Wisdom Wednesday

By Patrick Battani


These days I am hearing more and more about people who have sex under the influence. I have even heard of people “taking” drugs in some unusual ways. My first and primary job is prevention of disease. I am part of program called the “Special Population Support Program” or SPSP. SPSP is the division that deals with drug and alcohol addiction and how that relates to HIV/AIDS.

It is important to understand this correlation between the Drug/Alcohol use and HIV/AIDS. Let me walk you through the basics. Obviously, we have heard about sharing needles and how that can be risky. It is not just sharing needles; it is also sharing the “works” (what you are using to cook the drugs in and the filters). Sometimes blood can be deposited on the material used as filters or even in the mixture. So sharing any type of injection equipment is risky. We are also very concerned about the transmission of Hepatitis C, through the same process. If you are an injection drug user make sure that you are using clean equipment every time and never share your equipment with anyone else.

Unfortunately, we do not have any needle exchange programs here in South Bend. However there are some places in Chicago that offer clean needles to people. A list of them can be found on the Chicago AIDS Foundation website @ http://www.aidschicago.org/prevention/syringes.php. If you want to quit using there are many great programs in this area that can help. If you want more information about that please call the AIDS Ministries/AIDS Assist office at (574) 234-2870 and ask for “SPSP”.

Now, let’s talk about other risks associated with the use of Drugs and Alcohol. “Party Drugs” or “Club Drugs” are also an issue. Using any type of Mind or Mood altering substance does not allow you to make the healthiest choices. We know that the using certain drugs including “Meth”, “Ecstasy”, and Alcohol, may increase the chance that you may practice unsafe sexual practices.

One suggestion is that you carry condoms with you. Having them available may increase your chance of using them. Also, ask your partner if they have ever been tested and what their status is, we call this Serosorting. Serosorting is not the best practice, but it may help to make a better decision. Trying to avoid using drugs or alcohol while having sex is always the best practice…but we don’t always do things the right way!

Here at Project FIERCE we just want you to be safe. Our goal is to make sure you have a good time, we are also concerned about your health. There are some things that I would like to address before I let you go. First, if you are HIV positive and using, please understand that we are not 100% sure what could happen if you are any Anti-retroviral meds. Please take precaution!

While we would like to see a world free of recreation drug use, we will be happy with just making sure that we help to prevent you from getting HIV. HIV is Preventable! If you would like to seek help with any addiction or drug related issues, please call us or any of the rehabilitation centers in the area. A list of those can be found on the SAMSA website @ http://dasis3.samhsa.gov/.



Stay Healthy and Be FIERCE!

Wisdom Wednesday

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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.

Wisdom Wednesdays

ABC of being on Top!
By Patrick Battani

Everyone knows their ABC’s…or at least I hope you do. So being a “good” top requires some work; After, Before, and Cleanliness or ABC’s. So we are going to talk a little bit about how to achieve this.

Before
If you were a scout you know that you should always be prepared! Make sure that you have your own supply of condoms. Do not trust that the other person will always have some available. Make sure that the condom is new, not expired, does not have any visible signs of damage, and still has air in the packaging. I would even recommend bringing your favorite lube.

As for your own body; make sure that you inspect you genital area. Make sure that there are no abrasions on the penis, unusual discharge, bumps, or rashes. Just make sure that everything is on the up and up, down under. Do this inspection in the mirror, it will help you to understand your body. This will also give you a great chance to do a self testicular exam, which needs to be performed once a month. For more information about how to do a self testicular exam check out: http://tcrc.acor.org/tcexam.html.

Before you engage in any sexual act with any partner make sure that you ask about your partner’s sexual history. This is also a good time to ask if they have any Sexually Transmitted Diseases or if they have ever had a test.

Cleanliness

As they say, Cleanliness is next to Godliness! Make sure that you are washing your genital area every day. If you are uncircumcised (have foreskin) make sure that you pull back the foreskin and clean underneath it. This will ensure that penis is clean from any debris or dirt that may be present. Make sure that you are using a mild soap with no fragrances so as to avoid irritation.

If you chose to shave or wax the pubic area make sure you care for that area. The pubic area is more sensitive than the face. There are many things that could happen if you shave the pubic area. For example: itching, irritation, rash, and Folliculitis to name a few. Folliculitis is caused by bacteria or a fungus and is treatable with medication. So it is very important that you clean the area very well first. If there are any nicks, cuts, or irritation I would recommend that you do not engage in sexual activity until that heals. If you continue to have irritation after shaving or waxing, stop and see a doctor.

After

After having sex, make sure that you pull out of your partner all the way. If you used a condom walk away from you partner and take the condom off and throw it away. You may also have an urge to urinate; make sure that you do not hold it in, this will help to flush out bacteria.

Make sure that you clean yourself as soon as you can after sex. Make sure to pay special attention to the genital area. Again, if you are uncircumcised, make sure to pull back the foreskin and clean that area as well. Take this time to inspect your genital area for any irritation, bumps or abrasions.

If at anytime you have any unusual discharge, pain during urination or ejaculation, sores, or swollen testicles, you should seek medical attention immediately. This may be a sign of an STD or other complications.

So, now that you know the ABC’s of being on Top, go out there and be the best Top you can be. They always say practice makes perfect, just make sure that you always wear the proper safety equipment. You would not jump out an airplane without a parachute! If you have any questions about the signs or symptoms of STD’s check out: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/std-symptoms/ID00053

As always, Stay Health and Be FIERCE!