Why straight women and gay men are often so close

Why straight women and gay men are often so close

A Case of the Holly Jolly Holiday Blues

No matter what you celebrate, holidays can be a source of stress. The shopping, the food, the parties, the presents, the traditions-- the sheer number of things to do. And beyond the demands on your schedule, there are also huge expectations that every little detail is perfect, that every holiday season is better than the last, and that despite other stressors in your life, you’ll be jolly and merry. We at GO Atlanta get it. 

We also get that holidays are tough for people for other reasons. Going home to a family who you’re not out to, or a family who isn't accepting, is really, really hard. It’s also natural to think about friends and loved ones who are no longer with us during the holidays. We feel for you, and you should know that you’re not alone.

This blog post is dedicated to everyone who has a hard time around the holidays. Courtesy of Mayo Clinic, here are some tips for staying happy and healthy this season:

• Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can't be with loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness and grief. It's OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.
• Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships.
• Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones.
• Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all of your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression, too.
• Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Try these alternatives: Donate to a charity in someone's name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange.
• Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make your shopping list. That'll help prevent last-minute scrambling to buy forgotten ingredients. And make sure to line up help for party prep and cleanup.
• Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can't participate in every project or activity. If it's not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.
• Don't abandon healthy habits. Don't let the holidays become a free-for-all. Overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and physical activity. And of course, practice safer sex if you meet someone under the mistletoe.
• Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Take a walk at night and stargaze. Listen to soothing music. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm.
• Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for a while, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.

Measuring Up California’s Measure B

The adult entertainment industry has been in the news recently with the passing of Measure B, the Safer Sex in the Adult Film Industry Act. This new legislation requires actors in pornographic films to wear condoms to prevent the spread of STDs and HIV. There’s been a lot of controversy around this issue which promises to continue, as The Free Speech Coalition- an adult-film-industry trade association- says it will challenge Measure B in court as a violation of the First Amendment. We took a closer look at some of the different perspectives and opinions.

Public health and policy advocates

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), a global organization providing HIV/AIDS medical care and advocacy, was one of the most outspoken champions of the measure. Their advocacy website states that passing the Measure will help prevent the spread of STDs and HIV, protect porn performers, and prevent taxpayer dollars from being spent on costs related to the adult industry. Porn producers are now required to obtain health permits and the county will do spot checks on porn sets to make sure performers are using condoms.

Since Measure B’s passing, AHF has expressed interest in taking its effort statewide by advocating for a bill that would broaden the power of the state and local governments to enforce condom use on porn sets. Some have even speculated that that was the main inspiration for Measure B—to gain footing for state legislation, which could, in turn, influence other states to adopt a similar policy.

Emily Nagoski, a sex educator and owner of The Dirty Normal, supports Measure B because it protects adult performers. She writes, “It’s not a right to put yourself in harm’s way for a paycheck, it’s a circumstance created by employers who care more about their bottom line than the safety of their workers.”

Nagoski also supports Measure B because some studies suggest that including condoms in porn will cause viewers to normalize condom use and thus use condoms more in their own sex lives.

 

Adult industry producers and actors

Porn industry leaders say the extra precautions aren’t warranted; L.A. County porn community hasn't had a performer test positive for HIV since 2004. "During that time, we've produced over 300,000 scenes. We do a pretty incredible job when it comes to protecting the performers," said Steve Hirsch, opponent of Measure B and founder of porn production company Vivid Entertainment.  

Performer and director Kylie Ireland said, “It's a ridiculous waste of time and money to regulate an industry that is already self-regulating.”

Measure B has also been criticized because it could be bad for business. Porn producers speculate that customers will not be interested in watching porn featuring actors wearing condoms. With the passing of Measure B, executives and directors have threatened to move from Los Angeles to other locations. Veteran director Kevin Moore said, “I love this business, but I feel this is an attempt to drive us out of California.''

The public

Though there hasn’t been a large-scale survey of the general public surrounding California’s Measure B, 56.8% of voters supported the measure at the polls.

We want to hear what you think. Is Measure B providing a good service, ensuring that adult actors are protected and moving porn toward becoming safer? Or is this unwarranted legislation that will waste money and move the industry elsewhere (or further under the table)?

 Sources

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/porn-industry-measure-mandatory-condom-measure-passed-los/story?id=17673377
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/11/condoms-in-porn-los-angeles-county-measure-b.html
http://healthland.time.com/2012/11/09/porn-industry-threatens-to-sue-over-l-a-county-law-requiring-condoms/

LGBT Votes are Queerly Important!

