Tag Archives: hiv

Second Class Citzen!

General

Torontoist has a great article about the current legal state of HIV disclosure, marginalization of those who are HIV+ and the possibility of more strident persecution for non-disclosure.

The article does shine some hope that more education is needed but in the same sentence, the hope is ripped out by the mere mention of economic/political deflation.

Enter the site HIVStigma.com, here to help promote the politically correct way of cruising online. Okay I’m simplifying it but it does offer a broad range of opinion, experience and instruction for both positive and negative folks alike. Brian (from my blogroll Acidrefluxweb.com) speaks plainly and directly about how many HIV positive people are isolated (and possibly fall victim to non-disclosure) with common Craigslist personal ad terminology like “drug and disease free” or “I’m clean – I expect UB2”. The other testimonial videos are great and insightful, tied to blogs with open discussion. The site seems to be going in the right direction towards education and discourse.

The site isn’t all highly intelligent nuggets of discussion, of course. The interstitial intro video comes with a Madonna joke within seconds of it’s start and has that edgy editing that makes me cringe. This jumpy video (blurry at any resolution over 1024×786) does nothing but detract from the message. Thankfully a cookie removes second viewings. Meanwhile, someone involved with the site’s development decided that injecting raw sexuality into this education tool was needed, because of course, if you’re gay you need a hairless guy gyrating to a disco loop to learn. For a laugh, try the game “Explicit Truth” that quizzes players on social/morality questions of transmission, best practices and disclosure. Choose the muscle guy in the ill-fitting chaps with the red jogging short underneath and sandals for the sheer cheese of it. Methinks the leather community wasn’t invited to the board room where this game was created.

Regardless of the site’s effectiveness, the legality issue seems to be escalating as life expectancy is being extended. And I got to thinking that this escalation might lead to the removal of an age old gay cornerstone: bath houses. Much like bars are responsible for the well being of their patrons, it isn’t much of a stretch to see the baths legally becoming responsible for the “safety” of their guests. I worked in a popular Church Street bar that after an unfortunate arm wrestling contest accident, no insurance company would touch us because of the “practices” that went on inside the bar, even after our written promise that contests like that would never take place again. What is to stop insurance companies to withdraw their business operating policies for baths based on the possibility that transmission happens within their doors?

Blog Roll Ups!

General

I’m dry today so I thought I’d troll off my virtual friends.


Acid Reflux
relates a story of his French interviewer being highly interested in his erection while being HIV positive.

Blamblog relates how I felt in the 80s, but without the drinking.

Brokeass Weave posts a preeetteeee pickchur! (NSFW language)

Citywoof has a serious pain in the foot, a night of debauchery and a stolen tryst in the loo.

Got Cris posts an interesting mix tape.

WARNING! CulturalSNAFU hasn’t updated since Nov 5…

The Electronic Replicant has a post about… uhm. It’s a post where he talks about bluetooth… uh. He has nice colours on his site.

The Fortress of Solitude continues with his Bond Haiku Movie Reivews.

Sadly, From A to B hasn’t posted anything since October.

Fresh Ink for Gambrinous With Griffonage. And it’s about time too.

Hairy Fish Nuts blows a circuit when a right winged blogger shows some liberal backbone.

I Always Win riles against the machine that is City Hall. I wish I owned a car so I could get mad.

Just a Dude Talking About Life takes us on a locomotion ride. (rest of site NSFW)


Mid-Century Maudlin
is old! So he plays young!

WARNING: My Life in the YYZ hasn’t posted since October…

My Blog Rules Your Ass has his Xmas miracle gift online for all to see!

My Prozac Cocoon lists the things he’s thankful for… and he’s not even American!

Nice To See SteveieB proves to us that he is Mark Hamill / Val Kilmer’s love child.

You have questions? Phronk has Answers. But not as to why he’s wearing Family Guy underwear.

Planet Romach reminds us that Xmas isn’t about online porn. Wait… No… I mean “just ourselves”. Did I say porn?

Rainbow Dishes is also caught up in the 6×6 Flickr meme. Cute dog!

Ripping Stitches says what I’ve been thinking last week: Bailout? No! Loan? Yes!

Sharkboy is also in the throws of the 6×6 meme. Of course it’s a picture of me in an ugly shirt.

StudioYVR has a taper worm. Ha! Not what you think…

The Mangina Monologues beats the pants off his Dad with a Wii. Er. Playing with his Wii. Uh. Video games. He beat his dad in video games.

Matias N Oz quotes my favorite holiday cartoon and posts a lovely pic!

bstewart23 wonders why there are two people a day infected with the HIV virus in the city of Toronto. I blame online ads.

Bizarre Christmas wishes are the order of the day at tomato transplants. Are you sure she actually wanted to be on a crappy reality TV show?

Turniphed posts the “Cop overdosing on pot” video.

Unsweetened posts about her numerous blogs being nominated for a Canadian Blog Awards category. I’m not bitter. No.

Yarraville posts arty shots that made me have some ‘splainin’ to do to the IT department.

Whew! That’s a long post. If I left you out you either need to post something or I missed you. Love to all!

Art With Heart

Celebs and Media, Queer stuff, Toronto

Once a year Casey House asks artists to donate work to their annual Art With Heart auction to raise funds for their AIDS/HIV hospice here in town. Every year there’s been one piece that collectors will go ga ga over (last year it was a Ken Danby, donated shortly after his death) and this year is no exception: Who wouldn’t want a Attila Richard Lukacs hanging in their bathroom? And a steal at $750!

Two pieces in particular made my culture vulture turn a lumpy beak: Gum Blonde – a portrait of Madonna made entirely of chewed bubble gum and an abstract of lines and circles named Damn it Jim Iā€™m a Doctor not a Magician. There are tons more at amazing prices all listed at artwithheart.ca

Auction:
The Carlu, 444 Yonge Street, 7th Floor
Tuesday, October 28th, 2008
7:00 p.m. (sharp)
Valet parking will be provided

Free Public Previews
Ritchies Auctioneers, 380 King Street East
Tuesday, October 21st to
Friday, October 24th, 2008 (11:00 a.m. ā€“ 5:30 p.m.)

Reception and Final Viewing:
5:30 ā€“ 7:00 p.m.

Tickets $125 per person
To order tickets, please contact the Casey House Foundation
T: 416.962.4040 ext 236
F: 416.962.5595
E: heart@caseyhouse.on.ca

Disclaimer: I volunteered my skills to concept, create and build the AwH website.

FFN, meet BIA. BIA, Meet FFN

Queer stuff, Toronto, Travel

It must be an election year. Bush partially lifts the HIV ban to the US yesterday (as pointed out to me by Kingston Andy, the guy who married me off). Good news for HIV+ people travelling to the US. Now they’re pretty much level with people who regularly travel to the US and get nervous around power-mad TSA agents.

From Andy:

…the history of this is that it was a Democrat controlled Congress that introduced the restriction in 1987 and signed into law by Ronald Reagan, and it is again a Democratic controlled congress that sponsored the new bill signed into law by Bush. There was an expectation Bush might veto this line in the overall bill, but he didnt.

Of course, back in 1987, alot of straight people including law makers were under the impression you could get HIV by sitting on a toilet or kissing

So it looks like the FFN people can take an indefinite leave. Or maybe make nice with the Church Street BIA and stop this egotistical pissing match that countermands the Pride view of unity and maybe create a street festival that would rival Folsom’s. Just a thought.

Regardless of my bitchiness, this is good news!