Very true, I acknowledge that safe sex can be had much earlier. But I don't think my advice is as absurd as it sounds at first glance.

6 months seems long on paper but from what I've observed, it's really not that long in context. By my estimate, that's around the time when a casual relationship transitions into a more serious relationship. So really, all I'm saying is to make sure that you're serious before you commit to taking the risk. I'm just drawing a semi-arbitrary line to delineate a casual and a serious relationship. I consider it to be more actionable to have a solid number, especially for someone who doesn't yet know what a casual or a serious relationship looks like.

In context, I know an acquaintance whom I would describe as very free-spirited. She ended up waiting something like 4 months before her first sexual contact with her significant other, and that was without any advice. So 6 months is quite doable in my opinion.

There's certainly nothing morally wrong with casual sex, I do not hold it against someone if they choose to have sex before 6 months. But practically speaking (and I would argue that an inexperienced person is in most need to hear practical advice), I still stand by my stance that it's a good idea to err on the side of caution. It's always more preferable to start having sex too late than to start having sex too early. And that's especially true when you factor in that we are starting off this potential relationship with some concerning red flags