It’s hard to escape: the election is now less than a week away. If you’re connected with GO Atlanta on Facebook or Twitter, you may have seen our posts encouraging folks to register to vote, research candidates and issues, and to cast their votes, whether during early voting or on Election Day.

 As a program at a nonprofit organization, we’re not allowed to participate in political campaigns, including promoting or promoting candidates or parties. And even if we could, at the end of the day it really doesn't matter whether you’re on the left, right, somewhere in the middle or still deciding. We feel that people should be empowered to learn about issues and express their opinions by participating in the political process.

A recent Gallup poll of LGBT voters shows some definite differences between their non-LGBT counterparts (see the image below). About 4 percent of the American population identifies as LGBT, and in national elections they usually vote Democrat. The poll also found that LGBT people (74%) are slightly less likely to be registered to vote than non-LGBT people (80%).

For the LGBT and HIV+ communities, it’s especially important to vote because we've historically been closeted, silenced, and marginalized. Our votes-and the votes of our allies- will influence important issues like marriage equality / partner recognition, nondiscrimination, and funding for programs that keep our community safe and healthy though HIV prevention, treatment, care, housing, and research.

We wish you an informed, involved, and very happy election day. Signing off to vote,

Your friends at GO Atlanta

AIDS Walk Atlanta

October has been a busy month for us at GO Atlanta! Between our Coffee Talk series, our OUT2EAT events, Atlanta Pride last weekend, and recognizing LGBT History Month, National Coming Out Day, and Spirit Day, we’ve been busy, busy, busy! But the fun isn’t over yet.

This weekend marks the 22nd AIDS Walk Atlanta in Piedmont Park!

It’s the largest AIDS-related fundraising event in the Southeastern United States and helps support many services at AID Atlanta, not to mention our partners AIDGwinnett, AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta, Aniz, Jerusalem House, Living Room, Open Hand, and Positive Impact. These nine agencies provide treatment and medications, prevention education, meals, hospice, mental health services, child care, substance abuse counseling, pastoral care, and clinical research to help thousands of our families, neighbors and friends living with, affected by, and at-risk for HIV/AIDS in Atlanta.

AIDS Walk is THIS SUNDAY, and we would really, truly greatly appreciate your support. It’s not too late to register for the walk or run, donate to a team or specific individual, or make a general donation. You could also volunteer or stop by to cheer on runners and walkers.

Hope to see you there!

Get tested for HIV… on your couch

You may have heard the recent news that the first ever home rapid HIV test, OraQuick, is now available in stores and online. You may even remember our previous post on this very topic. People are able to purchase the test kit for about $40 at stores such as Walgreens and CVS, or on the OraQuick website. This is huge news! Here’s why:

There are approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S. that have HIV and 1 out of 5 of them are unaware of their status. People who don’t know they are HIV+ are much more likely to unknowingly transmit the virus to others. They are also at greater risk for serious health problems and early death with HIV.

 

A recent study found that 84% of gay and bi men say they would administer a self-test if one were available. Sometimes it feels hard to make time to take care of ourselves, even if it’s something as important as getting tested for HIV. It can also be scary to get tested. For some, the appeal of taking a quick test in the comfort and privacy of home is a deal breaker.

 

Many people are concerned that without the support of a trained HIV counselor, people who test positive for HIV may be upset, hurt themselves, or ignore the result. Finding out you have any disease is difficult, but an HIV+ diagnosis is crushing to some. Trained professionals can connect folks to resources and explain why being poz isn’t a death sentence today.  

 

While the oral swab test is 98% accurate when conducted by a professional, it’s estimated that the test is only 92% accurate when conducted by an average person. OraQuick recommends that if a person tests positive, they contact a professional for follow up.

This is a controversial issue: will home rapid HIV tests prompt more people to get tested and learn their status? Will people who test positive access the resources they need to stay healthy?

What do you think, readers?

If you’d like to get tested for HIV at AID Atlanta, contact us at (800) 551-2728 or visit this website.

 

History is Gay

Happy October! You’ve probably seen Halloween costumes and pink breast cancer awareness ribbons adorning storefronts and newsfeeds lately. Often forgotten is that October is also LGBT History Month, first officially celebrated in 1994. It coincides with National Coming Out Day and is coordinated by Equality Forum, an international LGBT civil rights organization.

