The Better2Know Blog

Sex can often be a minefield. Negotiating health, emotions, and relationships can tax even the most carefree person. Love, indeed, isn’t for the faint of heart.

This minefield can become all the more explosive when sex enters the mainstream discourse, introducing the spectre of collective judgment about our most intimate acts, thoughts, and feelings.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the current discourse surrounding the idea of “body counts”.

So, what’s going on here? What’s a body count, and why is everyone talking about it? And how does it relate to STIs?

Keep reading to find out more.

Are you worried about STIs? Get tested with Better2Know.

What is a “body count”?

The term “body count”, in modern usage (particularly online), refers to the number of sexual partners someone has had throughout their life.

Counting your sexual partners isn’t anything new. People have been doing it for ages.

But the term “body count” is a relatively new phenomenon that came into common usage in the mid-2010s and was further popularized after 2020 on the social media app TikTok. On the app, people would interview strangers, often in vox-pop interviews in some kind of public square, about their own body counts and their attitudes towards them.

If you think the term is strangely aggressive to describe intimate relationships, you’re not wrong.

The term originates from military jargon to describe the number of enemy combatants a soldier eliminates over the course of an engagement. It’s possible that the term became commonly used because of the popularity of online gaming – in particular, multiplayer first-person-shooter games.

This terminology easily maps on to the world of online dating – the place where most young people meet sexual partners, which has been successfully gamified by dating apps. In an online space that encourages the objectification of potential partners and the consumption of sexual experiences, terms like “body count” can be apt.

Why are people talking about body counts?

For a variety of social, cultural, and religious reasons, there’s a lot of concern about the number of sexual partners someone has had.

It’s common, for instance, for people to feel inadequate about not having had enough sexual experiences. On the other end of the spectrum, some people may feel they’ve had too many.

That’s the thing when talking about body counts: many people feel they haven’t had the “right” amount. Not meeting this (completely arbitrary) standard can give rise to feelings of anxiety and shame.

These feelings can leak into public discourse. Sites like Reddit and Quora are replete with threads and message boards on this topic, with often hundreds or thousands of people contributing to the discussions, and it’s easy to find people talking about it on social media sites like TikTok, X, and Instagram.

Many young people negotiate their transition into adulthood through sexual experiences alongside other milestones like having a career, buying a home, and having a family. Like with these other goalposts, people want to get these experiences “right”.

Does body count really matter?

It can, but not in the way that most people think about these things.

People who are worried about having the “right” number of sexual partners are concerned with giving a value judgment. However, there is nothing inherently right or wrong with having ninety sexual partners or none.

Other people may use body counts to determine suitability for a romantic partner.

Some may worry that someone with a high body count may not be suited to monogamous relationships. Others may think a low body count might indicate prudishness or a lack of confidence.

However, such worries tend to be based on generalisations, and these generalisations may not reflect the circumstances of the person in question.

If someone has a high body count, does that mean they have an STI?

With all the above being said, there is one area where the number of sexual partners you’ve had may have a tangible impact on your life: your sexual health.

It’s no secret that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are transmitted through sexual activity. While the best way to make sure that you don’t get an STI is to remain abstinent, that’s not realistic for many people.

With every new sexual relationship you start, there’s a risk of being exposed an STI, especially if you don’t know that person’s sexual health status. Statistically, the more sexual partners you have, the more likely you are to get an infection.

However, this isn’t the whole story.

The number of partners someone has had is only one aspect of their sexual history. Someone who practices safe sex, gets regular STI testing, and communicates openly with their sexual partners will be less likely to have an STI than someone who has a small number of highly risky encounters.

You can also get an STIs outside of sexual intercourse. For example, you can get STIs like Herpes and HPV from skin-to-skin contact. STIs like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV can also be contracted through blood transfusions, unsterilised tattooing equipment, and sharing needles for injecting drugs.

Should I have sex with someone with a high body count?

You can if you want.

