By Juliette Tang
Reading this article about the risks of summer sex in LiveScience got me thinking about how I hate it when these sorts of alarmist articles come out, proclaiming the tired cliche that outdoor sex is bad for you. Not bad in the sense that it might land you in jail or cause you public humiliation if discovered, but bad -- i.e. dangerous -- because you might get sunburned, risk exposure to bacteria that live outdoors, or get your genitalia stung by a poisonous jellyfish (seriously?) from the ocean. We all understand that going outside to have sex comes with certain risks. But we also know that even though every so often another article will be published reiterating the same message, people will still be having sex outdoors. Let's face it: outdoor sex is fun and people like it.
Even though sex on the beach might be more burning than hot, with the potential of, literally, sandpapering your sexy bits (sand, friction, ouch!), it's not like people will simply stop doing it. Entire generations have had their fantasies fueled by the beach scene in From Here to Eternity. As a society, beach and other types of outdoor sex have made it on our collective list of "sex acts to have before you die," right up there with the menage-a-trois and having sex on an airplane. If we didn't take our outdoor sex seriously, why is there a book called The 50 Places to Make Love in Golden Gate Park? Instead of merely listing the risks, these articles would be light years more useful if they gave people clear alternatives (sex by the pool, for instance, instead of sex by the beach) or helpful tips on how to make outdoor sex safer. That way, we can all stop freaking out and start getting freaky, especially since summer is finally present -- or as present as it will ever be -- in San Francisco.
If you're planning on having sex outdoors in SF, you don't need to be reminded that discretion is the rule. A friendly reminder: public nudity is illegal in the state of California (Penal Code section 314). Getting caught means arrest and a misdemeanor charge slapped on your record (a misdeanor under Penal Code section 647). So, the most important tip is to try not to get caught. That said, leaping into the great outdoors can be thrilling, as long as certain precautions are taken.
It's always a good idea to keep water out of the equation as much as possible. In "The Risks of Summer Sex," Sally Law has a point when she writes, "While condoms are meant to be compatible with water-based lubricants, they should not be completely submerged in water. Condom companies don't test their products in such a condition, and therefore can't vouch for their effectiveness when used in pools, hot tubs or other wet and wild setups." If you want to get frisky in the hot tub during foreplay, move it out of the water before you engage in sex. Although, if you're worried about unplanned pregnancy, it just might be a good idea to keep it in the tub, as the heat from the water is said to cause infertility in men.
Preventative measures like wearing sunscreen is also advised if you choose to disrobe under the sun, seeing as your genitals are a place 'the sun don't shine' and, as such, the skin there is sensitive to UV damage. If you are having sex in the woods, it's advisable to wear bug spray and lay down a blanket. Post-intercourse, urinate to push any bacteria out of the urethra and, in the absence of clean water, clean up with a tissue or, even better, a something like these Pjur medicated wipes that are marketed as "anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral".
Other than that, just wear a condom and there isn't much more you really need to do in order to have a good time. Outdoor sex is certainly not dangerous to the degree that "The Risks of Summer Sex" proclaims. It is highly unlikely that taking it outdoors will give you "gastrointestinal and respiratory infections, as well as pneumonia and wound/blood infections" as the article suggests. Furthermore, Law writes that it's the increase in temperature that raises the likelihood of bacterial infections (17% rise in bacterial activity for every 10 degree increase in temperature). Since it's never really summer in San Francisco (the current temperature right now is 60 degrees in the Mission District), does that mean we have over 500 percent less chance of developing bacterial infections from sex, like UTIs and yeast infections, than warmer cities like New York? Because if that's the case, pump away SF!