It’s so important that we acknowledge this month because- let’s face it- most of us didn’t learn about history through rainbow-colored glasses. Most history books barely mention queer people throughout history. Some even have the audacity to refer to the gay rights movement in the past tense (Um, hello?! We’re still fighting for equality today!). Others imply that LGBT history just began in the last century. Knowing our history is vital for our future. LGBT History Month also highlights positive LGBT role models, builds community by embracing our past, and brings to light our extraordinary national and international contributions.

We at GO Atlanta have taken some time to put together some highlights of LGBT history represented in pop culture. Check it out:

 

For your viewing pleasure:

• Milk (2008): The story of Harvey Milk, the American gay activist who became California's first openly gay elected official.
• How to Survive a Plague (2012): The story of two coalitions -- ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group) -- whose activism and innovation turned AIDS from a death sentence into a manageable condition.
• Vito (2011): The story of Vito Russo, founding father of the gay liberation movement, author of "The Celluloid Closet," and vociferous AIDS activist in the 1980s.
• Celluloid Closet (1995): A documentary surveying the various Hollywood screen depictions of the LGBT community and the attitudes behind them throughout the history of North American film.
• Paris is Burning (1990): A chronicle of New York's drag scene in the 1980s, focusing on balls, voguing and the ambitions and dreams of those who gave the era its warmth and vitality.
• Raid of the Rainbow Lounge (2012): A full length documentary film recounting the events surrounding the widely publicized and controversial raid of a Fort Worth, Texas gay bar in 2009. Pssst: This film is being screened at Out on Film, Atlanta’s LGBT film festival.

For your listening pleasure:

• Born This Way - The Columbus Gay Men's Chorus
• In This Life - Madonna
• Cowboys are Frequently Fond of Each Other - Willie Nelson
• Take Me or Leave Me - Glee
• I Want to Break Free - Queen

For your browsing pleasure:

• http://www.lgbthistorymonth.com
• http://www.lgbthistory.org/
• http://www.glbtq.com

Grindr: Friend or Foe to the Gay Community?

By now, most people have heard of Grindr, and many of us have profiles. Our contact at Grindr reports that there are 4 million users worldwide, 1.3 million of whom are in the U.S. The average user logs on to Grindr 8-10 times per day and spends about 90 minutes using the app throughout the day. So if you find yourself Grindr-addicted, you’re not alone!

News headlines about the app are pretty extreme:

• EXPOSED: The seedy underbelly of hook-up apps (News.com.au, September 2012)
• A deadly dating game (China Daily, September 2012)
• Grindr: Welcome to the World’s Biggest, Scariest Gay Bar (Vanity Fair, May 2011)
• Popular gay dating app Grindr blamed for syphilis outbreak (Examiner.com, August 2012)

Not to mention Paris Hilton’s recent comments that “most” gay men on Grindr “probably have AIDS.” Paris isn’t the only one to blame Grindr for increased rates of HIV and STD infections among gay and bi men. So what’s the deal? Are folks just looking for someone to blame, or does the app somehow promote or condone risky business, like barebacking or anonymous sex? We at GO Atlanta took a closer look.

In Grindr’s policies, there’s nothing to be found promoting or discouraging unprotected sex. The app does prohibit “sexually explicit, revealing, or overly suggestive photos,” as well as “nudity or physically revealing clothing of any kind.” And, to Grindr’s credit, there is a Grindr Health page, which links to resources for HIV and STD testing, as well as substance abuse resources. Throughout the site, Grindr advocates user safety and responsibility.

Grindr has a reputation for being a booty call app. But is it? In a recent study [1] of Grindr users in West Hollywood and Long Beach, CA, researchers found that the most popular reasons for using Grindr were to kill time (84.3%)and make new friends (78.7%), followed by connecting with the gay community (64.5%) and meeting hook-ups (64.5%). Participants in the study were more likely to use condoms with partners they met on Grindr (59.8%) compared to partners they met elsewhere (41.9%).

So, that brings us back to our original question: is it really Grindr that’s fueling HIV and STD epidemics? The app touts itself as a platform for guys to meet other guys, and it’s being used heavily around the world... but not necessarily to look for sex.

 

It’s easy to blame an app that makes it so darn easy to get laid. There are 9 guys within a mile of me right now! But really, it’s my job to get tested so that I know my status and use condoms to stay healthy. And to talk to my partners about their status, too. Here in ATL, AID Atlanta offers HIV and STD testing and free condoms. If you want to learn more about staying safe, watch our series of webisodes, “A Gay in the Life.” They’re quick, funny, informative, and just for registering and watching, you’ll get a Starbucks giftcard. 

