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.

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

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

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!

  

FREE TO BE YOU & ME

If you grew up in the 1970's or 1980's, you probably can recall "FREE TO BE YOU AND ME"  Originally released in 1972, the project included an album of songs, a book, and a television special.  A time capsule of the 1970's, the project included Marlo Thomas and her ecclectic group of "friends."  The guest list ranged from Alan Alda and Cicely Tyson to Michael Jackson and Carol Channing.  That diverse mashup was the perfect fit for the project created by the Ms. Foundation for Women.  The goal of the project was to encourage post-1960s gender neutrality, saluting values such as individuality, tolerance, and comfort with one's identity. A major thematic message is that anyone—whether a boy or a girl—can achieve anything.

It's hard to believe that this album was released nearly 40 years ago.  Harder still, is to imagine that we're still trying to teach our children that they can be "free to be" who they want.  Have we made strides?  Certainly.  Do we have a long way to go, yet?  Most definitely.  Today's children can turn on their television and hear discussions about the repeal of DADT, and how ALL soldiers should have the freedom to be themselves.  Kids can sit with their parents and enjoy an episode of GLEE, where students encourage each other to embrace what it is that makes them unique and be proud to be "unicorns."  We can listen on our radios as Lady Gaga reminds us that we are all "born this way," whatever that "way" may be.  We can cheer along as Chaz Bono dances with the stars, challenging roles of masculinity and femininity with every choreographed step.  There has been a great change in the diversity that we see presented in our media, and all of that can only serve to make others feel more comfortable in their own skins.

As we gear up for PRIDE week here in Atlanta, I have to thank Marlo Thomas for reminding me that I am free to be whoever I want to be.  I am free to live a life that makes me comfortable and happy.  I am free to love whomever I choose.  I am free to surround myself with family and friends who support me no matter what.  I am free to find happiness in all of it's many forms.  Perhaps more importantly, though, you are free to do the same.  We are all free to find our own path, and to follow that path wherever it may lead.

This weekend, as you meander the park and the offerings of the festival, take time to revel in just how free we truly are.  When you listen to the performers on the stage, or tip that fantastic drag queen, think of the courage that it takes for them to express themselves so freely.   While you watch the parade, witnessing men and women who have the courage to so publicly proclaim "this is who I am," take time to be grateful for the freedom you have to do the same.  As you pack up your car and head back to your home, think of all of the people who missed out on PRIDE.  Think of the boy who is afraid to embrace his own fabulous spirit.  Think of the girl who is realizing that Mr. Right is never going to be who she's looking for.  Consider all of those who are not free to be.  Now, take that and hold on to it.  Remember it the other 364 days of the year, and let it encourage you to allow others to be free.

10 HIV-Positive LGBT Characters We Love

We often complain that there isn't real visibility in the LGBT community.  Until fairly recently, we didn't always feel that we were represented as a community in the media.  These images seemed exceptionally lacking in television and film. 

When media decided to throw us a bone, it seemed that the characters were all self loathing images of internalized homophobia.  If the characters didn't hate who they were and long to be straight, then they were comic baffoons who exuded every stereotype imaginable.

The Body.Com has compiled a list of 10 characters who failed to succumb to these media pitfalls.  These characters stand out for not only being representative of the LGBT community, but also for being HIV positive characterizations.  Some of the highlights on their list are Angel and Tom Collins from RENT and multiple characters from the groundbreaking QUEER AS FOLK.   The entire list can be viewed here. 

Are there other LGBT characters or HIV positive characters that should have been included?  Who stood out to you?  What characters spoke to you in your own life?  Please share your thoughts in our comments section.

STRONGER TOGETHER

We know the old addage that there is safety in numbers, but the reality is that it's true.  For instance, the only way you can REALLY know your partner's HIV status is to be tested together.  Often times we can find testing to be intimidating and awkward.  Wouldn't that situation be made better if your partner was there with you?  Additionally, we can find it hard to have a conversation about our wants/needs surrounding safer sex.  Wouldn't it be easier if you had someone to help you with that conversation?

WELL.....

AID Atlanta is now proud to offer couples testing for gay and bi men.  Testing Together provides an opportunity for you and your partner to have your HIV test together and get your test results together, with a trained counselor present to help you talk about the results. Testing Together and receiving your results together can start an ongoing healthy conversation between you and your partner about HIV in your relationship, and allow you to talk openly about building a protection plan together.

