When people talk about the pull-out method, they’re generally referring to in the context of birth-control – if you “pull out” before you cum, then you’re reducing the chances of getting someone pregnant.
It’s not a particularly effective technique but you can kind of understand the logic.
However, that logic doesn’t really stack up when we’re talking about guy-on-guy encounters. While neither of you may be at risk of getting pregnant, you may encounter a perception that “pulling out” will prevent the transmission of STIs.
What complicates things is that – unlike impregnation – STIs aren’t confined to your cum. But let’s get into the pull-out method for gay sex and see if it’s a strategy worth adopting.
How do I pull out during sex?
On one hand, it’s really simple – you’re fucking, you feel that you’re getting close to blowing your load, so you pull out and shoot your cum somewhere other than in the orifice that you’ve just been fucking.
The reality, however, requires a considerable amount trust, communication, and self-control – not the easiest undertaking when you’re lost in the pleasure of an intense fuck.
You also need to be in tune with your body enough that you’re aware of the approach of your orgasm and you can control your ejaculation enough so that you’ve got time to point your cock somewhere other than the gaping hole you’ve just been reaming.
You’re also relying on the guy that you’re fucking playing ball – if you’re planning to pull out but he’s on top of you, or he’s grabbing your ass and grinding onto your cock then pulling out becomes a bit of an impossible task.
What is the Psychology Behind Pulling Out?
The thinking seems to be that adopting the pull-out method is a way of fucking bareback while minimising the risk of STI transmission.
If you don’t want to use a condom, or don’t have one handy, then you might think that adopting the pull-out method is the next best thing – particularly if you don’t have access to PrEP or you haven’t had a conversation about recent testing history or TasP.
Does the pull out method for sex work?
If you were relying on the pull-out method to avoid pregnancy, it’s not very effective – a study by the Cleveland Clinic found that 20% of people using the pull-out method to avoid pregnancy ended up getting pregnant.
Trying to convert that into a statistic in terms of STI prevention is a bit pointless because we’re not comparing apples with apples.
But, at a bare minimum, we know that the pull-out method isn’t an effective way to prevent the transmission of bodily fluids, so on that basis, it’s not going to be an effective way to prevent the transmission of STIs.
What are effective ways to prevent the transmission of STIs?
Don’t fuck
We’re not talking abstinence – although that would be the most effective strategy. But there is more to sexual pleasure than just anal sex.
Why not get into some frottage, try some mutual masturbation, focus on hot gay oral, or grease up and get fisting? None of these are completely free of risk in terms of STI transmission, but they’re generally considered lower risk than anal sex.
Use a Condom
Throughout the peak of the HIV pandemic, condoms were pretty much all we had in terms of preventing transmission.
Sure, they’re a bit old-school, and they’re not foolproof, but they do provide some protection against some STIs. They’re more effective than the pull-out method.
Read More About Gay Sex with a Condom in our post here.
Invest in PrEP
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a preventive medication that reduces the risk of contracting HIV by up to 99% when taken consistently. It is typically a combination of two antiretroviral drugs called tenofovir and emtricitabine.
The other key tool for preventing the transmission of HIV is TasP – Treatment as Prevention. If you’re HIV-positive and undetectable – because the medication you’re taking has reduced your viral load – you can’t transmit the virus to a sexual partner.
Add in Doxy PeP For a Fuller Protection Plan
Doxy PeP is short-hand for an antibiotic called Doxycycline. If you think you’ve been exposed to an STI – or you’re heading into a sexual encounter that may carry that risk – you can take Doxy PeP to effectively knock out STIs that might try and take hold in your body.
Taking Doxy PeP is an effective strategy for STIs such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis, however it won’t protect you against STIs such as HIV or Mpox.
An antibiotic such as Doxy PeP is also hard on your digestive system, so it’s not something that you want to subject yourself to on a regular basis.
Read more about using Doxy PeP to protect During Bareback Sex.
The importance of testing
While there’s no surefire way to protect yourself against all of the STIs that you might encounter during your sexual escapades, the key thing is to be testing regularly.
Regular STI screening helps to detect and treat STIs, minimises their impact, and helps you to avoid transmitting them to others.
If you’re sexually active and having sex with multiple partners, you should be testing at least every 6-12 months.
Love it all!