However, if you’re concerned about someone’s sexual history, you and your partner may want to get tested for STIs.

Getting tested will give you a certain amount of clarity about your partner’s sexual health status. From there, you can make a judgment about whether you want to continue the relationship.

Doing this is a crucial step in protecting your sexual health, and can set up the groundwork for a healthy and trusting relationship going forward.

Don’t leave your sexual health to chance. Book a sexual health test with Beter2Know today.

Are people with high or low body counts “bad”?

No. There is nothing inherently “bad” in any number of past sexual experiences.

The number of sexual partners that someone has had or hasn’t had may be the result of a complex constellation of life experiences, preferences, and cultural influences that have no bearing on their worth. It may also have no bearing on someone’s suitability for a sexual or romantic relationship.

If you’re struggling with the thought of your partner having a certain “body count”, you may want to ask yourself why you feel this way. Where do these feelings come from, and what may they tell you about any beliefs you may have about sex, partnership, and relationships?

Doing this introspection could reveal what you value in a sexual partner and how you want to conduct your relationship.

Final thoughts

A person’s “body count” may or may not tell you something about whether you want to begin a sexual relationship. However, people with a high number of past or recent sexual partners may have a moderate risk of having an STI.

If you’re concerned about the possibility of getting an STI, get tested with Better2Know today. Take advantage of our home test kits to test for STIs from the comfort of your own home.

Better2Know’s Full Screen tests for the UK’s 7 most common STIs, including HIV, Syphilis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Hepatitis B, Ureaplasma, and Mycoplasma.

It’s the type of thing that could happen to anyone.

You meet someone, and you bring them home. Just as you’re getting intimate, you notice something suspicious on their genitals – maybe a bump, a sore, or some strange discharge.

Should you proceed with your sexual encounter or call it a night?

Turns out you don’t have to decide for yourself. There’s an app for that.

Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, is one of the most prevalent STIs globally. It’s sometimes called “the silent STI” because of its ability to go undetected for long periods of time.

While the infection is often associated with infidelity or having multiple sexual partners, the reality is more nuanced. It’s entirely possible to contract Chlamydia within the confines of a committed, monogamous relationship, even without any act of unfaithfulness.

In this blog post, we’ll explore how someone can catch or transmit Chlamydia despite remaining faithful to their partner.

Condoms are a great contraceptive tool that allows people to enjoy sex while minimising the risks of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies.

However, there are a lot of misconceptions out there about condoms, how they can be used, and what risks using them can entail.

Specifically, we often hear causes for concern around condoms causing yeast infections.

In this article, we’ll examine the possible link and arm you with information to make informed choices about your sexual health.

Maintaining your sexual health is a vital part of most people’s lives. While this can mean being mindful of sexually transmitted infections, it also means taking control of other aspects of our sexual health in order to maintain our overall health.

Smear tests are a great tool for preventing serious long-term health conditions. It’s important for women to get regular smear tests throughout their lives to get a clear view of their health.

But some people worry that other conditions can get in the way. In particular, we often hear people ask whether thrush can prevent women from getting a smear test. But is this true?

In this article, we’ll address this question and cover everything you need to know about getting a smear test.

When you’re talking about STIs, it can be tough to keep your facts straight. There are many different STIs a sexually active person can get and many more ways they can get them.

There’s a lot of information about HPV out there, and it can be difficult to know what to keep in mind – what’s fact and what’s fiction. And there can be many different questions about HPV, namely, whether HPV can be transmitted from kissing.

While the answer to this question may seem straightforward, it’s not as simple as you might think.

Keep reading to find out more.

When you’re sexually active, you need to be concerned about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). But as you may know by visiting our website and reading our other blog posts, you can get an STD in all sorts of ways – not just through sex.

Sex toys are great tools that help couples experience pleasure and increase intimacy. However, just like sex, sharing sex toys carries a certain amount of risk.

STDs can stay on sex toys – that’s how they transmit when you’re using them. But how long can an STD stay on a sex toy?

