Seminar- Coffee, Tea or PrEP/PEP
Seminar- Coffee, Tea or PrEP/PEP. Registration is open now. Email will be send for confirmation due to the limited amount of seats available.
After Meth, I’m Still the Boss
But, for me, the real concern is medication adherence. Luckily I never developed a resistance to any ARVs I was on, but it’s so easy to create a resistant strain of the virus by not taking your medication every day. So a guy who’s not taking care of himself could be putting his partners at risk because his viral load is not suppressed even though he might think it is.
The After-Meth of Sex
Imagine a magic powder that transforms every potential lover into the person of your dreams. Now suppose every touch of that person feels like full-body orgasms for hours, and your hunger for them never ceases as long as you are under the spell.
The new weapon in the fight against HIV
Gay saunas and night clubs are the traditional venues for many sexual liaisons, but these places are less of a concern to HIV prevention workers than the new route to finding sex: mobile phone applications.
Many young gay men now hook up through phone apps, but sexual health organisations are still using old-fashioned approaches to fight HIV. They send peer outreach workers to the physical places where young gay men are known to meet, but this overlooks a large portion who no longer frequent such places.
Ban on entry into Singapore eased for foreigners with HIV
SINGAPORE – For more than two decades, foreigners infected with HIV have not been allowed to set foot in Singapore. However, the ban on those entering on short-term visit passes was lifted on April 1, The Straits Times has found out.
The ban remains for long-term visitors, such as those looking to work in Singapore or those who want to accompany a child studying here, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed.
LGBT youth at higher risk of suicide, more support needed
I refer to this week’s Talking Point, “When kids think of suicide”. Studies across the world have proven that one group with a higher risk of suicidal behaviour is LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) youth.
Research in the United States shows that these youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide as their heterosexual peers; nearly half of young transgender people have thought seriously about suicide, and one-quarter report having attempted it.
In Singapore, homophobia and transphobia may be prevalent. In a survey by Oogachaga Counselling and Support, a non-profit agency catering for the LGBT and queer community, 60.2 per cent of respondents indicated having experienced abuse and discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
The survey also found that such abuse and discrimination led to a significantly higher incidence rate of having suicidal thoughts or attempts. This is alarming.
Thankfully, the Health Promotion Board has published a FAQ on sexuality on its website that validates the humanity of LGBT persons.
However, it removed links to LGBT-affirmative counselling hotlines, which makes access to support for LGBT persons more difficult.
School leaders should pay attention to fostering safe, healthy school environments.
For example, micro-aggressions, which are everyday encounters of subtle discrimination marginalised groups face, towards LGBT persons can cause depression, psychological distress and even cardiovascular issues.
Using words such as “faggot”, “sissy” or “ah gua” as insults or jokes is an example of micro-aggression towards LGBT persons, even if the words are not directed at them.
In a study published in the Journal of LGBT Issues in Counselling, LGBT and queer participants said they felt depressed, anxious and even traumatised when they experienced micro-aggressions.
We have much to do to make Singapore a safe place for all children.
First Published on Today
By BRYAN KWA JIE WEN
PUBLISHED: 4:16 AM, APRIL 29, 2015
If you need assistance or know someone who is in distressed and need help, please call our hotline at 6254 0212
or visit our supportive network page.
Songkran 2015
Songkran starts this weekend and many of us will be travelling up to Bangkok for this wonderful and fun festival. Here are some tips we gathered from seasoned travellers. If you have any tips, add them to the comment section !
#1 Sunscreen
It’s going to be HOT. Make sure you apply sunscreen on all the exposed area to prevent from getting burned especially if you are going to a pool party. Carry it with you and re-apply as often as required. Sunscreens are very common and can be found in many pharmacies located on every corner of Bangkok. Remember: you only want to get wet, not sun-burned.
#2: To wear or not to wear
Flip flops are highly recommended, but make sure they are not slippery on wet grounds. Make sure to pack an extra pair of shoes if you plan to head to club. However, bring shoes you do not mind getting soiled. You will definitely get wet the moment you step out of your hotel. So be mentally prepared. It may be easier to go topless or wear a singlet. If you do, be proud of your own body, and have fun.
