A male needleless connector comprising: a body having a male fitting with a distal port; a valve disposed within the body and having a first position wherein the valve seals the port and a second position wherein the valve does not seal the port; and characterized by: a sliding seal disposed over a portion of the male fitting and having a first configuration wherein a first portion of the sliding seal is in sealing contact with the male fitting and a second configuration wherein the first portion is not in sealing contact with the male fitting, wherein moving the sliding seal to the second configuration opens the seal between the sliding seal and the male fitting and displaces the valve to the second position, thereby opening the seal between the valve and the port, wherein the first portion of the sliding seal is proximate to a proximal end of the sliding seal, the sliding seal comprises a second portion that is fixedly sealed to the body, the valve comprises at least one finger disposed within a portion of the sliding seal and external to a portion of the male fitting, the sliding seal comprises a shoulder proximate to a proximal end of the at least one finger, the shoulder configured such that displacement of the shoulder in a distal direction causes the shoulder to contact the proximal end of the at least one finger and, upon further distal displacement, displace the valve away from the first position toward the second position, and the valve comprises a sealing tip disposed within the male fitting, the sealing tip having a first portion configured to seal the port when the valve is in the first position and a second portion that forms a sliding seal with the male fitting in all positions between the first and second positions. a body having a male fitting with a distal port; a valve disposed within the body and having a first position wherein the valve seals the port and a second position wherein the valve does not seal the port; and characterized by: a sliding seal disposed over a portion of the male fitting and having a first configuration wherein a first portion of the sliding seal is in sealing contact with the male fitting and a second configuration wherein the first portion is not in sealing contact with the male fitting, wherein moving the sliding seal to the second configuration opens the seal between the sliding seal and the male fitting and displaces the valve to the second position, thereby opening the seal between the valve and the port, wherein the first portion of the sliding seal is proximate to a proximal end of the sliding seal, the sliding seal comprises a second portion that is fixedly sealed to the body, the valve comprises at least one finger disposed within a portion of the sliding seal and external to a portion of the male fitting, the sliding seal comprises a shoulder proximate to a proximal end of the at least one finger, the shoulder configured such that displacement of the shoulder in a distal direction causes the shoulder to contact the proximal end of the at least one finger and, upon further distal displacement, displace the valve away from the first position toward the second position, and the valve comprises a sealing tip disposed within the male fitting, the sealing tip having a first portion configured to seal the port when the valve is in the first position and a second portion that forms a sliding seal with the male fitting in all positions between the first and second positions. a sliding seal disposed over a portion of the male fitting and having a first configuration wherein a first portion of the sliding seal is in sealing contact with the male fitting and a second configuration wherein the first portion is not in sealing contact with the male fitting, wherein moving the sliding seal to the second configuration opens the seal between the sliding seal and the male fitting and displaces the valve to the second position, thereby opening the seal between the valve and the port, wherein the first portion of the sliding seal is proximate to a proximal end of the sliding seal, the sliding seal comprises a second portion that is fixedly sealed to the body, the valve comprises at least one finger disposed within a portion of the sliding seal and external to a portion of the male fitting, the sliding seal comprises a shoulder proximate to a proximal end of the at least one finger, the shoulder configured such that displacement of the shoulder in a distal direction causes the shoulder to contact the proximal end of the at least one finger and, upon further distal displacement, displace the valve away from the first position toward the second position, and the valve comprises a sealing tip disposed within the male fitting, the sealing tip having a first portion configured to seal the port when the valve is in the first position and a second portion that forms a sliding seal with the male fitting in all positions between the first and second positions.