Friday, July 31, 2009
How is middle healthy?
Some folks have this idea that I’m Mr. Organized. If they only knew… Sure, I get things done, but I struggle with priorities and what to do now. I have a rebellious personality that chafes at too much structure – even when it’s self-imposed. I make plans and lists and keep a calendar, but sometimes I simply ignore them.Since fatigue is a major issue in my life, I constantly struggle with finding time and energy to do all I want. I need to ask myself “What am I unable to do because I make time for or am distracted by ______?”
Cell phones that ring, email that dings, websites that fascinate, and broadcast voices that share my space have a tendency to interfere. I recognize that sometimes I need to unplug for a time from one or more of these. This occurs most completely during major faerie gatherings twice a year. Regardless of what is going on in my life then, I make a conscious decision to unplug. This means that in the week or so before, I take care to clean up loose ends. It means I decide - and make it known I’ve decided - to be essentially unreachable during the gathering. Personal electronic devices are left behind for the duration.
During the gathering I wallow in the isolation from electronic messaging, voicemail, utility grids, media, corporate culture, and fast access. I make love with my honey, take multiple naps, help prepare and eat great food, and cuddle in puppy piles. The music of nature, laughter, conversations, passion, and amazing unplugged performances are the soundtrack for the gathering. Renewed, I invariably come home with different and challenging ways of thinking about my life, love, and work on my mind.
Between gatherings I explore how these ideas fit into my everyday life. One thing I can practice at home is recharging by unplugging – a lot or a little, not always radically or totally. Perhaps I choose not to take calls for a day or check my email for several. Maybe I impose a weekend or week-long news embargo. PBS and NPR often keep me company, but the 69th gay marriage debate this year won’t feed my body, mind, or soul like a book or CD from my collection, an advertisement-free magazine, or (imagine!) several hours of relative silence.
There are other questions I ask myself about being plugged in: Are these things useful tools or just mindless distractions? Is this a meaningful ritual or just another addictive habit? How do the seemingly comforting connections and environments I create affect my mood, perception, and productivity?
-- middle
Nashville
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Feel the Love... Sister Glo channels John O'Donohue
This makes you independent. You are now able to come close to the Other, not out of need or with the wearying apparatus of projection, but out of genuine intimacy, affinity and belonging.
It is a freedom.
Love should make you free.
~ John O'Donohue
Sister Glo shares her glittery gems of love with LifeLube each Friday.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Why a 'Just Use Condoms (and Now Shut Up)' strategy won't work (for everyone)
via Fridae, by Jan Wijngaarden
Fridae's Men’s Sexual Health columnist Jan Wijngaarden says simplistic slogans about condom usage and nothing else are not sufficient; gay men
need to understand how HIV transmission works - in all its detail.Frankly, I have been quite amused by the fierce reactions to my previous columns that dealt with sexual risk reduction for gay men. I learned there are a huge number of intolerant queens out there, who not only loudly oppose views that differ from their own - which is fine with me - but who do so by trying to undermine the credibility of the person airing these views - me, that is - using rather nasty (also quite funny sometimes) personal attacks. Many of these people tend to see sex as something harmful, dirty and risky. It should be stated here - there is no inherent harm in gay sex - but there is harm in HIV.
Many of the people responding to the columns seemed upset that I was discussing details of risk reduction strategies - making risk reduction more complex and varied, trying to make people think about different options for reducing risks for HIV in incremental steps, rather than promoting 'One Message / One Strategy Fits All'.
Instead, they want me to stick to their own view on HIV prevention, which is: JUST USE CONDOMS ALWAYS (AND NOW SHUT UP). I decided to honour these people, bestowing them the title of Condom Queens.
Read the rest.
Same-Sex Marriage as a Means to Something Better
We should, by all means, strive to make the institution of marriage more inclusive. But our goal, over the long run, should be to lessen the prioritization of marital status in the distribution of rights and benefits.
It may surprise some to learn that the debate over same-sex marriage is not only between gay rights supporters and their opponents. For the last fifteen years, there has also been a vigorous debate over same-sex marriage within the LGBT and progressive communities.
For almost two decades, the organized gay rights movement, led by groups such as the Human Rights Campaign and Lambda Legal, have been pushing hard for marriage. But there have also been LGBT rights activists who have questioned whether it makes sense to focus so much of the movement's energies and resources on seeking to expand an institution that has for so long contributed to the subordination of women and that has also served to discriminate against those who choose not to marry.
