Our position on safe sex:

The Cuckoo's Nest sees safer sex as a necessity these days, especially when having sex with multiple partners, and fully accepts it's responsibility for promoting and facilitating safer sex practices as much as it is able to.

We therefore have been promoting safer sex on our premises for years now, and have made Safe Service condoms available through their vending machine and for sale at the bar.

Since September 2006 we have been providing our guests with free condoms, at first only available from the bar, and later also from one or more dispensers.

Apart from that, we have been providing safe sex information in the form of flyers and leaflets for as long as they have been available.

We do feel, though, that practicing safe sex is each individual's own responsibility, and we can only try to assist our guests in making the right choices.

Our advice regarding safe sex:

We urge our guests to always practice safer sex: use a condom with enough water- or silicone-based lubricant.

Having said this, using a condom may be the best protection from getting and spreading HIV, but it's not enough to stop you from getting other sexually transmitted infections (STI's).

It is therefore recommended to have regular check-ups: if you are frequently having sex with casual partners at least 2 times a year. A good option is to arrange this through the MANtotMAN-site (see below).

If you think you may have contracted an STI, don't wait for your next scheduled check-up and risk spreading it, but have yourself checked as soon as possible by the STI unit of GGD (public health authority).

Safe sex and our guestbook:

After several attempts to try and make people refrain from placing entries in our guestbook that we feel are promoting unsafe sexual practices (including barebacking), we started removing new entries of that kind in November 2008.

Safe sex specific links:

MANtotMAN is aimed at Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), and not only provides all kind of information on MSM-sex, but also makes it possible to arrange a free and anonymous HIV/STI-test in Amsterdam or Rotterdam.

The video below shows the procedure for arranging a test through the MANtotMAN site, an how to get your results (Dutch spoken only).

The next video shows what to expect when getting tested through the MANtotMAN site (Dutch spoken only).

There are more than 50 local health authorities (abbreviated in Dutch to GGD) in the Netherlands, where you can obtain personal advice and information on an anonymous basis about STI's, HIV, and safe sex. You should ask for the social nurse for STI's and AIDS. He or she can refer you (free of charge) for further examination. Most local health authorities will test you free of charge (and anonymously) for HIV.
The banner above links to the page on the site of GGD Amsterdam that has the address and contact info of their STI Outpatients Clinic (SOA Poli).

The video below shows what you can expect when you get tested at the GGD Amsterdam SOA Poli (Dutch spoken only).

For more general information on STI/HIV/AIDS consult the site of STI Aids Netherlands, which contains a wealth of information both in English and in Dutch.