Sex Play With No or Low Risk

Another way to practice safer sex is to only have sex play that has no risk—or a lower risk—of passing STDs. This means no anal or vaginal intercourse. Many of us find that great sex is about a lot more than a penis going in an anus or vagina. It is about exploring the many other ways you and your partner can turn each other on. Not only is it a way to discover new sexual pleasures, it’s also safer.

No-risk safer sex play includes:

masturbation
mutual masturbation
cybersex
phone sex
sharing fantasies

Low-risk safer sex play includes:

kissing
fondling — manual stimulation of one another
body-to-body rubbing — frottage, “grinding,” or “dry humping”
oral sex (even safer with a condom or other barrier)
playing with sex toys — alone or with a partner

The highest risk kinds of sex play are:

anal intercourse
vaginal intercourse

Adapted from Planned Parenthood’s Safer Sex section: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/stds-hiv-safer-sex/safer-sex-4263.htm