These critics argue that our society unjustly privileges marriages at the expense of other types of relationships. Our current laws make a slew of crucial benefits -- from health insurance to social security survivorship payments to tax advantages -- dependent on marital status. Rather than limiting eligibility for these benefits to individuals who are married, critics propose that everyone be allowed to choose one designated beneficiary. It should not matter, the critics argue, whether the two individuals in question are married or even whether they are in an intimate relationship. (One of the leading proponents of this view is law professor Nancy Polikoff. You can check out her blog here.)
Chicago Event to Honor Gay Vets
U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley is slated as a featured speaker. He has co-sponsored a bill that would repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the U.S. Military's ban on openly gay service members.
The keynote speaker is a member of the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel and the U.S. Navy Diversity Senior Advisory Group. Luke Visconti was on active duty as a naval aviator and commissioned officer with the Navy from 1982 to 1990, and in the reserves until 1992.
Who's that Queer?
Brought to you by Pistol Pete
Sedaris was born in Binghampton, New York, and raised in a suburban section of Raleigh, North Carolina. In his teens and twenties, he dabbled in visual and performance art., but was unsuccessful. Sedaris briefly attended Western Carolina University before transferring and dropping out of Kent State University in 1977. He then he moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1983, graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1987.
While working a string of odd jobs across Raleigh, Chicago, and New York City, Sedaris was discovered reading his diary (which he has kept since 1977) in a Chicago club by radio host Ira Glass, who asked Sedaris to appear on his weekly local program The Wild Room. Sedaris later said, "I owe everything to Ira....My life just changed completely, like someone waved a magic wand”. Sedaris' success on The Wild Room led to his National Public Radio debut on December 23, 1992, when he read a radio essay on Morning Edition titled "SantaLand Diaries", which described his experiences working as an elf at Macy's department store during Christmas time in New York.
In 1994, Sedaris released his book of stories and essays titled Barrel Fever. Shortly after, in 1995, Ira Glass began hosting the weekly hour-long PRI/Chicago Public Radio show This American Life, and Sedaris became a frequent contributor. He also began publishing essays in Esquire and The New Yorker, and in 1997, he published another collection of essays, Naked. His next book, Me Talk Pretty One Day, for which Sedaris won the Thurber Prize for American Humor and was named "Humorist of the Year" by Time magazine, was written mostly in France over a period of seven months, and was published in 2000 to “practically unanimous rave reviews”.
In September 2007, a new Sedaris collection, When You Are Engulfed in Flames was announced for publication on June 3, 2008. Although at least one news source assumed that the book would consist entirely of fables, Sedaris said in an October 2007 interview that the collection might include a "surprisingly brief story about [his] decision to quit smoking....along with stories about a Polish crybaby, throwing shit in a paraplegic's yard, chimpanzees at a typing school, and people visiting [him] in France”.
In addition to his career as an author, David Sedaris and his sister, Amy Sedaris, have collaborated under the name “The Talent Family” and have written half-a-dozen plays which have been produced at La Mama, Lincoln Center, and The Drama Department in New York City. These plays include Stump the Host, Stitches, One Woman Shoe, which received an Obie Award, Incident at Cobbler’s Knob, and The Book of Liz, which was published in book form by Dramatists Play Service.
Source: Wikipedia.org
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
How is Jim Pickett healthy?
I have the good fortune to be able to travel - one of the greatest joys of my life. Chicago is my home and my favorite place in the world - but it is always a treat to leave and explore new places, food, cultures, people.
The act of getting away - out of my normal, harried routine and surroundings - allows me to toss my day-to-day responsibilities, re-charge, reflect and ultimately remember who I am.
Oh yeah, I am not just a cog in the machine that spits out work product every day - talking and emailing incessantly - I actually have interests that extend beyond my professional obsessions and obligations. WOW! Nice to recall. It's the act of travel that brings me back to myself and keeps me healthy.
Where I can improve - NOT checking email or the CrackBerry while on holiday. I still find myself doing too much of that. And the worrying and the fretting that goes along with it. Perhaps its the narcissistic belief that the world may just stop revolving if I don't weigh in on something or the other. And/or the Type A on steroids personality. Am making progress, however, which is really all you can ask for, isn't it.
Luckily my partner is wonderful to travel with - we are both easy going, relatively adventurous and like to do the same things (eating and drinking for two) and each of us tends to take turns having the occasional meltdown while the other keeps the boat from capsizing. For instance - last year, when we were trying to depart from the Seven Rings of Hell that is the New Delhi airport - he remained calm as I was about to be arrested for getting sssssuper ssssssnarky with an armed guard. For my part, I maintained my cool - even giggling a little - as he insanely chased various airport staff around the mayhem DEMANDING ANSWERS... that never materialized, natch. If we had both been in crazed lunatic mode at the same time, we'd likely never have made it out of that awful, awful place. A nice little set-up we have.
