Sexual health has always been important to me. Whether I was having personal or professional partnered sex, I got tested regularly for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Namely, HIV, syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis and for me regularly was every 3 months while I was making porn and twice a year when I retired.
I always used condoms for vaginal and anal intercourse (with the exception of when I was married and had sex with my then-husband). I occasionally used condoms for oral sex and rarely used dental dams and gloves.
Only celibacy protects you from STIs. Given how often people cheat monogamy isn’t the protection people wish it to be. As a sex worker I haven’t had illusions about that and I see testing and safer sex practices about risk management.
Since 2020 I’ve worked by myself but in August 2023 I started shooting with partners (so far one shoot per month). This is the first time I’ve worked without condoms.
In the USA there are two non-profit organizations that certify testing for performers— PASS and Talent Testing based on a standardized testing panel that needs to be .
PASS partners with medical laboratories (LA, Las Vegas, Miami, and Atlanta) that agree to provide testing services to the industry and upload clearance data to the PASS database. PASS does not receive specific medical data.
Talent Testing Service (TTS) has it’s own labs in LA and Miami and partners with other clinics throughout the USA, Mexico and three in Canada (Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto). They then offer clearance information through their website.
So for us Canadians, you purchase the testing package, it gets shipped to the clinic, you go to the clinic for the tests, and it get shipped back to the TTS lab. Results usually are available within 48 hours. There are some draw fees and shipping fees on top of the cost of the testing. It is approximately $500 Canadian.
There is BBSTI testing available in Canada. Access to facilities varies based on province as medical services are a provincial responsibility. The larger cities often have dedicated sexual health clinics but most people need to get requisitions from their family doctor or go to a walk-in clinic for their testing.
When I decided to reintroduce partnered sex into my life (after a year of pandemic celibacy) I started getting my BBBSTI testing via Tele Test which is an Ontario, Canada telemedicine option for ordering the requisitions for BBSTI that meet current industry standards and then going to a local lab for them.
They are affordable as they are mostly covered by my province’s health care system. I pay $89 Canadian for the telemedicine appointment and the shipping of self-administered oral and rectal swabs (Chlamydia and Gonorrhea) and then $80 Canadian.
Results for the oral, rectal and urine tests for Chlamydia, and Gonorrhea and the urine test for Trichomona are returned in 24 hours, results for the blood tests for Hepatitic C, Syphlilis and HIV in 48 hours, and the results for the urine test for Mgen in 1-2 weeks. The timing varies because the testing is done in different public health labs depending on the test.
I’ve decided to not have sex with anyone unless they meet industry standards. I don,t feel like I am missing out any experiences. I have very satisfying pleasure session live on cam and meeting with other professionals for on camera sex once a month suits me well right now.
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