VERY true.
In fact, I have a personal theory that true "San Francisco bathhouse" behavior never existed for long in previous human history. Rapid spread of infectious disease would quickly wipe out any group that engaged in it.
Only in the late 20th century did it become feasible, as antibiotics and other treatments kept the participants alive and fornicating despite their contracting multiple diseases.
Ironically, this advance in itself allowed for the rapid spread of AIDS, as the behavior that allowed for the rapid spread was only possible (for more than a brief period) due to medical technology.
Interesting, thank you
You know have you ever thought how long cancer has been around?
I bet nearly all of us know someone who has died or had cancer and yet there is still not many ways to treat it.
How long was HIV and AIDS around, how long did it take for a tablet and a near cure to be made?
Possible, but remember that long-distance travel was not particularly common before the 20th century, so venereal disease outbreak would likely affect only one locality at a time.
However, modern experience has been something along the lines of what you have suggested: the AIDS epidemic has slowed (but by no means halted) the rampant carnality of many homosexual men. The novelty of our times has been the homosexual couple seeking legal and societal normalization as a societal unit on equal footing with a married couple.