I have had some challenges with my mental and emotional health over the last few years - part of it no doubt comes with the territory of living with HIV for 14 years. And being nuts. So, hopping on that jet plane and zipping off to Cape Cod or Cape Town is often just the ticket - with a Lexapro chaser... and Ambien for those long-hauls.
-- Jim Pickett
Chicago
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Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Give Gardasil to boys too, experts say
Recent evidence shows the human papilloma virus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer in women, is poised to become one of the leading causes of oral cancer in men because of changing sexual behaviours.
The findings have reignited the debate over whether boys should be given the cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil.
A visiting British virologist, Professor Margaret Stanley, says governments around the world need to examine the long-term economic and health benefits of immunising boys and young men.
The head of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital, Professor Suzanne Garland, says Australia is leading the way in the rollout of the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil, which immunises against HPV.
"We are in our third year of rolling out the vaccine and we are in the order in the school-based group, in the high 70s, whereas in many other countries, they have only got 30 per cent who have been vaccinated," she said.
But now the vaccination debate has switched genders.
There are growing calls from the medical community for boys and young men to also be vaccinated against HPV.
Advocates include one of Britain's top cervical cancer specialists, Professor Margaret Stanley from Cambridge University, who says a cervical cancer jab in the arms of boys would not just be for the sake of girls.
"These HPVs don't just cause cancer in women. They cause it in men as well. Cancer in the mouth, cancer in the anus and those cancers are very hard to treat," she said.
MAJOR RALLY TO SUPPORT PRESIDENT OBAMA’S HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL AUGUST 4 IN CHICAGO
August is our LAST chance to make sure Congress passes real health care reform. Let’s make sure President Obama’s plan becomes law!
When: August 4, 2009, 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Where: Federal Plaza ADAMS & CLARK, Chicago, 60610
(CTA STOPS: Monroe Blue Line, Monroe Red Line)
Who: U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky & Others To Be Announced!
If you support:
• A strong Public Health Insurance Option
• Quality and Affordable Health Care for All
• Equal Access to Quality Care
RSVP to hcan@citizenaction-il.org
For more information, call: 312.427.2114 ext. 206 (Jessica) or ext. 208 (John)
Visit: www.hcanil.org
Monday, July 27, 2009
AUGUST 17 - Join us for a raw discussion on sex, intimacy, and fantasy
How does porn – and bareback porn – affect our sexual desires and practices? Are videos depicting edgy sex a HOT but safe way to get off for viewers or does condomless porn signal a dangerous normalizing of risk? Come for a raw discussion about the kind of sex, intimacy, fantasies and pleasure we crave, and how we can get there.
Monday, August 17, 2009Center on Halsted - 6:00 p.m.
A special LifeLube gay men's health forum in conjunction with the 2009 National LGBTI Health Summit.
Click LifeLube (the Mothership) for more info and to RSVP for this FREE event.
House Permits Needle Exchange Program Funding
The House voted Friday to lift a ban on using taxpayer dollars for needle exchange programs intended to prevent the spread of HIV and other diseases. The vote to lift a longstanding ban on federal aid for such programs — in place since 1988 — came after a brief but passionate debate on an amendment by Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., to keep the ban in place. His amendment failed by a 211-218 vote.
See how your Representatives voted on the Souder Amendment here.
Rep. Mark SouderBut Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., said the scientific evidence is indisputable and that needle exchange programs put addicts into contact with social services agencies, opening the door for them to seek treatment.
"Needle exchange is not about promoting drug use," said moderate Democrat Alan Mollohan of West Virginia. "It is in fact about preventing disease."
The vote came as the House approved, by 264-153, a massive spending bill for health, labor and education programs for the upcoming budget year, cementing big spending increases for a wide swath of social programs.
Read the full article here.NEW CHICAGO DATA: HIV Infection Among Men Who Have Sex With Men
Chicago HIV Behavioral Surveillance, 2008
via Chicago Department of Public Health
Exploring Racial/Ethnic Disparities
in Levels of HIV Infection
Abstract
Background and Methods:
The Chicago Department of Public Health’s Office of HIV Behavioral Surveillance conducted a survey with 570 men who have sex with men (MSM) during 2008. The survey aimed to describe HIV prevalence rates, rates of unrecognized HIV infection, sex and drug behaviors and prevention utilization among MSM in Chicago. MSM were randomly recruited from randomly selected venues where MSM congregate.