Many health agencies are starting to use Grindr and other hookup apps to talk to guys about getting testing. Who knows? Maybe you’ll see GO Atlanta on Grindr soon.

 

---

[1] Rice et al. Sex Risk among Young Men who have Sex with Men who use Grindr, a Smartphone Geosocial Networking Application. J AIDS Clinic Res 2012, S4.

Safer Sex For Your Smartphone?

Know your HIV status? Know your partner’s? There’s an app for that. Technology is creeping further and further into our personal lives, and the question has become, does it make our lives easier or more complicated?

The recently developed app called Chec-Mate allows individuals to search for testing locations, receive results after the test, and share the results with a partner. The app complies with all HIPAA regulations, the laws by which all healthcare professionals are bound. Privacy is maintained by using a unique username and password. A key advantage of sharing a person’s status using the app is that it reduces the amount of personal information disclosed with the test results. The question of ease versus complication remains unanswered. The app requires registration, and then an individual must have the professional complete a special verification form at the testing site. The app also requires a yearly subscription. Since the application is currently only available for iPhone, it is certainly not usable by everyone who could potentially benefit from it.

Some people have no qualms about sharing all of the information displayed on the paper results. Others choose not to discuss status at all because of fear or unease about how to approach the subject. At GO Atlanta we are addressing this unease with our online video series that stresses everyone’s responsibility for talking about sexual health. If this app encourages dialogue around sexual health while maintaining privacy I am willing to add it to my list of prevention tools.

What do you think? Why are some apprehensive about discussing sexual health? Is this app beneficial to anyone, some, or potentially everyone?

Lucas.Gosdin@aidatlanta.org

FDA reviews first rapid, take-home test for HIV

WOULD YOU USE AN OVER-THE-COUNTER HIV TEST KIT?

The Food and Drug Administration is considering approval of the first over-the-counter HIV test that would allow consumers to quickly test themselves for the virus at home, without medical supervision.

FDA reviewers said Friday the OraQuick In-Home HIV test could play a significant role in slowing the spread of HIV, according to briefing documents posted online. But they also raised concerns about the accuracy of the test, a mouth swab that returns results in about 20 minutes.

The review comes one day after an FDA advisory panel endorsed the HIV pill Truvada for preventive use. If FDA follows the group's advice, the daily medication would become the first drug approved to prevent healthy people from becoming infected with the virus that causes AIDS.
Public health experts estimate one-fifth, or about 240,000 people, of the 1.2 million HIV carriers in the U.S. are not aware they are infected. Testing is one of the chief means of slowing new infections, which have held steady at about 50,000 per year for two decades.

In a trial conducted by the company OraSure Technologies Inc., the test correctly detected HIV in those carrying the virus 93 percent of the time. That rate is below the FDA-recommended 95 percent threshold for accuracy.

The FDA estimates the test would miss about 3,800 HIV-positive people per year, if approved for U.S. consumers.

The test was more accurate at correctly clearing patients who do not have the disease. In company studies, OraQuick correctly identified HIV-negative users 99 percent of the time.
In their briefing documents, FDA scientists noted both the benefits and risks of expanding HIV testing with the take-home diagnostic kit.

"There is considerable personal and public health value in informing infected, but otherwise untested, persons of their true positive HIV status," the reviewers state. "However, this benefit is offset in some measure by HIV-positive individuals who receive an incorrect message that they are not infected."

The lukewarm endorsement apparently spooked investors. OraSure's stock tumbled $1.32, or 11.8 percent, to close at $9.85 in trading Friday.

On Tuesday, the FDA will ask a panel of outside experts whether the test should be approved for over-the-counter sales in U.S. The agency is not required to follow the group's advice, though it usually does.

Based in Bethlehem, Pa., OraSure has marketed a version of OraQuick to doctors, nurses and other health care practitioners since 2004. The test sells for $17.50, though OraSure declined to discuss how it would price the consumer version. When used by professionals, the test is shown to accurately identify both carriers and non-carriers 99 percent of the time.

While it's not clear why the test was less accurate in consumer trials, CEO Doug Michels said company researchers anticipated that its "performance in the hands of a consumer would be different from that observed in hands of a professional."

