NurseAsk Nurse Lisa

LGBTQ2S+ Sexual Health

Remember: always use protection no matter the gender or the body parts of the person you are having sex with.

There are many myths surrounding the sexual health of LGBTQ2S+ people: “No worries about pregnancy,” “All gay men have AIDS,” “Lesbians can’t get STDs,” or “Transgender people can’t have sex.” All of these are myths! LGBTQ2S+ youth have to be responsible about their sexual health just like their straight and cisgender peers.

LGBTQ2S+ Sexual Health Tips

  • LGBTQ2S+ youth can get all the same STIs that their straight peers can get, so go check out that section.
  • When having vagina-penis sex, anal-penis sex, or oral sex, still use condoms (order free condoms) and water-based lube.
  • Always use water-based lube! In addition to helping you feel good, lube reduces injury and chaffing and prevents irritation, which lowers your risk of getting a STI. If you don’t have any lube, (don’t do this often, it can result in infections), you can use your own saliva, not your partner’s, in case of emergency to prevent tearing.
  • Whenever you are touching another’s genitals or someone is touching yours, use latex or latex-free medical gloves to prevent the spread of skin-to-skin STIs such as HPV, herpes, genital warts, and crabs.
  • When engaging in oral sex, use a condom for penile-oral sex and dental dams (order them from us) for vaginal-oral sex. Herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HPV, and HIV can all spread through oral sex. If you don’t have a dental dam, you can cut a condom in half and use that or use non-microwavable plastic food wrap. The microwavable kind has tiny holes that can let STDs still pass between partners.
  • Whatever your gender identity – if you have a vagina, take care to prevent pregnancy. To read more about different prevention methods, check out our page on Prevention.
  • Always use a condom when having anal sex. Because of this region’s sensitivity to injury, anal sex has the highest risk of transmitting STIs.
  • If you share sex toys, always use a condom and water-based lube. STIs can be passed between people through sex toys. In addition to using a condom and lube, make sure to frequently clean and sterilize your sex toys. To sterilize, use a professional toy cleaner or boil the toy in a pot of water for 15 minutes. Don’t share toys that can’t be protected with a condom or sterilized between uses. Avoid plastic and rubber toys, which can keep bacteria or viruses in the pores of the material, and look for silicon toys instead.

Get Help

For general resources about relationships, sex, wellness and more, please do a search on the Get Answers page.

Are you in immediate danger?

Call 911 or your local police. If not in an immediate threat, please view resources on the Get Care page.