#3: Personal Safety
Song Kran is all about having fun and meeting new people. You wouldn’t want to worry about losing your items. Most clubs, circuit parties and pool parties will have a coat check where you can leave your bags. Use a back pack when in crowded places, and carry it in front where you can see it at all times.
Carrying light, only bring the important items, such as wallets, handphone, condoms, lube and a light change of clothes. Seal them in good quality ziplock bags to keep them water proof.
Need to pick up free condoms and lube sachets? Drop by our office.
#4: Eating
Make sure you have a light meal before going to the party, do not go with an empty stomach if you intend to have alcohol. If you are going to have sex, take note what food give you the runs, so you are in your top form.
#5: Accidents and emergencies
Here is a list of hotlines in case of an accident or emergency.
Local hospitals –
- Bumrungrad International
33 Sukhumvit 3 (Soi Nana Nua), Wattana, Bangkok, 10110 Thailand
Telephone: +662 667 1000 - Bangkok Hospital
2 Soi Soonvijai 7, New Petchburi road, Bangkapi, Huay Khwang, Thailand
Telephone: +66 2 310 3000
http://www.bangkokhospital.com/ - BNH Hospital
9/1, Convent Road, Silom Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Telephone: (+662) 686-2700
http://www.BNHhospital.com #sthash.ikxOtQ1E.dpuf
24 hr helpline for illicit drugs related issues and emergencies –
Telephone: +66(0) 828112686
http://www.na-thailand.org/
If your condom broke or was exposed to HIV –
Go to any emergency centre and ask for P.E.P (What is P.E.P?) or visit the Thai Red cross on Ratchadamri Road.
The Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre
104 Ratchadamri Road, Pathumwan,
Bangkok 10330
Tel: +66 2 256 4107 – 09
Fax: +66 2 254 7577
E-mail: aids@trcarc.org
http://www.trcarc.org
Getting Hard, Getting Off
Guys don’t always get hard or stay hard. Guys don’t always get off. But pleasure can be more than a hard dick or a cumshot!
Trouble getting or keeping an erection can be caused by a whole range of factors: physical, mental, and more.
Sometimes guys have erectile difficulties when they use a condom, which can prevent them from using it, or cause them anxiety when they use one.
For older guys, they might think erectile difficulties are just an inevitable part of aging, but it doesn’t have to be. Erectile difficulties can affect men of all ages and aren’t necessarily related to age.
However, a few tactics may help to understand how severe the issue is. For example, a person suffering from erectile difficulties can try getting aroused by watching porn or using a real life sex doll (which can be available in various genders including male, female, shemale, etc.). It can help them to properly analyze the problem and convey it to a medical professional.
In addition, here are some tips to get hard and stay hard:
- Try foreplay, dirty talk and porn.
- Take your time and don’t hurry.
- Try different positions to see what gets you off and avoids discomfort.
- Use a lubricant. Silicone-based lubricants don’t dry up as quickly as water-based lubricants, which can help reduce anxiety about taking too long to get off. Experiment with different kinds on your own, to see what types of lube you prefer. Oil-based lubes make condoms break.
- Use a cock ring. They come in a variety of materials and you can find them in an online sex shop. Choose ones that don’t fit too tight when you are hard, and are easy to remove. Many guys use them. They will enhance your orgasm, as well as your erection.
- Try sex in the morning, or at another time when you might be more relaxed or horny.
- Too much alcohol or drugs before sex can make it difficult to get hard and stay hard…
- Look into the side effects of medications you’re taking, but don’t stop taking medications without consulting your health care provider.
- Believe it or not – getting hard after eating a heavy meal is not easy for many guys.