AID Atlanta is excited to be one of the area locations to pilot this program.  You can find out more details here: http://testingtogether.org/ or by visiting AID Atlanta.  If you have a partner, I encourage you to consider getting tested together.  You're always better to know your status - and your partner's too!

GETTING SERIOUS

There are often misconceptions in society that gay/bi men are somehow more promiscuous than their heterosexual counterparts.  Since the inception of HIV/AIDS, it seems that we've had to defend our sex lives, no matter how chaste and committed they may be.  Despite our best efforts, many still believe that the continuation of high numbers of new HIV/AIDS cases in the gay/bi community are directly correlated to promiscuous and risky sexual behaviors.  A new study, however, may finally help to silence that myth.

According to this study, the strongest single predictor of not using condoms in anal sex in a group of young US gay men was that the relationship was regarded as ‘serious’. Unprotected sex was eight times more likely in serious relationships than in casual encounters.

This study, conducted conducted by Northwestern University in Illinois, USA (Mustanski) reinforces previous findings that over two-thirds of HIV transmissions between US gay men happen between primary sex partners and only a third between casual partners (Sullivan).

In this study, the researchers comment, “there was almost no unprotected sex occurring in relationships classified as casual”. This suggests that HIV prevention strategies amongst US gay men may need to focus more on HIV risk and safer-sex negotiation within couples than on individual risk-taking decisions.

The entire article on the report can be read here.  It's important to note that this is ONE study.  However, it could help influence how groups like AID Atlanta target their programming to the community in the future. 

What are your thoughts?

Are you more likely to have unprotected sex in a

relationship you consider serious?

If so, what defines a "serious" relationship?

MOVING FORWARD

Earlier this month, the CDC released new findings that indicated that Gay & Bisexual men continue to make up the largest portion of new HIV/AIDS infections.  While HIV infection rates have remained level across the country, with new infections hovering around 50,000 per year, the infection rate amongst gay/bi men continues to climb.

The study showed 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. Although young MSM of all races are affected, black MSM were the only group to see a statistically significant jump in new infections over the 4 years studied. Between 2006 and 2009, new HIV infections among young black MSM surged by half (48%), from 4400 infections to 6500 infections.  These rates are even scarier, when you consider that 1 in 5 people in the US do not know their HIV status.

Last week, The GA Voice did an article/cover story on some of the work that is being done in Atlanta to help combat these trends.  If you missed it, you can find the article here.  Clearly we have a lot of work to do still in the battle against HIV/AIDS.  One of our biggest foes is stigma.  Our new web outreach at http://www.getupandgoatlanta.com/ is working to help alleviate some of that stigma.  Here, gay & bi men (and our allies) can access video trainings to learn more about safer sex information.  You can also get information on how to start those conversations about safer sex with your friends and loved ones.  Additionally, men can find events in the Atlanta area to allow them to socialize with other gay/bi men and to meet with AID Atlanta staff face to face.

A Sex Toy Story

via POZ, by Trenton Straube

A new survey reveals that HIV-positive men who have sex with men lead vibrant, and sometimes vibrating, sex lives.

It’s not every day that we come across HIV-related research that explores health-promoting sexual behaviors. So when we came across the article “USA Study of Sex Toy Use by HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex With Other Men: Implications for Sexual Health” in the International Journal of STD & AIDS, we wanted to know more.

Conducted by the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University in collaboration with Online Buddies Inc., the survey included 2,275 HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM). Participants were recruited from Manhunt.net and spanned the United States; most were white (83 percent), Latino (7 percent) or black (4 percent).

The survey set out to look at sex toy use and its implications for health among positive MSM. It found that 70 percent of participants reported using at least one sex toy in the past year, including dildos (49 percent), butt plugs (31 percent), vibrators (28 percent), masturbation sleeves (17 percent) and anal beads or balls (16 percent). And 31 percent reported using toys in the previous four weeks. White men were more likely to use toys, and men in sexually active relationships were more likely to use toys than those not in such relationships.

Before beginning, the researchers hypothesized that using sex toys not only increased sexual pleasure but also lowered the rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and lead to fewer instances of unprotected anal sex.

To find out the results, we spoke with Joshua G. Rosenberger, PhD, MPH, who’s an assistant professor in the Department of Global and Community Health at George Mason University in Virginia and has a joint research appointment at the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Center for Sexual Health Promotion.


Your survey results found that positive MSM who used sex toys were not statistically more likely to have an STI or to use condoms. How does this bode for your hypotheses going into the research?