OraSure tried the new version of the test in a study of 5,800 people of various sexual orientation, race and income levels. The trial identified about 100 HIV carriers who were previously undiagnosed.
The FDA has already approved HIV test kits that people take home. However, those kits, which require a blood sample, must be sent to a laboratory for development. But OraSure argues that a test that can be done at home will appeal to a much broader group of people.
According to the company's study, 41 percent of people who discovered they were HIV-positive using OraQuick had never been tested previously. In its own briefing documents, the company estimates that 9,000 new HIV carriers would be identified for every 1 million people who use the test.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/05/14/fda-reviews-first-rapid-take-home-test-for-hiv/#ixzz1urP5xsWG

BOXERS OR BRIEFS

Boxers, briefs, thongs or jocks - a gay man knows that there is something for everyone when it comes to underwear.  Whether you're strictly traditional with your whitey tighties, or you're bold and bare with your sexy and barely there bikinis, our undergarments can tell the world a lot about who we are.

Underwear speaks to our level of comfort - how comfortable we are with our own body being on display, and also our level of physical comfort.  Some guys like the support of a tight pair of briefs.  Other guys like the easy comfort of a loose pair of boxers.  Whatever your personal preference, you need only take a trip to a department store or flip through a catalog (International Male, anyone?) to know that there is a wide variety of ways to cover your most intimate parts.

One local designer is taking underwear a step further, and making it a true statement piece.  Bernard Buie has designed the "condom boxer."  This design is an effort to make underwear both sexy and functional.  No more fumbling to find a condom in that dark nightstand drawer - it's right there on you, in your convenient condom pocket!

Getting dressed for a date night?  Think you might get lucky?  Slip into your "condom boxers" and drop a condom (or two) into the convenient pocket on the leg of the boxers.  You'll be set for the night when the mood strikes you and your partner.  Interested to know more?  Check out their FB page here.

The Technology of Sex

Since the dawn of human existence the safest sex has always been to take your own breath away, hands- on (or not), the get off method.  Masturbation, like sex, transcends time.  Current advances in technology have changed the way we communicate, travel, stay healthy, and see the world; these changes were often premeditated and anticipated. However, mainstream media has done an excellent job of concealing the myriad of 21^st century post-masturbatory toys for the tech savvy mind and body. Although some of these toys were originally made for orifices of the female persuasion, there is no reason why any bodily hole should be neglected of pleasure from these “sexy-tech devices”.  I’ve picked out five of the most interesting and unique sex toys available.  Hours of technological labor and research went into the following five devices; all so that they could be the best fit, feel, and fuck when going into or onto you!   Be advised, unless you work for an amazing sex positive, non-profit like AID Atlanta you probably shouldn’t read any further if you are at your 9-5.

The NaughtiBod:

http://www.ohmibod.com/wired-vibrators/index.php

“Feel the vibrations of your favorite music”.  The folks at www.OhmiBod.com specialize in turning your mp3 players & smartphones into orgasmic catalysts. You’ll never listen to music the same way. Go “Ga” “GA!” while listening to Lady Gaga.

The Tenga Egg:

http://www.esmale.com/tenga/tenga-masturbator-egg-variety-pack-893-157-1506.php

Watch and amaze yourself! You’ll never look at eggs the same way. Tenga has hatched a truly unique and advanced product line. The egg masturbator comes in a variety of textures all designed with a unique textured skin meant for enhancing pleasure. No refrigeration necessary, unless you like it cold. Unlike the real thing, once you’ve cracked open the whites and yolk, you can wish, rinse and enjoy the egg a second time!

The FleshJack:

http://www.esmale.com/fleshjack/p0/158.htm

Ever fantasized about sleeping with your favorite gay porn star? Now you can! Well, at least with a lifelike duplicate of their ass or mouth. The FleshJack offers a range of male masturbators made from what they call “Real Feel Superskin”. Almost creepy close to the real orifices already, the sensation can even be made all the more realby inserting the sleeve in warm water before use to bring it to body temperature. Check out the demo below.

Aneros:  

http://www.esmale.com/aneros/p0/170.htm

The folks at Aneros specialize in prostate stimulation! Hours of research went into designing each Anero’s toy material, size, and shape! With the help of Aneros, guys can achieve their very best prostate stimulated orgasm. Find your very own mythical male g-spot with the unique line of products available.

The Googlher: 

http://fffff.at/diyds/googlher/

Welcome to the age of Vaginal or Anal web browsing! 

