'Sex Positive World's Coronavirus recommended best practices

BY DR. LAURIE BENNETT-COOK

It’s apparent this new virus is quite the cock/pussy blocker. It may also get in the way of some simpler things such as snuggles, kisses, and even friendly handshakes. So, last month I conferred with via Zoom my colleagues at Sex Positive World and we came up with some guidelines to help keep one another safe and healthy during this unprecedented time.

Sex guidelines to staying healthy

Stay healthy — A healthy immune system is your best line of defense. Eat healthy, delicious food that makes you happy. Get a lot of rest and exercise. Love your body, take pleasure in it — Yes, this also refers to masturbation. Try not to be stressed out — If possible avoid social media arguments. Don’t spend time with people who seem even the least bit sick (or are a pain in the ass). A common cold can lower your immune system and make you more susceptible to Covid-19 and other nasties!

Don’t go out, even if you have the slightest little sniffle. Better to have really bad FOMO than to get others sick!

Wash your hands more than you would at an orgy. Make it a 10x-a-day habit. Enjoy the feel of the warm water, the slickness of the soap, the comfort of the towel.

Don’t suck your fingers or someone else’s. True, it’s dead sexy, but avoid it anyway. And don’t touch yours or anyone else’s face, eyes or mouth. I’m not judging your kink, but for the time being, these are not healthy (or safe) activities.

If you are going to play with others, be minimal in how many partners whom you interact. Before and after play, be sure to wipe down all hard surfaces including massage tables, Saint Andrew’s crosses, spanking benches, etc. with a mild bleach solution.

Don’t share your floggers, paddles, dildos or other sex toys. If you must, only do so with washing hands and thoroughly cleaning the play items in between. Sorry, usually I’d promote sharing, but not now.

Limit kissing and handshakes. Try to get in the habit of elbow bumps or knowing glances, raising eyebrows and winking.

Masks, now highly recommended, can still be sexy with a bit of creativity. Feel free to use patterns that make you feel sexy, are smooth against your skin or stylize with a bit of leather and lace.

This virus does a number on the lungs. If you’re a smoker, stop. Nearly everyone is aware it’s not healthy. But now especially, smoking puts you in a whole other risk category. Cigarettes, vaping, and good old cannabis are not so good to smoke right now. Lean into edibles if you desire to partake.

Finally, no rimming or anal. I would say use dental dams or cellophane, butt (pun intended) even with those precautions it’s not worth the risk. This pesky bug, like many others can be found in fecal matter.

What you can do

So with all that cock and pussy blocking above — what can one do for sexy fun?

Online sex and sexy video chat is an amazing, many times underrated, outlet. How lucky are we to have all this technology that can be used for sexual pleasure?

PornHub recently made free their prime membership to everyone during the pandemic. Now is the perfect time to explore, not only your go-to favorite fantasies to get off, but let yourself see if there’s a kink or fantasy you haven’t yet realized.

Phone sex is actually quite indulgent. Currently many sex workers have turned to providing phone-sex sessions, as meeting clients in person is too risky. But don’t think these providers are short changing their clients in any way. They’re good at what they do and have an uncanny ability to create just the sexy experience looked for with simply that wanted sultry voice.

Lastly, let’s try not to panic. The truth is these can be scary times. Many of us are in limbo and have no past experience of how to navigate safely and keep spirits up. While the offered guidelines of how to interact sexually during this outbreak, many are not feeling any sense of sexiness whatsoever; that’s completely normal and understandable. Be kind to yourself and know the best way to handle any amount of sexiness, or lack there of, through this pandemic — is to nurture whatever works best for you.

Dr. Laurie Bennett-Cook is a Clinical Sexologist with a private practice in Utah. During the Coronavirus outbreak all clients are seen on a sliding scale. She can be reached at DrLaurieBennettCook@gmail.com