The BEST of Lifelube - "Let's Take a Glass Together" - The Podcast is Served From Tuesday, July 29, 2008

"Let's Take a Glass Together" - The Podcast is Served

UPDATE 7/30 - Chicago Gay Examiner blogger Michael Lehet - a new and wonderful pal of LifeLube and Project CRYSP - attended our forum last week and took copious notes, basically a transcript or "live blog" - capturing pretty much the entire discussion. Check it out.








Last Wednesday (7/23), Project CRYSP and LifeLubeteamed up with the Feast of Fools, Sidetrack, the Chicago Task Force on LGBT Substance Use and Abuse* and four PHENOMENAL speakers to put on a community forum addressing our relationship to alcohol - with a wide ranging discussion from how to avoid a hangover, to how to tell when your use may be slipping to abuse, to our collective responsibility to care for ourselves and one another. About 80 folks joined usfor a really great conversation - perhaps the first of its kind, but definitely not the last.

Click here for the Feast of Fools podcast. Download it and listen while you work out, work it, work your voodoo, or just work.

Enjoy LifeLube's photo set from the evening.

Enjoy the Feast of Fools' photo set (some of which are featured in this post - thanks Rick and Fausto.)

Get Freaky Recap!

via Windy City Times, by Blair Mishleau

Everything from anal cleanliness to the benefits of kissing and cuddling before sex—and many tangents in between—were covered Oct. 25 at "Get Freaky: A sexual health forum for Men who have Sex with Men."

Approximately 50 audience members gathered for the event, held at the Center on Halsted with hosts/bloggers Feast of Fun moderating it.
 
It was an opportunity for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, to learn and ask about the parts of sex not covered in health class.
 
The forum was hosted in conjunction with Project CRYSP and LifeLube, which are both gay men's sexual health projects, as well as the Chicago Black Gay men's Caucus.
 
The forum is likely the last to be held in the series, which has run four times a year for the last four years, as the grant that funds the program has ended.
 
"We've covered all different topics," said Jim Pickett, director of prevention advocacy in gay men's health at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. "We've covered things from alcohol in the gay community to sex online to homophobia to 'what is justice for gay Black men' [ and ] trans rights—we've had a number of topics."
 
The three "sexpert" panelists included Gary Bucher, an anal-health specialist and director of the Anal Dysplasia Clinic Midwest; Debby Herbenick, a sex researcher and sex columnist for TimeOut Chicago; and John Stryker, a nurse practitioner at the Howard Brown Health Center.
 
The event started with light snacks, mingling and a series of vendors demonstrating sex toys. The panel commenced after that.
 
To make the panel more interactive, audience members were given clickers and asked various questions that appeared on-screen, with the audience results appearing in real time.
 
Some questions asked included preferred position in sex ( top, bottom, versatile, doesn't apply ) . The audience was mostly bottom, followed by versatile and then top.
 
Other questions asked about anal cleansing, getting tested for HIV and more. Panelists were then called upon to talk about these poll numbers, alongside greater national information.
 
"We try to make them feel interactive, so people feel engaged and they have the forum they want to have," Pickett said. "It really depends on the people who show up and how they interact with our panellists."
Audience members were also encouraged to ask questions, with topics like HIV prevention, anal douching and the difficulty of finding a boyfriend as gay men, being discussed.
 
"One of the things we always get criticized for not bringing up is 'how to get yourself a man,'" said co-host Fausto Fernos of Feast of Fun, as he introduced a question from an attendee.
 
Herbenick, who teaches a sexuality seminar at Indiana University, gave some advice regarding young gays trying to find long-term relationships.
 
"There's no easy answer, but I do think that young people do want relationships," said Herbenick. "I've been teaching college students for eight years, and I haven't seen that change at all. I think the vast majority of men and women of all orientations talk on and on about wanting relationships.
 
"That doesn't mean they don't have periods of sexual exploration and that sometimes people want to have one night stand. But ultimately, the majority, if not all of them, really want relationships. I think it's difficult for people to be honest with what they want and to share that."

Our Last Forum of 2011, Get Freaky - is Now LIVE on the Feast of Fun Podcast

 LifeLube's last community forum of 2011was held last night - and we discussed sex, sex, sex. Check out the Feast of Fun podcast from the event here.