The Googlher is a device which plugs into your computer and triggers a bullet vibrator any time that Google pings your web browser (basically when Google spies what you’re doing).  The creators very own words were too good to paraphrase. “Mistrust and fear Google’s omnipotent ways no longer as the web giant profoundly soothes, touches, and moves you.”  Sex toys like these can be costly, but not to fear the folks over at F.A.T.  have us covered with instructions on how to make the device! It doesn’t look easy, but take a look at the demo video on the webpage and tell me it’s not worth the work! 

http://vimeo.com/30270233

SAY, YEAH!

Dine at Yeah Burger Virginia-Highland tomorrow (2/7/2012)

 and they donate 10% of everything sold to AID Atlanta!

YEAH?

Yeah Burger --  Virginia-Highland

Please tell them you are from AID Atlanta and how much you appreciate their support!

UNWRAPPED

Recently, the popular porn site SEAN CODY, announced that it would be releasing it's first installment featuring condomless sex.  The video, "Brandon & Pierce Unwrapped," is a first for the popular site.  SEAN CODY is not alone, however, and follows the lead of CORBIN FISHER - another popular video site that has also recently added bareback video clips.

The clips on SEAN CODY does come with a warning of sorts.  Before you view the video, it states: “Unprotected sex is not something we recommend or endorse.”  Huh??  By featuring a bareback video, are you not endorsing unprotected sex?

While bareback sex remains a high risk reality in the gay community, is it irresponsible for websites to feature such films?  Or, by not featuring condomless sex, do we fetishize this behavior and make it even more appealing to gay/bi men?  In the age of HIV/AIDS, what is the responsible stance to take?

You can read the full article here:  http://www.queerty.com/sean-cody-joins-the-bareback-bandwagon-20111228/

HAPPY HOLIGAYS!

It’s that most wonderful time of the year again! GO Atlanta wants to make sure you have everything you need to get your 2011 stockings filled.

Here are some queer friendly suggestions for the Holiday Season!

Get jittery for the Holiday with Gay Coffee!

Gay owned and operated— the Gay Coffee (http://www.gaycoffee.com) story begins in 2004 in a college town in Massachusetts in a tiny cafe built in a former ATM kiosk. Since then founder Melissa Krueger opened one of the very first Free Trade Coffee Shops in MA . Now a master coffee roaster Krueger and her partner launched GayCoffee.com- complete with flavors such as Red Hanky Roast, Weekend Pass, Second Date, Good Morning Mary!, and Stone Butch ( $13 each ).  1% of all profits are donated to the LGBT Task Force.

GO Atlanta appreciates a good cup of joe, as our Coffee Talk members can tell you.  Let us buy you a cup of coffee next year- look for new Coffee Talk dates and times in January on our main webpage.  These sessions are held in local coffee hotspots, and are focused on introducing men to our Gay Outreach.

Get in touch with your primitive side!

Planet Green brought the “Fabulous Life of the Beekman Boys” into the public eye. The show chronicles the life of Josh Kilmer-Purcell and his partner Brent Ridge as they learned how to become farmers and launch their lifestyle brand, Beekman 1802. While the show wasn't picked up by the Discovery Network for a third season, the Beekman name and product line is still alive and flourishing! (http://beekman1802.com/)

Available on their webpage are gifts sure to stand out underneath or beside any tree, bush, or other holiday appropriate plant.  Such as a personalized autographed copy of the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook by Brent and Josh and goat-milk soaps made on the Beekman 1802 farm. The A Year in the Country, Gift Set features a collection of 12 bars of soap, all hand and farm made, that captures the pairs’ favorite fragrances from a year spent at Beekman 1802. With fragrances like that of the December soap described as “Cutting down pine boughs for garland and returning home to warm cookies”- who wouldn’t appreciate this unique gift and smells? The gift set comes in a hand-crafted cedar tray with galvanized metal top and is $70 plus shipping.

Make underWeAR not war!

In coordination with this year’s DADT repeal the sexy elves over at 2(X)IST’s (www.2xist.com) winter wonderland  have released their new Military line for the winter. The underwear is modeled after modern combat uniforms and body armor and accents strong lines to reinforce masculine features. GO Atlanta supports our city’s sergeants and soldiers marching to the front of this holiday shopping lines with this sexy and stylish underwear.

Ask, tell, and remember!

Speaking of repealing DADT, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” a portrait work by Jeff Sheng  (starting at $24.95 at www.dadtbook.com and your local LGBT bookstores! ) is another great holigay find. The project showcases the portraits and stories of service members in the United States armed forces who secretly served under DADT.  These poignant photographs and beautiful, powerful stories are a good way to remember and celebrate this progressive moment in history.  

