9/14/11
Dear Em & Lo: My Booty Call Wants to Ditch the Condoms

photo by Alaskan_Dude

Dear Em & Lo,

I was celibate for the first 20 years of my life, so considering that, it was surprisingly easy to jump into bed with a guy who lives in my building…every few nights for the last two months. We have a nurturing and adventurous sexual relationship, I think, and I press him to ask for whatever he wants because I’m still learning what I want.

Yesterday, what he wanted was to know if I’d ever agree to ditching the condom. I gave him a flat no, but I’m thinking. In order for me to go rubberless I’d have to switch birth control methods (pill for the patch, the pill is low dosage and taken irresponsibly and I don’t trust it), so that requires a gyno visit for me. And for him, he needs STD tests.

So given that run-down (fortunately paid for by the campus health plan), my question is, is it worth it? Is the sensation better or more interesting, or something I have to experience NOW in the course of my nascent exploratory nympho-dom? Or should I let him forget it and move on to better, sexier brainstorms?

–Rubber Match

Dear R.M.,

Congratulations! Being a newbie, you may not realize this, but it’s a rare, good thing when your first sexual relationship ever is sexually satisfying and nurturing, despite it being a booty call of sorts. Some people booty call for years by using sites like Fuck-Buddy.net without hitting upon this magic combination. In fact, some people struggle to find this even in long-term, committed relationships.

That all said, you don’t owe him a rubber-free ride. In fact, you don’t owe him a thing. We’re assuming that he is also enjoying this adventurous, nurturing sexual relationship — shouldn’t that be its own reward? Especially given that this relationship is a casual sexual one with an assumed expiration date, meaning that there is no assumption of monogamy or long-term commitment. Relationships like these are what condoms are made for!

Sure, sex feels a little nicer without a condom, especially for him (in fact, most guys would argue that sex feels a lot more than “a little nicer” without a condom). But long-term monogamy has to have some upsides! And unprotected sex with someone you love and trust is one of them. So save it for a relationship that fits this description. And with this guy, get adventurous with a blindfold or butt plug instead. Because there’s nothing adventurous about potentially exposing your precious genitals to an STD.

(For the record, even if you have been monogamous for the past two months, that’s not long enough for his STD test results to reassure you, as many STDs have longer incubation periods. And if he’s carrying HPV — chances are high, given the stats — there’s really no way to test for it.)

As an aside, what were you thinking sleeping with someone in your building?! Maybe it’s all those years we spent in New York City, but we would never jeopardize a great apartment deal over something as transient as a booty call. You’d be surprised how quickly “convenient” can morph into “awkward elevator ride.” One to grow on.

Crossing guards,

Em & Lo



5 Comments

  1. I have a friends with benefits and likes having sex without a condom also. She is past the baby years and I don’t finish in her anyway. I just like the feeling of screwing a woman and not a piece of rubber. But, it’s an individual choice.

  2. Id argue against the above posts as well as the response from the columnist. You should be ggg and weigh what you want w what he wants. The columnist said you were lucky to have a monogomish booty call. Unless theres a little give and take why should he have to stay monogamous? I also think its scummy of the columnist hating on the location. Can’t choose a good booty call.

    Or why not find one across town who wont be ggg like this guy?

    Yes hes lucky to snag you but you’re lucky to snag him.

  3. Don’t risk you life, a child’s life for twenty minutes of his optimum pleasure. He is lucky to have someone that is smart, kind and respectful enough to even consider his selfish request. You deserve much more and you should not do anything beyond your common sense. Save the sanctity of a sexual relations for a partner you truly love and want to enjoy the future and it’s myriad of adventures; together as one. Devoted.

  4. Good point on the last one. I dated a neighbor, and thanked my lucky stars that he wound up moving out of the building.
    Pretty spot on advice, but you forgot to mention that you can get HPV even when using condoms.

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