A new study has found that gay and bisexual men are more likely to believe men they find “physically attractive” are less likely to have STDs.
Researchers from the University of Maryland surveyed roughly 200 gay and bisexual men living across the United States.
Participants were shown clips of different men then asked to rank them based on their physical appearances. Afterwards, they were asked a series of questions about the men.
The questions included: “How likely is it that you would have a one-night stand with this person?”, whether they thought the men has “positive partner traits,” whether they would have unprotected sex with this person, and “How likely do you think it is that you would get HIV… from this person?”
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On average, the men who found to be more physically attractive were also rated less likely to have any STDs. Not only that, but participants also said they were less likely to use condoms with them during sex.
Researchers attribute this to the “halo effect,” which is defined as the tendency to associate positive traits with physical attractiveness even when there is no other evidence to support the association.
“Arousal associated with perceived physical attractiveness, especially in the context of sexual intercourse, may override intentions to use condoms,” Dr. Tom Nardarzynski tells Gay Star News.
“Nevertheless, the findings of this research demonstrate a specific bias in thinking that sex with an attractive person could be less risky, which is unlikely to be accurate. Also, physical attractiveness is highly subjective, therefore it cannot be a reliable determinant of HIV status.”
Related: Left-handers and little brothers are more likely to be gay, study says
Guy12345678
It’s probably the opposite. The more attractive a guy, the more likely he is to have STDs because so many guys want to have sex with him.
xanadude
Exactly! Hot men are hoes!
Chrisk
This has been known for a long time. People just respond more favorably to attractive people. Beautiful=good and thus clean.
Bytemenow
It’s goes both ways. Some think that attractive guys, especially if they’re muscular are assumed to be free of STDs. Others think those same attractive, muscular guys are hoes and sluts who have STDs, because they’re assumed to be promiscuous.
Just be safe whomever you are and whatever you do.
lord.krath
Why on earth would anyone think that, let alone gays? If it was a matter of default judgment book by its cover deal, I would totally assume the opposite. That assumption is predicated on another assumption: that more attractive men don’t use protection. With PREP, these days, it’s certainly something to consider since people don’t always understand the big picture. Contracting syphilis can be more debilitating and even deadly than HIV if left untreated, and yet no one really talks about those kind of STDs.
BigJohnSF
Untreated HIV is much more deadly than untreated syphilis. And if you’re on PrEP, you commit to STI testing every few months. So you won’t have untreated syphilis. It’s cured with a few nasty shots in the butt. HIV is not cured.
Hdtex
Your lack of medical knowledge is quite spectacular. You should stop spreading it.
QueerTruth
200 participants does not a scientific study make.
ShiningSex
BUT SADLY, IT’S TRUE. PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS AND THINK “MORE ATTRACTIVE” MEN ARE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE STDS. THAT’S HOW IGNORANT THEY ARE ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGSTER.
Tombear
I know I was a hoe when I was young and good looking. Had the clap once when I was in the Marine Corps. I was always very sexually active in my youth. Once I got married we turned into once a seekers.
Sam6969
People may think if someone takes care of their looks they also take care of their physical health (not necessarily true though). Hygiene is another criterion.
PrEP has the potential to put the ugly and the beautiful on the same page in the eye of the “PrEP holder”. It greatly reduces the risks of getting HIV and the quarterly follow-up helps detect and treat quickly other ISTs
MacAdvisor
This is not the “halo effect.” This is the “horny effect.” One is more likely to think someone one is attracted to is a better sex partner because one wants to increase the chances of having sex with them, even if it is simply an attitude adjustment.
CenterRight
Unprotected sex should be a big no no unless you are in a totally monogamous relationships. I used to test my potential partners if they were willing to have unprotected sex with me. If their answer was yes or maybe, I’d say goodbye and cut them off completely. It’s simple. If they are willing to jeopardize their health and safety with me, they will do it with anyone else. Most of them were sl*ts anyway.
frankcar1965
Troll alert!!! Queerty shill!!! Don’t fall for it, they are just keeping folks reading.
calpoidog
My barometer was never based on looks but on age. Guys under 30 are the ones I avoided.
MikeE
except age has no bearing on whether a man is a hoe or not.
MikeE
Strange (and invalid due to small sample size) study.
Obviously, no one who thinks like I do was in that study, because to me, the more attractive a man the higher chances are that he’s a man-slut. It’s realism. Attractive men have more opportunities to hook up for sex. More opportunities for sex means more opportunities to contract some disease.
Kangol2
How many scientific studies have you conducted? A sample size of 200 people very well can be a valid scientific study.
ShiningSex
IF YOU’RE THAT STUPID TO THINK SOMEONE IS “MORE ATTRACTIVE” IS LESS LIKELY TO HAVE STDS, THEN YOU SHOULDN’T BE HAVING SEX. YOU’RE TOO STUPID TO DO SO. GO AHEAD, BAREBACK IT AND GET YOUR DISEASE FOR YOUR IGNORANCE.
Hdtex
You seem nice.
winemaker
With all we’ve gone through as a community, with AIDS and all the other STD’S, why is ‘safe sex a question? Barebackers are fools, pure and simple! Really why is this a question.? As for me, I always practice safe sex when I meet a new guy and if it leads to sex, I always use a condom. it’s been difficult for me as most of the guys here are cut and I’m UNCUT with a retractable FORESKIN and after a lot of trial and error, i finally found a condom that works for UNCUT guys but I had to find a website in England (where guys are usually UNCUT) for these. Besides, using a condom for anal sex is much cleaner, for obvious reasons and if you don’t know what I mean, you need to return to school!
Guy12345678
What’s the name of the condom?
CenterRight
Why do regular condoms don’t work for uncircumcised penises?
BigJohnSF
Have you heard about PrEP? Have you heard that “undetectable = uninfectious”? You need to do a little bit of research before posting your ignorance.
Kangol2
Most “UNCUT” men have “retractable” foreskins, no? I mean, we’re talking about billions of men (if you just include India, China, Japan, Brazil, much of Europe, etc.) who are uncircumcised, and use condoms, and quite a few American-made or American-sold condoms work with uncircumcised men, so what are you talking about? Also, there are ways to clean yourself before anal sex, PrEP also now exists (and works), and as long as people have been having sex and condoms have existed, some have found condoms to decrease pleasure or have suffered from allergic reactions to latex, etc.
frankcar1965
Another stupid response from a self-hating gay. You do know that your mother was a barebacker do you not? And she might have been a slut at that too. She may have popped that pill and went at it like a pornstar and didn’t look back.
Why can you not have the same sex that she had? With Prep that is possible. She might have contracted the clap too! Is she better than you? You know she took that seed up the tooter and probably liked it a lot. Was she monogamous? Maybe not.
BenBen1977
In the old days the first died off aids were the attractive ones!
Attractiveness is no guarantee for intelligence!
It is not wise to think with his dick!
1898
how much of this is just human nature or instinct? animals in the wild do the same thing and it’s not bias or prejudice, it’s instinct. we may be 21st century humans with more information than any other time in the history of the world but we still have many instincts that live in our subconscious