Without stories and discussions, our voices seldom find recognition. Let the New Year serve as a fresh start to tell your own story and learn more about our history as LGBT people.  GO Atlanta invites you next year to discuss topics such as the latter at our ONE NIGHT STANDS. Real men and real talk about issues that directly affect our lives and wellness of our community at large. Check our website WWW.GETUPANDGOATLANTA.COM for updates as to what we’ll discuss next!

Give a little love…

Philanthropy should always hold a line on your holiday to do list.  Atlanta is full of worthy causes that would benefit from a holiday donation.  Among those causes is Project Open Hand.  Project Open Hand exists to help prevent or better manage chronic disease by offering Comprehensive Nutrition Care to its clients here in Atlanta.  They are actively seeking volunteers to help package meals and drive meal delivery routes. This is the perfect opportunity to give back to the community while making new friends and connections along the way.  Remember this time of year is not just about receiving! For more information log onto http://www.projectopenhand.org

Shop Local:

With the recent noted financial struggles that LGBT owned bookstores like Outwrite Books & Coffee House (http://www.outwritebooks.com) in Midtown and Charis Books & More (http://www.charisbooksandmore.com/) in Little Five Points are facing here in Atlanta, GO Atlanta encourages everyone to spend their dollars in their very own gayborhood!

Tis the season to avoid the old adage- “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” by shopping and dining at the bookstores, clothing, novelty shops, and restaurants, that are locally LGBTIQQ owned.

For us Atlanta and Metro queers a good resource for trying out a new restaurant, looking up seasonal events, or finding a local queer friendly shop here in the city is:  http://www.gay-atlanta.com

At GO Atlanta we show our support through our monthly outreach initiatives. Our Out2Eat events encourage guys to try a new place and come together over a meal.  Our Happy Hours, for the 21 and up crowd, promote local gay bars and foster safer-sex discussion over a cocktail (or two)-first one’s on us!

Be sure to check our main webpage in January to see where we will go next!

Donate:

Next year marks AID Atlanta’s 30h year anniversary!  Since its humble beginnings in 1982, AID Atlanta has offered a broad range of services and has since grown to be the Southeast’s largest, most comprehensive AIDS Service Organization. Our mission here is to reduce new HIV infections and improve the quality of life of our members and the community by breaking barriers and building community. To this end, programs funded by AID Atlanta such as our own GO Atlanta, and the magnificent Evolution Center could not exist without the support of the LGBTIQ community.  We strive to our wits end at times to make our programs relevant to the community we service.

AID Atlanta has existed for 30 years because the agency recognizes that as our community grows and the landscape of Atlanta continues to shift, our message and commitment to reducing new and secondary HIV infections must become louder and more visible— or else we risk being swept underneath the populace’s rug.  “Reducing new HIV infections and improving the quality of life of our members” is not just the mission of our agency, but a commitment every staff, intern, and volunteer takes when working at the agency. By donating to the agency, you’re helping sustain the overall agency’s, GO Atlanta’s, and a myriad of other valuable program’s  continued growth and development towards seeing an end to new infections here in Atlanta, the US, and the world alike.

Click here to make a donation now!

  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RYAN

Had he lived, Ryan White would be 40 years old today.  It seems hard to imagine that he's been gone for 22 years.  Yet, it seems even harder to imagine that all of his acccomplishments happened in a brief five years - from the ages of 13 until 18.

Growing up, children often think of how we'll change the world around us.  Some of us dream to be teachers, impacting the world by educating those around us.  Others imagine themselves to be firefighters, military service people, or police officers.  The goal is to improve the world around them by protecting those that we love.  Still, others have loftier goals and they dream of changing the world by being senators, congressmen or even the President of the United States.  The common thread in all of these childhood dreams is that we can change the world.  I doubt, however, that any child dreams that they will be a martyr - dying for their cause.  Ryan White didn't live to see his dreams come true, but he instead had martyrdom forced upon him.

A hemophiliac since birth, Ryan White was one of the first children and one of the first hemophiliacs to be diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.  Ryan was diagnosed in 1984 - when HIV/AIDS was still very new and little was known about how it was spread.  Ryan's innocence stood in stark contrast to the spectre of AIDS infected homosexuals.  He forced discussions on an issue that people were uncomfortable with - and he caused a nation to deal with the pandemic that was beating down it's door.

