Home Qpid Wants To Help You Get Laid, STD-Free At SXSW

Qpid Wants To Help You Get Laid, STD-Free At SXSW

Let’s be honest — does anyone really go to South by Southwest for the keynotes? Often hailed as “geek spring break,” South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) turns the city of Austin, Texas, into a sprawling bacchanalian hot mess — one with hook-ups aplenty, even for us geek types. 

A Different Kind of Awkward For The STD Talk

In one of the better press releases to grace my inbox this week, a company called Qpid.me wants to help you achieve your ultimate SXSW 2013 goal: Getting laid, you know, without all of those nasty drawbacks to promiscuity. From the press release:

It’s a known fact that there is a huge amount of “Sex” that happens at SXSW as creators, indie film makers, up-and-coming stars flock there to spark ideas, find investors, create together and…have sex…. But is the free love of the festival worth the after effects of coming home with an unwanted gift like some Spring Breakers, an STD?

Qpid is a social network with the well-meaning mission of making it easier for people to share verified information about sexual health status before they shack up. While it would make way more sense as an app, it isn’t one — although the information can be shared via text.

Of course, that’s only one reality hurdle standing in the way. The founder of Qpid is obviously well-meaning, but in practice the whole process is no less awkward than the analog version of the same conversation, although it does add verified test results for nasties like HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhea into the mix.

Qpid Means Well…

Of course, if all of the people you know on OkCupid were on Qpid too, that would be an awesome thing. So would be a world in which we weren’t all so weird about talking about sexual health in the first place. But they aren’t and we still are, for whatever reason. If you’re willing to broach the conversation at all after a long night on Sixth Street and you’ve both conquered your health care provider’s likely reticence to disclose medical records to something that sounds like a hookup app… well, bully for you! Keep up the good work! Etc.

There’s bound to be a handful of success stories out there, but until culture catches up to technology, most of us will still be just as squeamish talking about the ickier parts of sex — with a tool like Qpid or without it.

Image of date via Shutterstock

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.