Results:
91 of 524 (17.4%) MSM tested HIV-positive at the time of the survey. HIV prevalence among Black MSM (30.1%) was at least twice the rate of White (11.3%) and Hispanic MSM (12.0%). Despite observed disparity in HIV prevalence, individual-level sex and drug use behaviors (condom use, knowledge or partner status, etc.) did not differ significantly by race/ethnicity. Fifty percent (50%) were unaware of their HIV infection at the time of the survey. Many persons who were unaware of their HIV infection at the time of the survey had acquired their infection in the past year and were engaged in HIV testing and medical care at similar rates as other MSM. Among those who had not tested for HIV in the past year, fear of testing positive and conversely, perceiving oneself to be ‘low risk’ were the most common reasons cited for not testing.
Conclusions:
Levels of sex and drug use behaviors, and consequently, HIV prevalence rates remain high across MSM racial/ethnic groups in Chicago. Continued focus on individual-level risk behaviors and HIV testing will only have a limited impact on reducing racial disparities in levels of HIV infection. Rate of new infections among Black MSM, the background community HIV prevalence among Black Chicagoans, and MSM sexual mixing patterns may be contributing factors to racial disparities in HIV prevalence and need to be addressed in future research and prevention efforts.
Read the full report.
Barebacking tax: Should people who don’t use condoms pay higher healthcare premiums?
via The Daily Loaf, by Shawn Alff
Congressman Steve Buyer (R-Ind) knows how to fund healthcare reform: charge those who engage in sex without condoms higher insurance premiums. Before we dismiss Buyer as another nut who is just trying to slow down healthcare reform, let’s consider the consequences of this proposition.
The first question is how insurance companies would regulate risky sex acts. Would there be a barebacking police who raids your room after a one-night-stand, searching for a used condom? More than likely barebacking would become incorporated into the health-history/pre-existing-conditions questionnaire that establishes the appropriate insurance premium for your lifestyle. Like me, you’ve undoubtedly been less than sure about how to answer a few of these questions, like “Do you use tobacco?” and “How heavy of a drinker are you?” I puff on a cigar about twice a year, often times vomiting afterward, but does this put me in the same ranks as chain smokers? I don’t think drinking three Busch Lights a night qualifies me as a heavy drinker, because to me Busch Light is basically water, but I doubt my insurance provider would agree. Many of us feel a sense of accomplishment when we get away with lying to our providers until we develop a health problem related to our risky behavior and our insurance refuses coverage.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Gay Men's Beauty Pageant: Contestant, Judge Accused of Beating Another Judge with Trophy
In the WTF story of the week, two Chicago men were ordered held on bond Wednesday after they were charged with beating a judge with the trophy at a gay men's beauty pageant on Chicago's West Side. I know not to mess with an angry queen, but Jesus!
Leroy Tinch, 28 and Anthony Johnson, 23, were both charged with aggravated battery with great bodily harm, a class one felony, said Andrew Conklin, a spokesman for the Cook County state's attorney's office.
The men were ordered held on $75,000 bond by Circuit Court Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil.
Johnson allegedly became angry with another judge after he voted for different contestant, grabbed the trophy and hit the judge in the head with it. Tinch then jumped in and began hitting the judge with a sharp object, cutting him over his left eye, Conklin said. The victim suffered a broken jaw and a cut on his finger required seven stitches, Conklin said.
High-risk HPV infection raises HIV risk at least fourfold: HPV vaccine study suggested
Infection with one or more of the cancer-causing subtypes of the human papilloma virus (HPV) multiplied the risk of acquiring HIV among young men in by 4.5-fold in a randomised controlled study of circumcision in South Africa.
Bertran Auvert, the principal investigator of the ANRS1265 circumcision trial in Orange Farm, South Africa, hinted that he was proposing a trial of one of the HPV vaccines as a method of reducing HIV infection.
The substudy of HPV infection collected swabs for DNA analysis from 1683 men and tested them for the presence of 13 of the high-risk, cancer-causing subtypes of HPV and 24 of the low-risk wart-forming ones. HPV samples were collected when the study terminated, 21 months after participants were circumcised.
Observed HPV prevalence was related to the risk of seroconversion during the study and the researchers also related it for the purposes of multivariate analysis to the participants’ age, education level, number of sexual partners, condom use, and whether they had TB or other sexually transmitted infections including herpes, gonorrhoea and chlamydia.
Read the rest at AIDSMAP.