This forum was co-sponsored by the Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus. LifeLube partners include Center on Halsted - where the forum was held - TPAN, Howard Brown Health Center, and AIDS Foundation of Chicago.

We had sex toy demos during the reception - thanks to Cupids, Tulip and Early to Bed for making that happen!

Thanks to our wonderful panelists -

* Gary Bucher - anal health specialist, dir. Anal Dysplasia Clinic Midwest
* Debby Herbenick - sex researcher, Time OUT Chicago's sex columnist
* John Stryker - Howard Brown Health Center nurse practitioner

And of course - much love and appreciation to our hosts/moderators - Feast of Fun. Check out the podcast from the event here.

See more photos like the ones below, courtesy of Ed Negron, here on Facebook.

Check out the podcast from the event here.

More photos are here on Facebook.

Tomorrow!!!

Hey Everyone! Tomorrow is the day, get ready for our Get Freaky Community forum!

It's going to be an exciting fun-filled event, we will be kicking it off with an hour long reception starting at 6 PM featuring a cash bar, light treats and snacks.

Oh and did we mention that there will be sex toy demonstrations put on by Cupid's Treasure, Tulip, and Early to Bed!

Then after we've eaten and drank our fair share join us in the Hoover Leppen Theater at 7 PM so we can get down to the dirty talk! Our hosts from one of the most popular gay podcasts out there Marc Felion and Fausto Fernos of Feast of Fun will be facilitating discussion with our three distinguished panelists:

Gary Bucher: Anal health specialist, director of the Anal Dysplasia Clinic Midwest

Debby Herbenick: Sex researcher and Time OUT Chicago's sex columnist

John Stryker: Howard Brown Health Center nurse practicioner

Please join us
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Center on Halsted
3656 North Halsted, Chicago

We begin at 6:00pm for free light nibbles, a cash bar, and sex toy demos in the 2nd floor John Baran Senior Center.

The dirty talk begins at 7:00pm in the Hoover Leppen Theatre, 3rd floor. Hope to see you all there!!!


RSVP Here!

Walk Down Memory Lane, Stop at "Get Freaky"

via Feast of Fun, by Marc Felion

In the years since we started podcasting, a lot has changed about how we think of gay men’s health and sexuality.

We used to be concerned about what we did with our asses and now we’re more focused on our assets. By concentrating on what we are already doing well, we can better see the big picture of who we are and how to live happy, healthy, and sexually fulfilling lives.

Lifelube, a pioneering group of health advocates that we’ve partnered with is holding its last forum of the year- Get Freaky – where anyone can ask questions and bring up difficult topics about gay men’s health.

The funding for the group has come to a close and it’s in the process of reapplying for 2012- so this next forum may be its last or like Cher’s farewell tour, it’s just one more of many to come.

Join us today as we walk down memory lane with Jim Pickett to look back at the live podcast forums we’ve done together and the life lessons we’ve learned.

• How shunning shame and injecting a sense of humor to gay men’s health creates an impact
• Bridging the generation gap.
• How big of a problem is alcohol and drug use for gay men?
• And Sexual Revolution 2.0 goes mobile.

See all the forums here

Visit our sponsors:

 Get Freaky:

Time for some dirty talk to affirm our sexual health
Join us for a “gay birds and the bees” & ask a renowned panel of gay/bi men’s health sexperts the questions that weren’t covered in your high school sex ed class.
Tuesday October 25, 2011 – Space is limited so please RSVP

See the rest

Join LifeLube and Friends Tuesday Oct 25 and Get Freaky

It's all about those things that "go bump in the night."

Please join Feast of Fun, Project CRYSP, LifeLube and the Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus on Tuesday, October 25 at the Center on Halsted for Project CRYSP's final gay men's health forum and live podcast taping.

Join us for a "gay birds and the bees" and ask a renowned panel of gay/bi men's health sexperts the questions that weren't covered in your high school sex ed class.

Cash bar, free snacks + sex toy demos too.

Your Evening's Fabulous Sexperts:

*Gary Bucher - anal health specialist, dir. Anal Dysplasia Clinic Midwest
*Debby Herbenick - sex researcher, Time OUT Chicago's sex columnist
*John Stryker - Howard Brown Health Center nurse practitioner

Click for more info and to RSVP for this FREE forum.

Click here for the sexy forum poster.

