Do Gay and Bisexual Men Share Researchers' Definitions of Barebacking?

Abstract Despite pervasive discussion of “barebacking” in the HIV prevention literature, inconsistencies exist in how the term is defined. Moreover, little is known about whether gay and bisexual men concur with any of the definitions in the literature. In this study, gay and bisexual men (n = 398) were provided with four scenarios, describing various circumstances in which someone has unprotected anal intercourse. Participants were asked to indicate whether the man in each scenario was “barebacking.” Sixty-four percent did not discriminate in defining the term, indicating that barebacking includes any unprotected anal intercourse with any kind of sexual partner. Men were also asked whether they had ever tried barebacking, and if so, why. The most common reasons provided were (1) having sex with a steady partner, and (2) increased physical sensation. These findings suggest that men's definitions of “barebacking” vary widely and do not necessarily coincide with those of researchers and HIV prevention advocates.