Keep reading to find out!

Relationships are hard. For a romantic relationship to be sustained in the long term, you need trust, mutual respect, and understanding. And very few things can disrupt relationship harmony more than the spectre of an STI.

However, contrary to what many people may think, someone can get an STI without cheating.

Find out more about how this is possible and what you can do if it happens.

No one wants to get a sexually transmitted infection. However, for any sexually active person, STIs are a fact of life, something you have to consider in order to maintain your own health and the health of those you care about.

So, if you’re interested in finding out how to prevent STIs, keep reading.

Managing your sexual health can be a full time job. With the constant worry of sexually transmitted infections and other health concerns, it’s easy to overlook the role that stress plays in our sexual well-being. One condition that is often linked to stress is cystitis.

But can stress really affect your health so much that it can cause infections like cystitis? Keep reading to find out.

When talking about sexual health, it’s common to encounter your fair share of myths. There are lots of stories out there about all the different ways you can get a sexually transmitted infection. Some have merit while others aren’t worth paying attention to.

At Better2Know, we want to provide you with the best possible information about STIs so that you can make informed decisions about your sexual health.

One question that comes up often is whether it’s possible to get an STI by giving a hand job. Despite what you may think, the answer to this question is much more nuanced than you might expect.

A sexually active person needs to know a lot to protect their sexual health. After all, the risks of being sexually active don’t just begin when you enter the bedroom. They can exist with even the most casual forms of intimacy.

One common myth out there is that you get Chlamydia while kissing. But is this true?

In this blog, we’ll cover what Chlamydia is, how it’s spread, and what you can do to protect yourself from this STI.

As much as we might wish it were otherwise, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) need to be at the forefront of the mind of anyone who is sexually active. That means you need to know about the various ways your health can be affected, and what infections you may be exposed to when having sex.

If you’re sexually active, you need to know about the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV, the virus that causes Genital Warts, is the most common viral STI in the world and infects millions of people every year. It is estimated that 90% of men and 80% of women who are sexually active will catch an HPV infection during their lives.

But how likely are you to get it, and will you certainly get the virus if your partner has it?

In this blog, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about getting Genital Warts, and what you can do to protect yourself. So, let’s get started.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), sometimes called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), cause all sorts of symptoms. But one of the more unnerving symptoms of STIs can be pimples.

So, how can you tell if these pimples are a symptom of an STI? Keep reading to find out.

Having a physical symptom you don’t know the cause of, can be very concerning. This is especially true if the symptom is green discharge coming from your genitals.

If you’re experiencing green discharge from your genitals, you may have an STI, and it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as you can.

In this blog, we’ll discuss what STIs are, how they spread, and what causes green discharge from the genitals. We will also cover what green discharge is composed of and how the STIs that cause it are treated.

Medical professionals may have a new weapon in the fight against dangerous sexually transmitted infections.

A new drug called zoliflodacin – developed and tested by a partnership between the Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership, a Swiss nonprofit, and Innova Specialty Therapeutics, a US-based company – has undergone promising trials to treat Gonorrhoea infections.  

When it comes to taking care of your sexual health, getting regularly tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is crucial.

However, some people might wonder if the way you get tested is different based on your sex. Is getting tested different for men than it is for women?

In this blog, we’ll touch on what STIs are, how they’re transmitted, how they’re detected and tested, and how STI testing might be different for men than it is for women.

So, if you’re a man looking to prioritize your sexual health, keep reading to learn all about STI testing. If you are a woman, you might just find this interesting too!

Syphilis is an incredibly serious sexually transmitted infection (otherwise known as a sexually transmitted disease, or STD) that has been wreaking havoc on people’s health for centuries. From Henry VIII and Oscar Wilde, to the average man and woman suffering from the infection, Syphilis has caused untold damage over the years to thousands of people old and young, and from every stratum of society.

So, it makes sense that people would want to recognise the signs and symptoms of Syphilis. If you know you have Syphilis, you can get it treated and cured, before it seriously affects your health.

