Unsafe sex  Bareback (sex)  Bareback is a term that originated
in gay slang to describe acts of unprotected sex, especially
anal sex. The term's usage, however, has crossed-over to more
mainstream slang to describe any type of penetrative sex without
the use of a condom.   Before the mainstream awareness of
HIV/AIDS in the early 1980s, the distinction between anal sex
with and without a condom was not as prevalent in communications
among men who had sex with men (MSMs). Sexually transmitted
disease (STD) prevention campaigns encouraged condom use but an
urgency arose once transmission of HIV/AIDS was somewhat
understood (see HIV for more information). Researchers
encouraged condom usage as an effective way to reduce HIV
transmission. Condoms are now known to be an effective barrier
against HIV, as well as to herpes simplex, Cytomegalovirus,
hepatitis B, chlamydia and gonorrhea.  The gay male community,
having been affected the most by the pandemic, mobilized quickly
and the practice of unprotected anal sex qu