Overall we saw relatively low rates of people reporting risk reduction as a primary reason for toy use. What we found with the sex toy use was, not surprisingly, it was more commonplace for sexual pleasure. When we created the survey, we were more interested first in documenting the [sex toy] behaviors—focusing on how much do you enjoy this, how do you incorporate this into your sexual life—because no one had ever done that. [Risk reduction] is important, but that wasn’t our main goal.

Now that you know more data about sex toy use, how would you like to see the data used among advocates and health practitioners?

First and foremost, it’s a way to educate them that MSM sex is not just anal sex and that there is a whole sexual repertoire that exists. There really needs to be more discussion and dialogue about what that looks like. We spend so much time on disease transmission, on labeling gay, bisexual and other MSM as having all this anal sex.

When you’re thinking about HIV, [sex toys are] just one other risk reduction strategy. You can easily recommend toy use as a safe way to engage in fun, healthy sexual activity in which both people can get satisfaction and pleasure without risk—and you can teach them the necessary steps around toy use, which would include making sure the toys are cleaned properly. And really just putting that message out as another alternative. It’s not just abstinence; it’s not just condoms; here’s one other tool that you can use to make sex possible.

You’ve done previous research on sex toy use among the larger U.S. population. How do the MSM results compare?

The numbers, in general, are mostly the same across the board in terms of rates of use and lifetime use, [but] slightly higher among MSM. There’s actually a paper under review right now that’s looking at a final study we just completed with women who have sex with women, and we have questions in there about HIV infection and women who are HIV positive.

Can any of the takeaways from this MSM survey be applied to other groups?

Absolutely. That’s why it’s important. The implication of what can be done [in terms of risk reduction and sexual health and satisfaction] can be extrapolated to any population, regardless of [HIV] status.

The survey did reveal some interesting aspects of the general health and sexual activities of MSM living with HIV. It was great to hear that 91 percent of them described their health as good, or excellent or very good, and then there were the findings that 53 percent were not dating, and yet that 88 percent were sexually active. What do these stats say about this population group?

I think that the overall data is saying that men living with HIV are actually not that much different from those who are negative. And I think that’s an element we’re often forgetting within the public health domain, [which is] always looking to point out all the differences. It’s overall a pretty healthy population. So it really demonstrates that HIV is not the end all be all and all of a sudden you’re doomed, and there’s no more sex, no more relationships. With medical treatment, there’s no reason that [people living with HIV] shouldn’t be engaging in safe and happy and healthy sexual behaviors.

The survey looked at whether condoms were used during the last 10 times participants engaged in anal intercourse. The HIV-positive MSM who were the insertive partner, or the top, reported using condoms an average of 5.85 times out of 10. Those who were receptive, or bottoms, reported 5.68 times. Can you put these figures in a larger context?

We don’t have partner data for these events. And a lot of research out there talks about, or asks, “Did you or did you not use a condom? Yes or No” without understanding the contextual factors, such as not knowing their status, whether people ejaculated during this event, [whether they were with a long-term partner or was it an anonymous encounter]—all those factors that actually, when you’re thinking about risk, are important.

Having said that, we found that the number of events that were protected [averaged at nearly 6 out of 10]. Some people interpret that as 40 percent of sexual events were condom non-protected. Data from national representative studies [show] that among gay and bisexual men, regardless of HIV status, the rates of condom use are higher than in the heterosexual population in the United States. I think that gives you a nice comparison. Condom use might not be perfect; it may not need to be perfect; if there’s not a risk of disease transmission, then there may not ever need to be a reason to use a condom.

And now the million-dollar question, if the data can answer it: Does using sex toys make you more sexually satisfied and healthier overall?

What we found was yes, individuals who reported more toy use were more likely to report higher rates of satisfaction, pleasure and all of the domains that are associated with sexual happiness. [However, here’s the chicken-or-the-egg conundrum: How do you know whether toy use makes people more sexually satisfied or whether] people who are more sexually satisfied use toys? We don’t have that answer. We can’t really indicate which one leads to which.

Finally, why is it important to study a topic such as sex toy use among HIV-positive MSM?

It’s important to understand how individuals living with HIV construct their sexual lives. Being optimistic, a day will come when we have a cure or vaccine for this disease. It will be a shame [if] we look back at the literature and media [in] 50 years and [will not know] about the sex lives of gay men because all we’ve done is research about this one single disease.

And while [risk reduction] is certainly important, we’re [not] really taking into account that [HIV-positive] individuals are living healthy, sexual lives and have their own sexual health issues just as anyone else. Sex toys are just one way to bridge this gap and still promote both pleasure and risk reduction.