Auntie Alana

Hello Pumpkins! I hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween?!? Sorry there was no article last week, but Auntie was under the weather.

There is so much going on in November. Remember that World Aids Day/Week is coming up so be watching for all the details.

I was told a story a few days ago from a guy that he was afraid to start dating since finding out he was HIV positive. He was scared that a guy wouldn't understand things, wouldn't want to touch him, be intimate, etc...I told him that as long as you were upfront and honest with him and taught him how to prevent the risk of getting HIV and that he was safe himself that everything would go well. I haven't heard how things went, but I am sure it will turn out great.

See pumpkins, prevention is the key to staying safe, not only for gay men, but also lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people as well. Use the condoms, dentals dams and other devices to keep yourself and others safe.


Much Love and Happiness!

Auntie Alana

Auntie Alana: Divine Experiences

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Project FIERCE and/or AIDS Ministries/AIDS Assist.


Hello Pumpkins! Greetings from you Auntie Alana!!
I know that this next blog on Wednesday is about Sex, Drugs and Rocky Roads…But, I felt the desire to talk about something else that has been weighing on my heart and soul.

You see pumpkins; I had the very great pleasure to attend the 20th Anniversary Dinner for AIDS Ministries/AIDS Assist last Thursday. It was a very nice evening, with a wonderful guest speaker Neil Carnes, Mayor Lueke was in attendance and even the staff and board for AMAA were there. The meal was good, conversations were enhancing and I even won a very nice gift certificate in the silent auction.
What troubles me was the lack of LGBT Community in attendance at this very important event. Now, I am not saying there weren’t members of the community there, but there wasn’t the strong showing that should have been there, to help raise money for a very important organization that helps take care of our brothers and sisters with HIV/AIDS. It was great to see some of my friends and acquaintances at this event enjoying such a wonderful time.

But, please tell me why there is this lack of community in this city? Where is the sense of unity? I get so tired of hearing about the bars bad mouthing one another, the cliques, the queens, the twinks, the bears, etc, etc, etc…that can’t be proud of who they are or the ability to show their support for anything that may or can help them in the long run. Instead, you’re too busy trying to figure out who to hook up with, where to get a fix, how drunk you can get, who you need to be seen with to be “in” instead of looking at the future, what you can do to help make a difference and make a change in our community.

I am placing a challenge on this community! I am challenging each and every one of you to start getting involved in our LGBT Community, lend a hand to help raise money for AIDS Ministries/AIDS Assist, volunteer one day to help them get tasks done, attend a Project Fierce event, patronize the other gay bars in this city, stop by our local LGBT Resource Center on Mishawaka Avenue and just show your support for our community.

Get Involved! Participate!! Be Proud!!!
Much Love and Happiness to You All

Alana Blackwell


PS: If you can’t shield your rocket, leave it in your pocket!!

Auntie Alana: Divine Experiences

Hello Pumpkins! And welcome to the first of many Auntie Alana’s: Divine Experiences.

My article is going to bring everyday experiences with life to you and try to tie it in with the topics of the Wednesday Wisdom Blogs. If there are any topics that you‘d like me to touch on or even a question; don’t hesitate to drop me a line and I’ll try to shed a little light on the subject.

This week’s blog will be about internet hookups. Now, I’m not here to judge you or discourage you from using the internet to hook up or even as a way to try and meet a life partner. Lord knows your Auntie Alana has done her fair share of hooking up online and trying to find a date or even a boyfriend via the computer. With Gay.com, AOL M4M, BGC, ManHunt, the list just goes on. The only trouble with trying to meet someone online is that you never know how honest they are being with you. They can tell you everything you want to hear and sometimes that all can be a very big disappointment in the end.

What you’re Auntie Alana is going to stress to you is to always be safe and always be careful when hooking up on the internet. You can still get diseases from hooking up online just as you can hooking up with someone from a bar. It’s always the wise to know the person’s status and to be aware of your surroundings. It’s always good to have a fun time, but it’s even better to be safe and protect yourself and those around you.

Every once in a while give the keyboard a rest and go out and try to meet someone in person, let your friends introduce you to someone. Better yet, get to know someone and see where it goes, because there is always more to life than a hook up!

Well pumpkin, its time for me to go. Remember to always be safe and protect yourself and those around you. It will be the smartest thing you can do. Oh! One more thing pumpkins…before you go love it, make sure you glove it!

Much Love and Happiness To You All!

Auntie Alana

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Project FIERCE or AIDS Ministries/AIDS Assist.

Wisdom Wednesdays

Hello Pumpkins! It’s The Divine Miss B…Alana Blackwell here to share my thoughts and views on HIV Testing!

It seems like just yesterday at the tender age of 22 that I was coming out in the GLBT Community, going to the clubs, meeting new friends and looking for that ever special person to be my boyfriend. Coming from a small farming community like I did, this was all very new and scary to me! I was hearing terms like barebacking, rimming and well you get my point…I’m sure it isn’t anything none of you have heard before!

It was also about this same time that I really started to hear things like are you “clean”, we won’t go there on what I thought they really meant. I also was being asked are you positive, negative, what’s your status? That’s when it hit me; a guy who turned out to be one of my best friends told me one day that he was HIV positive, he had been having unsafe sex with a couple of different guys and he became infected. It was then that I learned what those terms meant and how they would forever affect my life, friendships and relationships. In the 18 years that I have been out, I’ve lost about 10 friends to AIDS, have friends who are HIV positive and even still have friends who don’t make the wisest of choices when it comes to having sex with multiple partners and not playing it safe.

That very same day my friend told me he was positive I went out and got myself tested. It was one of the scariest moments of my life. The worst part was the waiting for your results; they didn’t have the rapid tests like they do today. I remember to this day how I felt when that nurse walked into the room and told me I was HIV negative; I set in that room with her and just cried, she reminded me that I was negative and I told her I understood that, but hadn’t always made the wisest decisions myself at times during sexual encounters. It was from that day on that I was tested every 6 months faithfully and to this day I still get tested and am still HIV negative because I decided to make wiser choices in my life.

You see pumpkins; we are only given one life to live on this earth. It is our responsibility to take care of ourselves, keep ourselves healthy and to protect ourselves from disease, abuses, etc…I can’t judge you for what you want to do with your life, how you want to take care of yourself and the decisions you make that may affect your life and possibly the lives of others. I can and will offer you my opinion!

Getting tested, whether you’re gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning and even straight; will be one of the smartest things you will ever do in your life. Practicing safe sex, using a dental dam, not sharing needles, knowing how to be safe and play safe will only benefit you and those close to you!

Remember…Life May Be A Drag…GETTING TESTED ISN’T! Oh! One other thing…Don’t Be a Fool, Wrap You’re Tool!

Much Love and Happiness to You!
Alana Blackwell
The Divine Miss B.