How to Have Sex These Days: Navigating COVID When Horny

COVID has created some very uncertain times, but the one thing that remains consistent is that gay men get horny. Navigating sex these days can be a challenge. What do you do when you just want to get off in the midst of a pandemic?

Fortunately, PrEPster, in collaboration with Hornet, has created a handy and colorful guide: How To Have Sex These Days: Navigating COVID When Horny. It’s a fun and cheeky demonstration of ways we can make it through these complicated times and still pursue pleasure and intimacy.

COVID precautions suggest a regular sex partner or no sex at all, but that is not possible for everyone. Some gay men stopped having any sexual contact with others, some never stopped, and others are trying to figure out what it means to hookup again. Now, more than ever, gay men need as much information as possible so they can make informed decisions about what to do to protect their health.

Risk during sex is nothing new for gay men. Most of us have gone through our sex lives regularly calculating acceptable risks in regards to our sexual health. PrEP, undetectable status, condoms, and testing are some of the many factors that help us determine what things we are comfortable with.

This ‘sex and COVID’ guide explores topics ranging from virtual sex to reducing the number of partners to exploring gloryholes. This crisis calls for solutions that are creative, satisfying, and still retain some humor.

“Research shows that even during the height of lockdown many people were still having sex. Some people were reducing partner numbers, or finding other ways of exploring intimacy during these challenging times,” says Dr. Will Nutland of PrEPster. “History shows us that chastising people for having sex doesn’t work. This new project with Hornet helps individuals to understand and reduce their COVID risks, whilst finding intimacy and pleasure.”

PrEPster is a UK-based organization that seeks to educate and agitate for PrEP access in England. This COVID guide was brought to life by Creative Director Richard Kahwagi and Illustrator Joseph Kai.

Pleasure and intimacy, in all their forms, are important and can still be prioritized in a pandemic.  If you are horny and want to have sex, it doesn’t make you bad or irresponsible. It’s our hope that this guide will assist you on your journey to get off while living through yet another epidemic. With knowledge and sex-positive support, our community will get through this. Good luck on your journey.

All the visuals from the project can be found here. How are you finding sexual pleasure as we live through these COVID times?