A lot of things may come to mind when people hear the word, summer. For some, it is a time to unwind and spend more quality time with their family, while some may spend it travelling to cross out items on their bucket list. But it can also be a time for a totally different adventure.
Imagine going to a local pub where you meet a guy that ticks all of your boxes. Sweet, kind, articulate– he’s the perfect package! After spending some time talking about sweet nothings, you decided to spend the night together. Everything was going well in the beginning. His kisses were gentle and his moves were just right– not too fast and not too slow. You could not hide your excitement, thinking it was going to be a perfect night. Then, he slipped out of his underwear, and everything went into a standstill. Your perfect guy– is uncut!
For Filipinos, circumcision is a social norm and is considered as a rite of passage for majority of pre-pubescent males. In fact, according to a 2011 report, 93% of Filipino males are cut[1]. So, it is not common to meet uncircumcised guys here. However, meeting one is not impossible. So what do you do when you meet one? Here are a few things you might consider:
Condom usage
Cut or uncut, there is not a lot of difference when putting on a condom. The key is proper and consistent usage:
- Store it properly
- Talk to your partner about condom usage
- Check the expiration date
- Make sure there are no tears and defects
- Put a bit of water-based lubricant on the tip of the fully erect penis
- Slightly pinch the tip of the condom to prevent air bubbles from forming
- Unroll it all the way down the penis.
The only thing you do differently is that you securely pull back the foreskin on an uncircumcised penis before putting the lube on to prevent it from coming off[2].
Another thing, do not forget to use protection even if you are just doing oral sex- ever wondered why condoms have flavors? Oral sex puts you into contact with body fluids—semen, vaginal fluids, blood—any of which can contain disease-causing viruses or bacteria like gonorrhea, syphilis, and herpes[3].
Circumcision and HIV
Circumcision status does not have any statistical significance when it comes to the transmission of HIV[4]. Therefore, it is still important that you and your partner get tested whether either of you is circumcised or not. Remember, it is recommended to undergo testing three months[5] after a possible exposure to account for the window period.
Hygiene
There are a number of people that assume that uncircumcised men are unhygienic, but genital hygiene has nothing to do with a man’s circumcision status. Just like with any other part of the body, it depends on how you clean it. Yes, it is easier to clean a circumcised penis because the glans(head of the penis) is exposed[7], but that does not mean that uncut men do not make the effort to clean theirs. If you are worried about cleanliness, just make sure your partner cleans his down under before you go under, or might as well, help him out!
Pleasure
Having a circumcised or uncircumcised penis should not keep you or your partner from having a satisfying sex life. In fact, a meta-research looked at multiple studies about circumcision and its relation to sexual function. Surprisingly, it found no evidence for overall differences between circumcised and uncircumcised men in terms of sexual function or sexual pleasure[8].
Now that you know more, you’re ready to take on any cut of cock! No need to worry about his circumcision status. You can enjoy safe and satisfying sex, get timely testing and treatment, and practice the correct and consistent use of condoms, no matter the cut! Enjoy cruising this summer!
Text and featured image by Julian Christopher
References:
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/219779/tuli-a-rite-of-passage-for-filipino-boys/story/
https://www.cdc.gov/condomeffectiveness/male-condom-use.html
https://shcc.ufl.edu/services/primary-care/sexual-health/oral-sex/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3120051/
http://www.loveyourself.ph/p/hiv-testing-faqs.html
http://www.loveyourself.ph/2017/03/triangle-of-self-care-understanding.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/circumcision/about/pac-20393550
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jsm.12293
http://www.loveyourself.ph/2017/04/triangle-of-self-care-game-of-safe-and.html
http://www.loveyourself.ph/2017/03/triangle-of-self-care-understanding.html
http://www.loveyourself.ph/2017/05/triangle-of-self-care-condom-use-key-to.html
