The Guide

This question is a common way of asking if you have HIV or an STI. The word clean suggests that we are dirty if we have HIV or other STIs. This is hurtful and wrong. Asking this question does not protect you or your partners.

In online ads you might see “D&D free you be the same”. This means that the person does not take drugs. He is also disease free and expects the same from you. But, stating that you don’t have an STI or HIV is not enough. HIV is often passed on by people who don’t know they have it. And, a person is most able to infect others when they first get it.

We might answer yes to this question for many reasons. For example, we:

• are really turned on and just want to have sex
• are HIV positive but don’t feel safe to tell anyone
• don’t want to face the rejection

Most of us prefer to tell someone we know well rather than someone we’ve just met. But, if you might pass on HIV to someone during sex, you have a legal duty to tell them first. To learn more, read HIV Disclosure: Legal Guide for Gay Men in Ontario.

Learn more

1-800-668-2437 – Information about testing sites.

www.aohc.org/aohc/index.aspx?CategoryID=11&lang=en-CA - Association of Ontario Health Centres.

www.settlement.org/sys/faqs_detail.asp?k=HEALTHINS_LOWCOST&faq_id=4001233 - Information on low cost health care.