Explaining PrEP to guys who you’re about to fuck with

[BB4fking]

I just had the pleasure of staying 11 days at Bangkok Babylon which is a large gay bathhouse and hotel with restaurant, pool, etc. I.e a gay resort. It attracts a lot of guys from all over the world but especially from Asian countries, many of which have cultures that are fairly intolerant to LGBTIQ (in contrast to Thailand itself). I’ve been on PrEP for 4 years and I topped and bottomed dozens of times and took numerous loads. 

I found that guys there overwhelmingly barebacked but certainly condoms were used by some. I can’t say of course how many of the guys that barebacked did so safely (in terms of using PrEP or being undetectable and STI testing regularly), how many were reckless (maybe presuming I was on PrEP or taking the risk) and how many were in ignorance of HIV (is that even the case these days, especially visiting a classy gay sauna). 

Anyway, it seemed to me that there was a reasonable awareness of PrEP amongst guys I spoke with although one Thai buddy reckoned some guys lied when they said they were on it. However, there were many nationalities there and I expect many were not as well informed as the Bangkok city boys. I was surprised when one well spoken and well travelled guy from mainland China asked me if I had a condom and when I said I was on PrEP he asked “what’s that?”. (As an aside it is clear he was going to fuck me raw in the absence of a condom whatever I answered, we were both hot for it.) I answered something like “I take a daily pill, so you can’t get HIV from me”. 

So it got me wondering, do other PrEP users still encounter hook ups who’ve not heard of PrEP? How do you most simply and accurately explain it?

An an aside, I did encounter some reluctance to fuck raw from a buddy in Hong Kong and we had a more detailed correspondence. His hang up was that I may have taken a load from someone else that he’d be exposed to when he fucked me. For the 2 days in Hong Kong I therefore undertook not to let other guys fuck me during the day before he fucked me in the evenings (which I found frustrating as my Grindr app was running hot). It occurred to me that my explanation to my mainland Chinese hookup at Babylon missed that subtlety as I had indeed taken a fresh load not long before him. However, I rationalise that as essentially the same risk of being exposed to any STI, which of course PrEP can’t prevent, and my answer still stands as essentially correct - if he wanted as near complete protection from STIs as possible he’d need to bring a condom, I’d not have stopped or discouraged him from wearing it if he had one.

Edited August 29, 2019 by BB4fking
Grammar

[wildbottom]

Honestly, I don't like to talk in a bathhouse unless absolutely necessary - I'm there to get used, cocks in my mouth, loads to swallow, cocks pumping my ass and loads taken - however the tops want it and however many want to join the fun.  That said, for over a decade I took as many loads in as many places as possible because the thrill was (and still is) amazing and because I simply didn't care (untreated bipolar will do that to you).
Now, I've taken a year off from sex, come out to my wife, my doctor and myself. Been treated for the few things I'd acquired over the decade of fun and am now getting on PrEP and will have a bottle of Doxy on hand for use before (if planned) or after fun (if unplanned).  
Being prepared for it won't change how I approach it - if a top indicates he hopes I'm covered I'll let him know, if he doesn't then it likely means he doesn't care or gets a thrill from not knowing. As a submissive bottom I'm happy to oblige whatever freaky scene he's into.
Let him think I'm poz, wanting to get poz or not interested in knowing - let him think I'm protected, I don't care unless he needs to know...I just want cock.    

[KYRiley]

On 8/29/2019 at 7:13 AM, BB4fking said:

 I answered something like “I take a daily pill, so you can’t get HIV from me”.

To me, I'd answer, "I take a daily pill helps prevent me from getting HIV"

[KYRiley]

On 9/19/2019 at 10:55 AM, wildbottom said:

Honestly, I don't like to talk in a bathhouse unless absolutely necessary - I'm there to get used, cocks in my mouth, loads to swallow, cocks pumping my ass and loads taken - however the tops want it and however many want to join the fun.  That said, for over a decade I took as many loads in as many places as possible because the thrill was (and still is) amazing and because I simply didn't care (untreated bipolar will do that to you).
Now, I've taken a year off from sex, come out to my wife, my doctor and myself. Been treated for the few things I'd acquired over the decade of fun and am now getting on PrEP and will have a bottle of Doxy on hand for use before (if planned) or after fun (if unplanned). 

Thanks for sharing.  I'm glad things have turned around for you and you've been honest, came out, getting treated for bipolar, and on PrEP.