You’re probably wishing you were living in the Netherlands right about now, and fair enough. In typical Netherlands fashion, those living without sexual partners have been advised by Dutch officials to find a “sex buddy”.
Guidance from the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) is now suggesting that those without a permanent sexual partner should come to mutual agreements with like-minded individuals.
Officials from the Netherlands are encouraging single people to find themselves a “sex buddy” or seksbuddy for the duration of the lockdown period.
“It makes sense that as a single [person] you also want to have physical contact,” the RIVM said.
“For example, meet with the same person to have physical or sexual contact (for example, a cuddle buddy or ‘sex buddy’), provided you are free of illness… The more people you see, the greater change of (spreading) the coronavirus.”
The suggestions get better.
The official institute has also declared that if you are in a relationship but your significant other has been infected or has symptoms of coronavirus, to be sure you don’t have sexual relations with them.
Instead, the RIVM reminds people that, “sex with yourself or with others at a distance is possible (think of telling erotic stories, masturbating together).”
Well isn’t that just grand.
Journalist Linda Duits heavily criticised the RIVM in the Het Parool newspaper, arguing sex to be a human right.
“Proximity and physical contact are not a luxury, they are basic needs,” Duits wrote. “If we have learned anything from the Aids epidemic, it is that not having sex is not an option.”
The Dutch government has been easing its lockdown in recent weeks, with many places expected to reopen on June 1st.