Get Freaky October 25 - Our Last Community Forum of 2011

It's all about those things that "go bump in the night."

Space is limited for this free event, please RSVP today to hold your space.

click to enlarge

Your Evening's Fabulous Sexperts:

• Gary Bucher - anal health specialist, dir. Anal Dysplasia Clinic Midwest
• Debby Herbenick - sex researcher and Time OUT Chicago's sex columnist
• John Stryker - Howard Brown Health Center nurse practitioner

Please join us
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Center on Halsted
3656 North Halsted, Chicago

We begin at 6:00pm for free light nibbles, a cash bar, and sex toy demos in the 2nd floor John Baran Senior Center.

The dirty talk begins at 7:00pm in the Hoover Leppen Theatre, 3rd floor.

FREE! Register online and be sure to tell us the sexy questions you have on your mind.

Prevention Revolution or Magical Thinking?Feast of Fun podcasts LifeLube's forum on Pre-exposure Prophylaxis- Listen

via feast of Fun

June 15, 2011, from the Center on Halsted in Chicago, LifeLube hosted a live community forum on Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). World renowned LGBT podcasters, Feast of Fun, moderated the discussion as panelists and guests were engaged on one of the most exciting developments in the fight against HIV.

 The conversation was joined by:

 Dr. Bob Grant, the protocol chair for the groundbreaking study, iPrEx.

 Keith Green of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, who is a consultant for Project PrEPare, which explores the acceptability and feasibility of the trial among men who have sex with other men.

Rico Herrera, a Chicago gay youth currently participating in the trial via Project PrEPare.

Plus- live questions from the audience.

The forum went off without a hitch thanks to the help of our community partners:
Association of Latin Men for Action
Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus
Communities of Color Collaborative
Project CRYSP
Feast of Fun

Click for the podcast

Is a Daily Pill the Answer to HIV Prevention Among Gay Men? Is This a Prevention Revolution, or Magical Thinking?

LifeLube, Association of Latin Men for Action, Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus, Communities of Color Collaborative, Project CRYSP, and Feast of Fun are teeming up to bring you and yours a free podcast forum to explore this hot issue.

Wednesday, June 15 - Center on Halsted - be there.

Hear from real guys who are taking “the pill.”

Ask tough questions about costs, risks.


Why can't people just wear condoms?

How far YOU would you go to protect yourself?

Click for more info and to RSVP.

Click to download the flyer you see below. Please share.

Transtastic! Feast of Fun podcasts LifeLube forum on Trans-Body Politics - LISTEN

[one of LifeLube's best forums, ever!]

via Feast of Fun

Today we present our live podcast with LifeLube from the Center on Halsted in Chicago, Illinois: Trans-Body Politics, The Original T-Party. The forum was held last week - May 19.

Join us for an extraordinary conversation with three groundbreaking people involved in the forefront of the trans rights movement-

Actor Alexandra Billings- the first trans woman to play a trans woman on television, you’ve seen her on such TV shows as ER, Greys Ananotmy and Bones.

Author and activist Jamison Green, a policy specialist on the staff of the Center of Excellence for Transgender Health at the University of California.,

And Lara Brooks, who for over nine years has worked at Chicago’s Broadway Youth Center with street-based young people, many of which identify as trans.
Come feel the love and dive into our version of the state of the union of the trans rights movement and what it means for everyone.

Plus- live questions from you, the audience in person.

NOTE: Here’s a link to Jamison Green’s survey on Respectful Language mentioned during the taping of the show. Check out the huge list of terms used in medical literature to describe trans. Some of my favorite are: “gender gifted, genderforked, transbian, tranny and two-spirit.” We prefer to use “transtastic.” Read more about the study’s 10 year history here.

Click for the podcast.

LifeLube's NEXT Forum: Prevention Revolution or Magical Thinking - IS A DAILY PILL THE ANSWER?

SAVE THE DATE: June 15, 2011

Center on Halsted

6pm - 9pm

RSVP and more info to come. Stay tuned.

LifeLube's "It's Not Just Faggot!" forum - a recap

recap by John Garver of the Project CRYSP team

Last Wednesday, December 8, about 100 people joined  LifeLube and Project CRYSP for another one of our fabulous community forums at Center on Halsted titled “It’s Not Just ‘Faggot!’ End Homophobia Now.”

