[and reflections on the future of anal sex...]
by Salvatore Seeley, LCSW
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Only on LifeLube
Even though the snow has just started falling here in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, I find myself
thinking about the shirtless men of summer who come here for a break. I think about them as I read about the number of new HIV infections among men who have sex with men. Not only do we face the challenges that other HIV prevention programs face but we also face the secondary challenge that many men come here for a good time.Simply stated, risk taking among gay men is higher when they are on vacation here in Rehoboth than when they are in their own home communities. Are gay men more risky when it comes to unprotected sex, drug and alcohol use when they are on vacation here in Rehoboth? The simple answer is yes. Sexual risk while visiting a gay resort appears to be greater than that in home communities. Summertime in Rehoboth is no exception.
What the CAMPsafe program does is try to work with these guys and give them messages that they normally don’t hear in their own home community. We talk about condom use, we show up in silly costumes [Salvatore is pictured above right as a chef] handing out lube and condoms, we talk to them
about risk reduction while maintaining their right to make adult choices.One of the things that I have been thinking about is how rectal microbicides would make a difference in the options that we can give gay/bi men here who are too high or drunk to effectively use condoms or make informed choices. Microbicides in the form of a lubricant would add this extra layer of protection to guys who may not use condoms or who might get caught up in the heat of the moment. An extra tool to give the population I work with is an added bonus on any given day – but in light of recent numbers, why aren’t we making this a priority?
To learn more about future of anal sex and rectal microbicides, visit the home of the International Rectal Microbicide Advocates at www.IRMWG.org.
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