What a new sexual health campaign for young Aussies gets right and wrong

The Australian authorities lately launched a brand new marketing campaign, Beforeplay, to advertise higher sexual well being amongst younger folks.

Beforeplay is targeted on encouraging folks aged 20 to 34 to hunt frequent STI exams, and to make use of barrier strategies (reminiscent of condoms and dental dams) to guard towards the transmission of STIs.

The nationwide marketing campaign started on January 14 and can run for 9 weeks, with content material to appear on social media and on-line, on relationship apps reminiscent of Tinder and Grindr, and round universities, bars and golf equipment.

The marketing campaign materials contains links to information and resources in addition to three movies and a number of other posters, carrying messages together with “it is the check half, earlier than one of the best half” and “it is checking your enjoyable elements, earlier than the enjoyable begins.”

The marketing campaign message is easy and direct. Getting examined, in addition to utilizing condoms and dental dams to stop the unfold of STIs, will create a extra enjoyable and protected sexual encounter. However does the marketing campaign get all the things proper?

Beforeplay goals to fight growing charges of STIs

A latest annual surveillance report on STIs in Australia present in 2022, younger folks made up the vast majority of chlamydia and syphilis diagnoses.

For chlamydia, 69% of diagnoses occurred amongst folks between 15 and 29, with an virtually even break up between women and men.

For infectious syphilis, notification charges have been highest amongst folks aged 25 to 29 (58.1 circumstances per 100,000 folks), 30 to 39 (55.7 per 100,000), and 20 to 24 (38.2 per 100,000). Greater than 80% of all syphilis infections have been amongst males.

Though the report highlighted growing charges of STIs (syphilis notifications, for instance, have tripled over the previous decade) testing charges have been decrease than common. The authors prompt this can be an impact of the COVID pandemic, however highlights a necessity for extra STI testing, notably amongst younger folks.

Younger folks already know to get examined

The Beforeplay marketing campaign seems to be premised on the concept that younger folks lack information about satisfactory STI testing and do not feel barrier strategies are essential.

Analysis, nonetheless, suggests this is not the case. A latest national survey of Australian highschool college students discovered 94% of these surveyed felt condom use was essential. Some 75% of respondents stated condoms have been obtainable throughout their most up-to-date sexual expertise, however lower than 49% used them.

Comparable outcomes have been seen with STI testing—greater than 72% of contributors believed younger folks ought to be examined for STIs. However lower than 13% thought it was a typical follow amongst their age group. And solely 26% believed STI testing was simply accessible.

A 2023 study of younger adults in Australia aged 15 to 29 additionally confirmed STI testing and condom use stays low amongst this group.

There might be a wide range of causes younger folks might not use condoms. For instance, analysis has proven gendered norms in heterosexual couples imply ladies proceed to carry the burden of contraceptive accountability, together with having to ask males to put on condoms. Males might refuse these requests or interact in stealthing, the removing of a condom throughout intercourse with out consent.

In the meantime, long-standing social taboos and disgrace encompass younger folks partaking in sexual activity, which may make it troublesome for them to entry sexual health providers for STI testing. This may be notably vital for LGBTQA+ younger folks, these residing in rural and remote areas, and younger folks from spiritual, cultural and ethnic backgrounds the place intercourse exterior marriage could also be discouraged.

As entry to sexual well being clinics may be troublesome, together with hyperlinks and sources for at-home screening kits the place obtainable might be efficient in encouraging extra folks to check.

Extra readability within the posters and movies as to how usually the marketing campaign is recommending testing—whether or not earlier than each sexual encounter with a brand new companion, or simply basic frequent testing pretty much as good sexual well being follow—would even be useful.

A various marketing campaign?

Beforeplay’s content material depicts {couples} of various genders, orientations and ethnicities to advertise inclusivity.

I’d argue there may be an undercurrent of queerphobia and discomfort with queer intercourse within the marketing campaign movies, regardless of the makes an attempt for inclusion.

The 2 movies that includes a heterosexual couple present extra bodily intimacy and engagement, reminiscent of kissing and our bodies touching. The video that includes the queer couple, nonetheless, solely reveals them holding arms, with their our bodies showing additional aside.

In distinction, queer sexual well being campaigns designed by and for queer folks, reminiscent of The Drama Downunder and Down an’ Dirty (word, this one shouldn’t be appropriate for work) promote sexual intimacy between queer companions via sexualised imagery and intimate illustration.

Content material can even be tailored and translated for multicultural and First Nations audiences. Nonetheless, there are already sexual well being campaigns designed by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. YoungDeadlyFree and Take Blaktion are simply two of those. They meet the wants of their viewers via neighborhood session, and use of native language, humor, cultural references, and illustration.

The deal with pleasure is a plus

Regardless of these criticisms, the deal with pleasure and having time is a powerful constructive for this campaign when younger folks nonetheless generally expertise disgrace and stigma round intercourse.

We all know historic campaigns round HIV/AIDs that have been intercourse and pleasure-positive (versus unfavorable and fear-mongering) have been far more efficient in lowering the transmission of HIV amongst homosexual and bisexual males.

Advocating for STI testing and using applicable safety whereas emphasizing enjoyable and pleasure is a progressive step in direction of recognizing and affirming young people‘s sexual rights and company.

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