Simone Koehlinger (former director of the city's Office of LGBT Health and current consultant with the Cook County Department of Public Health) moderated the town hall discussion between the audience and panelists Keith Green of the Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus, Rick Garcia of Equality Illinois, and Lois Bates of Howard Brown Health Center.

Here are some highlights from the discussion:

The panelists helped first to expand the notion of “homophobia” as something beyond a fear of those who are in same-sex relationships. Keith Green addressed the existence of “institutionalized homophobia” wherein larger social systems reinforce messages about being “second-class citizens” through policies such as Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which in turn shape one’s self-concept, self-esteem, and sense of self-efficacy. Addressing his own experience as a youth and that of youth today, Keith discussed what is at stake when teachers don’t teach comprehensive sex education. What happens when LGBT youth don’t find themselves represented by educators or as part of the conversation when they try to learn about their sexual health and preventing HIV? Keith also discussed the need to consider the role of sexism.

The above word cloud reflects the prominence
of different words and themes that came
up during the discussion.

Rick Garcia provided information around the work he and Equality Illinois are doing in the political sphere with regard to civil unions and marriage equality—how did we get to civil unions and where do we go from here. Rick also addressed the need to make schools safe for LGBT youth from discrimination and hate, both physically and emotionally. He called upon audience members to hold Chicago’s future mayor accountable for ensuring safety in schools and the need to know the mayoral candidates’ positions with respect to these issues.

Rick also emphasized that the political effort is shaped largely by personal experiences—that a politician from a conservative district might vote for civil unions because their best friend is gay, and that friendship brings the reminder of our shared humanity.

Lois Bates discussed the ways in which “faggot” is a term used to describe lots of people who do not live up to cultural expectations about masculinity and femininity. Lois addressed the need to support and affirm LGBT people who are in the military, the Boy Scouts, neighborhoods, or schools where homophobia or heterosexism is well-inculcated.

On the front lines, bullets aren’t discriminating, so LGBT people in the military who are discriminated against need support. Lois noted how language and action fracture the sense of community and equality that can move people forward and emphasized learning about our own community so that we can stand up for every part of it. How can we make sure that everyone is on the bus in the ride toward equality?

Simone and audience members asked questions about “compromise” in moving legislation forward to advance equal rights; speculation on a future 50 years from now; the role of churches; “bigotry” as a replacement term for “homophobia”; uniting rather than dividing Chicago’s neighborhoods and communities, while ensuring that every community is safe and nurturing; transferring what’s happening in academia into the streets; and future actions to end “homophobia” now!

Click here for more photos from the forum.

Click here for the Windy City Times coverage of this forum. 

Click here for info on past and future forums.

Police Targeting Gays? Ya Don't Say..

Police harassment is one of the many topics to be discussed at LifeLube's forum It's Not Just "Faggot!" tomorrow night. Join the discussion and RSVP now!



Teens who had same-sex attractions or relationships, were "30 to 50 percent more likely to be stopped by the police, 40 percent more likely to be convicted of a crime as adults, and more likely to be expelled from school," according to Yale University researchers Kathryn Himmelstein and Dr. Hannah Brückner, who looked at data from more than 15,000 teens in grades 7-12 back during the 1994-95 school year. They found teens who self-identify as gay or lesbian were more likely to end up in juvenile detention centers and convicted of crimes.

Read more at Queerty.

LifeLube's Pete Subkoviak Talking Homophobia on Feast of Fun

via Feast of Fun

Listen to the podcast.

Disease, suicide, abuse and discrimination, in many ways all stem from the same disorder- homophobia.

So how do we get to the root of this hate and create an environment where our health, wellness, and human rights are respected and nurtured?

Does it all start with just a little bit love and understanding?

Pete Subkoviak, health advocate, blogger for Lifelube, and policy coordinator at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago joins us to talk about fighting homophobia, in obvious and not so obvious ways. Next week in Chicago, Lifelube is holding a public discussion on fighting hate and bigotry, and they want to hear your ideas on what works.

Pete also shares with us his own experience in being a trans guy, and how he got the support from his family to transition at the young age of 18.

Plus we take a look at some trans guy myths and legends, like why so many guys choose the name Bastain or Sebastian and what part the film “The Never Ending Story” has in choosing that name.

Listen to the podcast.

