune system will become stronger over time.
To learn more about HIV & Sexual health, you can watch Hornet’s ‘Ask a Pro’ Video Series on Hornet’s official YouTube channel here. You can find all the videos here. More information about HIV can be found here.
Mpox and Meningitis
In recent years, our community has experienced several outbreaks of MPOX and Meningitis.
MPOX is an infectious disease that spreads through skin-to-skin contact, often as part of sex, and can cause fevers, headaches, nausea, and distinctive lesions that can lead to scarring. Research has shown that vaccinated individuals experienced far less severe symptoms of MPOX if they were exposed to MPOX and transmission occurred.
Meningitis is the inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. Early symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pain, stomach cramps, and a fever with cold hands and feet. Severe cases can be fatal.
The good news is that there is an effective vaccine against meningitis. If you live in a region where there have been outbreaks of meningitis among men who have sex with men, we encourage you to contact your doctor to get vaccinated.
If you get any of the symptoms of Meningitis or Mpox, it’s important to contact your doctor immediately and get treatment right away.
Other Health Advice
Chemsex
Chemsex refers to the use of specific drugs to enhance or prolong sexual activity, typically among men who have sex with men (MSM). Chemsex can have detrimental effects on a person’s health, social and work life.
At Hornet, we adhere to a healthy lifestyle and are against the use of any drugs, no matter how safe and light they are. The best way to avoid any negative consequences associated with Chemsex practices is not to get involved in them.
Poppers
Poppers, a slang term for a class of chemicals called alkyl nitrites, are used recreationally in our community to facilitate anal penetration, experience pleasurable physical sensations, and euphoria. However, it should be remembered that poppers are not regulated, the exact contents of these products are not known, and they are not safety tested.
Using poppers may seriously damage your health, and it’s doubly risky if you mix them with drugs or erection stimulators. We do not recommend using it, but if you do, make sure you do this knowing all the risks and consequences. You can read more about poppers here.
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