Ryan gained notoriety because he wanted to go to school.  His family fought - and won - court battles to allow him to attend school with his friends.  His family fought for his chance to be NORMAL.  Ryan White was critical in educating a nation that HIV/AIDS can happen to anyone.  He showed a world that HIV is not a "gay" disease.  He taught a country that HIV/AIDs can not be spread through casual contact - and that positive people need not live a life any different than anyone else.

At the age of 18, Ryan White died on April 8, 1990, just months before Congress passed the AIDS bill that bears his name – the Ryan White CARE (Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency) Act. The legislation has been reauthorized four times since – in 1996, 2000, 2006, and 2009 – and is now called the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.  Because of one little boy's courage - and his desire for normalcy - people are better educated about the facts of HIV/AIDS and have more access to drugs that allow them to live longer, healthier, happier lives.

Happy Birthday, Ryan.  In your short life, you changed the world.  I can only imagine what you would have accomplished had you been given the time.

STD's: What's the Real Risk?

Yesterday, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released an annual report of statistics and trends for three rampant sexually transmitted diseases in the US. For the first time in ten years overall syphilis rates have decreased in the country.  While this is a wonderful step forward for our nation, the CDC still reports ungodly amounts of STDS in the US.  What should come as no surprise is, just like in previous years, communities of color, gay men, and MSM-identified men are still subject to highest rates of infection among the nation’s most prominent STDS. 

Here is a breakdown of where the nation stands with each STD:

Syphilis:

MSM make up 2/3 of all 2010 syphilis rates. Black MSM who have seen a 135% increase in syphilis from 2006-2010, found some alleviation this year with an 8.5 % drop in infections compared to last year. Hispanic communities saw a 9% increase in in syphilis. Caucasian communities saw a 3.65 % increase in syphilis rates.

Gonorrhea and Chlamydia:

The CDC recorded 1.3 million positive case of Chlamydia in 2010. Black women make up the largest numbers of both Gonorrhea and Chlamydia infections. The Hispanic community saw a 12 percent increase in both STDS.  White communities faced a 7.5 percent increase in Chlamydia infections and a 9.2 percent increase in gonorrhea infections. 

These results highlight dichotomy’s that exist across color lines:

Reuters did a telephone interview with Dr. Kevin Fenton, director of the CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention. He explained the statistics in way that communicates the spread better.

Syphilis infections are 2.4 per 100,000 for Whites, 5.9 per 100,000 for Hispanics and 20 per 100,000 for African Americans.

Rates of chlamydia in African Americans are about 1,383 per 100,000, compared with 467 per 100,000 among Hispanics, and 166 per 100,000 for Whites.

For gonorrhea, rates for Whites are 26 per 100,000. Among Hispanics, rates are about three times that at 63 per 100,000, and among African Americans, the rates are 512 per 100,000.

Fenton explained the dichotomy’s across color lines as such:

"It's not because someone is black or Hispanic or white that results in the differences that we see in STDs. It's really what these represent in terms of differences in health insurance coverage, employment status, in ability to access preventive services or curative services. These are all factors which are going to have a huge impact on communities”.

What Fenton said hits the bull right in its eye. Barriers to healthcare services exist in Hispanic, black, and queer communities. These findings are very similar to CDC reports released in August on 2009’s new HIV infections—which pinpointed that while gay/bi men make up only 2% of the population, they are an astounding 61% of new infections. Young MSM (ages 13 to 29) were most affected, representing more than 1 in 4 (27%) of all new HIV infections nationally in 2009.

MSM and other community’s that historically have been and continue to be marginalized today, face the heaviest burden for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV alike. But it is not the fact that they are of color, gay, or sleep with men that is causing these disparities; the fact is that access to healthcare, education, and preventive services become limited by societal stigma. The reality is individuals that lie within the intersections of being both queer and of color are at the highest risk for these STDs and new HIV infections.

AID Atlanta is doing its part to alleviate the stigma by providing programs that target specific risk groups. With programs like Evolution, Deeper Love, SISTA SOL, and of course GO Atlanta, we hope to reduce the rates and change the patterns in which these STDS and the HIV virus is spreading. Our new web-based outreach series, A Gay in the Life, allows us to break through some of the barriers associated with accessibility. Programs like the ones found here are hopefully just the beginning of more culturally competent health-care systems and AIDS service organizations.

For a list of all the programs found here at AID Atlanta log on to www.aidatlanta.org

And to watch A Gay in the Life for yourself check out www.getupandgoatlanta.com