Check out info on the It's Not Just "Faggot!" forum next Wednesday.

It's Not Just "FAGGOT!" Hompohobia forum next Wednesday - Center on Halsted

 Click for more info and please join us for this free forum.

It's Not Just Faggot!

Join LifeLube and friends for a community forum on December 8th at the Center in Halsted in Chicago.

Please RSVP for this free forum and ensure your spot.

Rubber Lover

Your new boyfriend may give you a whole lot more 

than just a box of chocolates.

LifeLube's Jim Pickett popped over to Feast of Fun podcast HQ, located on a leafy avenue in Andersonville, to chat up the  topic "is it okay to stop using condoms with my boyfriend?with Marc and Fausto. Coincidentally, an issue that just happens to be the theme of LifeLube's upcoming forum "What's Love Got To Do With It?" at the Center on Halsted next Tuesday, September 21.

Click and listen to the podcast.

Click for more info and to RSVP for the free forum.

Peter, my boyfriend and I are serious. Can we ditch the condoms?

[Peter Pointers is here 4 YOU, as a service to LifeLube readers - whatever question you may have regarding sexual health, physical health, mental/emotional and spiritual health - ask him. He will find the answers you are looking 4. helped by a team of experts. Below is a recent Q&A you may be interested to read.]

Question: My boyfriend and I have been serious for a while now.  We can lose the condoms, right?

Answer: Condomless sex is a perk that allows us to put up with our partners’ crazy families.  It’s only natural that many of us would rather have sex au naturel – it’s about sensation, pleasure, intimacy, and trust. 

However, to stay HIV- and STD-free while sexually active, condoms are still our best option.  So, we protect ourselves during random hookups, booty calls, and budding romances. 

But, is there need for safe sex once you get serious?

Researchers say: “Yes!”

Dr. Patrick Sullivan of Emory University, looked at HIV transmission among gay/bi men and found that 68% of men who became HIV-positive acquired it from “a main sex partner.”  This was due to “a higher number of sex acts, more frequent receptive roles in anal sex, and lower condom use during anal sex” with main partners.

Dr. Colleen Hoff, of San Francisco State University, found nearly half of studied gay couples were nonmonogamous and emphasizes the need for true consensus on “sexual agreements” between partners. Hoff explains, a broken (or unclear) sexual agreement “can make both partners vulnerable to HIV."

Here are some pointers:

- Use condoms for 3 months with new partners (because it takes time for HIV to be detectable in the body), then test and talk.

- Work with your partner to negotiate robust sexual agreements.

- Discuss how to disclose and deal with a break in an agreement.

- Continually revisit agreements.


Be Well,
Peter
Peter Pointers on LifeLube, E-mail Peter
Friend Peter on Facebook


Per this QA, you may be interested in the following: 

Join us for "What's Love Got To Do With It?" 
Is it okay to stop using condoms with my boyfriend?

LifeLube co-hosts a FREE community forum to discuss  the role of relationships in HIV infection. Join researchers Colleen Hoff (San Francisco State University) and Patrick Sullivan (Emory University). Llearn ways to have the sex you want and stay healthy. Moderated by Brian Mustanski of the University of Illinois – Chicago.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Center on Halsted - Hoover Leppen Theatre - Third Floor
Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for appetizers and socializing.
Program begins promptly at 7:00 p.m.

RSVP here, as space is limited for this free event.
More info here.
Listen to the Windy City QueerCast show on the subject with Jim Pickett.
Listen to the "Rubber Lover" podcast via Feast of Fun

September 21 in Chicago - What's Love Got To Do With It?

RSVP for this FREE forum here.

Queer and Now - Upcoming Grindr Forum Featured on Windy City Queercast

Are you joining us at Rehab next Wednesday?

LifeLube's Jim Pickett is on this week's Windy City Queercast chatting up the upcoming "Love in the Age of Grindr" forum with hostess Amy Matheny - set for May 19 at Rehab. Listen.

Panelists include (from left Ed Negron. Kylon Hooks and Keith Ecker. The panel will be moderated by John D. Moore.

• Real-time technology is shaping the ways we connect – whether they’re “splash and dash” or involve a U-Haul.
• Has this wired us for sex only?
• How do relationships fit in?
• What are we looking for in terms of connections and intimacy?

Learn more about the forum and RSVP here.