Talk to your doctor if none of these strategies work. Erectile difficulties could be a symptom of a bigger health issue, or a medical issue on their own. Erectile drugs, including orals and injectables, are an option, but aren’t a magic bullet for everyone. On the other hand, many guys are able to use a condom with erectile drugs that otherwise wouldn’t and they report that they appreciate the freedom and anxiety from having to worry about staying hard. Know the side effects of gastrointestinal-medications.online and what you shouldn’t mix them with.
You don’t need to get hard to get or give sexual pleasure. Try other kinds of sex play that don’t require you penetrating your partner with a cock, like:
- Oral sex, mutual masturbation, etc.
- Dildos, strap-ons, and cock sheaths.
- Fisting
- Sensual massage
- Try bottoming. (If you’re trying to be a bottom for the first time, read the section on Guys on Top.)
For more support and ideas, talk to other guys, check out resources and workshops on sexual pleasure, as well as trusted sex shops.
Source: Thesexyouwant
Action for AIDS – MSM Programme
Singapore 208628Tel : (65) 6254 0212Fax :(65) 6256 5903
Same Same but…. Different
He introduced himself through Grindr as Gabriel/28 yrs/5’9/flex and he wasn’t looking for a one night stand. I always assumed that the worst of the guys I would meet will be on gay hook-up apps, unless they proved to me otherwise. Somehow Gabriel seem different, playful but with a straight forward truth when he spoke to me. I had developed a liking for him through every coffee, lunch, movie and dinner date. I found him to be extremely sexy and charismatic, especially the way he would hold my lower back to usher me through the doorway. He was the kind of gentleman I had not seen for a long time, and they say, “Chivalry is dead!” So everything was nice and charming with Gabriel but something was missing. It was 3 weeks of dating, talking, sex texting and good night kisses but no sex. Not even a blow job!
I remembered odd times when there was something on his mind. We would sit in front of each other and I noticed his nervous behaviour. As we walked through Neil Rd, just right before the intersection to Maxwell Hawker Centre, he asked me the question I never wanted to hear, “ What if a guy you like is HIV positive?”. There was just an empty stare from me like a deer that was caught in a head light. I had no idea what to reply at that moment and so I laughed awkwardly and replied, “Doesn’t matter if he has a big cock”. As I was growing up, I could never filter my thoughts and hence my responses caused me to have verbal diarrhea and it caused him to stare blankly at me like I had shitted in my pants. I wanted to assure him that I understood what he was getting at but I couldn’t communicate my thoughts or words, so I ignored the question and asked him if he wanted Ice Kacang dessert instead.
I want to think that I am a liberal person but I wasn’t quite sure after that night. I asked him to give me some time to process what he had told me. I should really be thankful and privileged that someone had come forth with their most vulnerable secret and shared it with me. Instead I turned the conversation on Ice Kacang. I can’t imagine telling someone that I am HIV positive knowing that the person either can reject me or accept me and from what I see in the community, it will probably be a rejection. I had to seek advice from my best friend who has been my light at every dark tunnel. He asked me “How many guys did I sleep with and don’t know their HIV status, and why this one matters so much?” He is right.
I do sleep with guys where I don’t bother to ask for their status, which I assume is negative. Why do I need to care so much about Gabriel’s status? I need to see beyond his status and focus on him being a person. But in order for me to do that is to better understand myself and how comfortable I am. There isn’t a quick answer to all these questions because I was raised to not get infected with HIV, and safer sex prevention to stay negative. Now being faced with this tough situation I have to relearn my safer sex practice and how to practice safer sex with someone whom I will share my life with and who happens to be HIV positive.
If you want to know what happened to Gabriel, he broke up with me for someone else. That is another issue I have to work on. Men! They are all the same regardless of their status.
To be continue……
If you are starting a Serodiscordant relationship (also known as magnetic or mixed-status couples), where one partner is HIV-positive and the other partner is HIV-negative you might want to discuss further with one of our experienced HIV counsellor. Please call our Coordinated Care Support Programme 6256-5903 and ask to speak to Avin Tan our Norani Othman.
If you have had a condom failure or may have recently been exposed to HIV through unprotected sex, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible. CLICK HERE
