Why we changed our name to Safely

We built SAFE to be used as a tool, a way to initiate the conversation about your sexual history with potential partners. We want SAFE, as a company and a community, united on our mission to end the spread and stigma of STDs.

Before COVID took over our news feeds and lives, the world was already dealing with a public health crisis: Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) have reached record highs in the U.S and globally, and it’s young people who are at greatest risk.

Two important factors in solving any public health crisis is regular testing and the ability to verify the health status of others. Why has there never been an easy, trusted way for partners to share their STD status? Why is getting tested inconvenient, expensive, and unnecessarily awkward? Sexual health is an essential part of wellness programs and overall well being. We firmly believe that everyone should have access to easy, affordable, and accessible healthcare options.

So, we decided to do something about it and created the SAFE app. The name SAFE is an acronym: Sexual Accountability for Everyone. Our goal was seemingly simple, to reimagine safe sex and make getting tested regularly the new normal, to promote an open dialogue about your STD status, whatever it may be.

Built with these goals in mind, we created a unique testing and verification platform enabling people to import their health records electronically or to book testing at fair prices in a way that’s easy and readily available. For the first time, you could ask a partner to show their verified STI test status, or access testing at labs across the country, without the hassle of visiting the doctor. We are proud to say that to date, we’ve helped thousands of people get tested and have those important conversations with their partners.

In these turbulent times the world is rapidly changing, and so is SAFE. After a year of conversations with members of our community, we’ve come to understand that our intention with the name SAFE was not always in clear support of our mission: to end the spread AND stigma of STDs in our lifetime.

So we decided to relaunch the app under a new name, Safely: The Safer Sex App. Safely makes sex safer because there is no ‘Safe” or “Unsafe” when it comes to sex, every person and story is unique. It’s about giving you the tools to have open conversations with your partners, and to make the choice that’s right for you.

As it turns out, a platform created for testing and verification was ready made to help with this newer, more urgent public health crisis of COVID. So, along with our new name, we will be rolling out new services and features over the next few months, including at-home options and COVID testing/verification. We’re so excited for what’s to come and strive to make sexual healthcare affordable and accessible for every body.