In this blog, we’ll cover what Syphilis is, the various stages the infection takes, and how you can recognise the signs and symptoms so you can get tested.

When it comes to sexual health, protection is paramount. Condoms are widely known as one of the most effective means of preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies.

However, a common question often arises: can condoms fail without breaking?

In this blog, we’ll explore the various factors that can lead to condom failure without visible damage, and the potential risks involved. Understanding these factors will empower you to make informed decisions about your sexual health.

Pregnancy can be a time of great joy, but it also comes with questions and concerns, including matters related to sexual health.

One common question that might arise is whether it’s possible to contract a sexually transmitted infection (STI) while pregnant.

In this blog post, we aim to address this concern to provide you with the information you need to make the best possible decisions for your sexual health.

In the domain of STIs, we often talk about the role contraceptives play. But when talking about contraceptives, we need to make a distinction between the different kinds.

We often get asked what roles, if any, oral contraceptives may play in the transmission of STIs.

In this blog post, we’ll explore this important topic with the goal of providing clear guidance so you can make better decisions about your sexual health.

Viagra, also available as a generic product called Sildenafil, is a medication that has been a game-changer for many individuals struggling with erectile dysfunction.

However, there are concerns and misconceptions about whether taking Viagra can put you at risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

In this blog post, we’ll explore this topic so that anyone concerned about taking Viagra can make the best decisions for their health.

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver, and it’s natural to have questions and concerns about how it spreads.

One common query is whether Hepatitis B can be transmitted through saliva. In this blog post, we’ll explore this topic to provide you with information about the transmission of this virus so that you can protect your sexual health.

The idea of having a sexually transmitted infection (STIs) can be distressing, especially if you don’t know much about the infection in question.

In this blog post, we’ll be addressing one of the most common questions people have Googled about STIs: is Gonorrhoea a viral or bacterial infection? Understanding the nature of the infection and how it works is vital for securing your sexual health.

Sexual health is an essential aspect of our lives, and maintaining it means being informed and responsible. One concern that often arises is the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) when engaging in sexual activities with someone who may be infected.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss how likely it is to get an STI from an infected person, offering you the information and reassurance you need to make informed decisions about your sexual health.

So, you found out you had an STI. You took a test and scheduled an appointment with a doctor to get it treated.

But you may be wondering: after taking medication, are you still contagious? This might be a tricky question to answer for a few reasons.

The right answer can depend on the infection that you have, your overall health, and other factors.

In this article, we’ll explore what STIs are, how they are transmitted, how they are treated, and whether a person can still spread an infection after taking medication.

We all know sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can seriously damage your health. From infertility to cancer, STIs are a serious public health concern.

We get asked a lot about the effect of STIs on all areas of health, especially reproductive health. While it’s common for many STIs to cause infertility, we specifically get asked whether an STI can affect a man’s sperm count.

In this blog, we’ll answer this vital question so you can protect your sexual health.

Are UTIs and STIs the same thing?

This is a common question we receive from people concerned about their sexual health. While both conditions can cause discomfort and affect your urinary system, they are not the same thing.

In this blog post, we will discuss what UTIs and STIs are, how to tell the difference between them, and why it’s important to seek proper diagnosis and treatment.

Engaging in unprotected anal sex is a high-risk behaviour that can lead to various sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other health issues.

Considering the potential consequences, taking steps to protect oneself should be a top priority when engaging in such activities.

In this blog post, we will discuss what anal sex is, the risks involved, the STIs one can get, and ways to protect oneself from harm.

It’s difficult for some people to know if they have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or not. Still more complex is to tell the difference between one STI and the other.

Two infections that often get confused are Thrush and Herpes. While these infections are both incredibly common and share some symptoms, they are very different.

In this blog post, we’ll be covering what Thrush and Herpes are, how they’re transmitted, the similarities and differences in symptoms, and how to tell them apart.

So, let’s dive in!