Saturday is National HIV Testing Day!

Are you sexually active? We recommended that you get tested for STD's every 3-6 months, about as often as you get your oil changed. Its like a sexual health lube job! This Saturday is National HIV Testing day, so we are offering Saturday Testing!

Where: Utah AIDS Foundation (1408 S 1100 E)

When: 10am-2pm

Tests offered:

HIV Rapid Test (Free or Donation)

Chlamydia (Free)

Gonorrhea (Free)

Syphilis ($5)

Hepatitis C ($25)

Finally, Planned Parenthood will be back at UAF on Monday offering Hep A/B Vaccinations from 5-7pm. Cost is $10 (the series typically costs $120).

GaYmeNight on Saturday!

When: Saturday, June 28th @ 7pm
Where: Franklin's House (735 South 200 East)
What: Board Games, Card Games, Guitar Hero! A fun way to meet guys outside of the clubs (and you won't come home smelling like an ashtray). We'll have some snacks and drinks, but feel free to bring something to share.
Side note: One of our volunteers, Josh Bass, will be moving to Hawaii next week. Come say bye before he heads out to Hawaii to get lei'd!
Questions? E-mail Carl.

Sex Ed, Utah Style

Loved this comic from the folks at idrewthis.org: According to the Deseret News, the State board of education has revised its parental permission form for Utah's sexual education program.

The form, offered in seven languages, states public schools will teach abstinence before marriage and fidelity after marriage; require prior parental consent before teaching any aspect of contraception and/or condoms; and deliver information about communicable diseases, including those transmitted sexually, such as HIV and AIDS.

The form states what is not approved by the state board and can't be taught: intricacies of intercourse, sexual stimulation or erotic behavior; advocacy of homosexuality; advocacy or encouragement of the use of contraceptive methods or devices; and advocacy for sexual activity outside of marriage.

If teachers are not allowed to portray homosexuality in a positive light or talk about sex outside of marriage, where does this leave gay students who can't get married and already hear about the 'evils of homosexuality' from parents and church?

Bearforce1

I love dancing bears!

Announcing The Village Summit

Learn more at http://www.ugmh.com/ or register online here!

Lube Wrestling!

Sign up for lube wrestling and win a giant bottle of lube! Everyone's a winner! E-mail Jeremiah.

'Mum'

This is what happens when gay marriage is legalized :)

Wednesday Night Volleyball!

Preparation H is the new Steroids

Tyler Fisher sent in this post:

ABC News recently reported that men in the New York club scene are using Preparation H to appear more ripped. These men rub large amounts of the cream meant to treat hemorrhoids all over the chest, torso and "love handles." The idea behind this is to extenuate muscle definition by tightening the tissues surrounding their muscles and thus making them appear more defined.

Now before you run out and buy a case of your favorite butt cream, consider this. Preparation H, when used as directed, is to be used in small amounts to spot treat hemorrhoids by "shrinking" the swollen tissues. The medication, phenylephrine HCL, in Preparation H has only been tested in small doses in the human body. The effect of large doses has not been tested and diverse effects may occur. These diverse side effects can range from rashes (Not HOT! I mean, come on…you're muscles look great, but you look like you have something contagious? Can I rub up against that?!?) to raising your blood pressure.

It's important to consider the side effects of club drugs on our bodies and our health. This is especially important if we use combinations of substances at the same time. For instance, crystal (methamphetamine) and Viagra can be a deadly combination, especially when mixed with Rush (amyl nitrite) because they all mess with our blood pressure.

From what I found nothing suggested that death will occur from using mass amounts of Preparation H. I simply want to encourage everyone to think about possible initial or longer term effects of such use. Who knows…what if over time it makes your skin sag and distort…not attractive!

To check out the ABC News story click http://abcnews.go.com/Health/SkinCare/story?id=4966867&page=1

GayBowl Pool Party!

The Boys of MWFFL throw the best pool parties in town and everyone's invited.

New Gay Mormon Play

Click image to "embiggen"

Missa Solemnis is a new play detailing the life of Henry Stuart Matis, the gay mormon who shot himself on the front steps of a church in California after struggling to reconcile his belief in God with his feelings for other men. Here in Salt Lake for one night only! Q Salt Lake conducted an interview with the playwright here.

Pride Picturepalooza!

From the Pink Party to the Parade, Testing to the Wedding Chapel, the Village and the Utah AIDS Foundation packed Pride weekend with fun and health promoting events! Links to full picture sets below.Click here to see Pride and Wedding Chapel pics.

Click here to see Pink Party pics.

Click here to see Car Wash/Yard Sale pics.

Joel's Post: Harvey Milk

I can't believe it, they are finally making a movie about Harvey Milk! Yep, Gus Van Sant directs...Sean Penn is Milk.

For those of you who don't know, Milk was the first openly gay elected official, but then (sorry if this is a movie spoiler for those who didn't know) was assassinated along with SF Mayor George Moscone by another council member, Dan White. The tragedy continued-White was found guilty of manslaughter instead of murder by a conservative jury based on what later became called the "twinky defense"--he claimed he wasn't emotionally stable from eating too much sugar.

Gays marched to city hall in a protest that turned violent including the burning of police cars. Police retailated and stormed a gay bar in the Castro. Such an amazing piece of gay history right up there with the Stonewall riots, and I wonder how many people know about it, especially the whole generation of people born well after the events.


Its a testament to how the gay community rises and unites in the face of diversity. It reminds me of what I saw in our Salt Lake community during and after the "No on 3" campaign...despite the tragedy of an an aggressive campaign against equal marriage rights, it helped energize and strengthen the gay political community and led to the election of two more openly gay Utah state legislators.

This is why Gay Pride celebrations like last weekends are so important to me. People go for so many reasons, but for me once a year I need to see the sheer breadth of people with who I share that one common trait.

And when we face adversity--whether its anti-gay politics or our own hesitation to put a picture of our partner on our desk at work just like our straight co-workers would--Pride events remind us we are in the midst of people who share our common goal: to have what our neighbor has and nothing more or less.

Joel Shoemaker is advertising manager for IN Utah this Week and needs to see a therapist about his addiction to CNN.

Cyber Slut Bingo!

MWFFL League Play!

HIV Rates in Utah Up 32%

The Deseret News reports:

HIV diagnoses in Utah were up 32 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, with the majority of cases in Salt Lake City.

"This is what's considered the third wave of the epidemic. People have become complacent," said Beltran. "They're not seeing people die from AIDS because medications are more effective in staving it off, so the fear factor is no longer present. And people are sick of hearing about" HIV/AIDS prevention methods, such as condom use, she said.

Here's the Tribune's take:

A 32 percent spike in Utah's HIV rate this year compared with the same period last year has prompted the Utah AIDS Foundation to forgo federal HIV prevention funds so that it can create a more upfront campaign targeting gay men.

The department has rejected some sexually suggestive ads aimed at gay men, who comprise the majority of HIV cases in the state. Of the 25 new HIV cases in the first quarter of 2008, 83 percent were among gay men. Younger men ages 20-30 are at high risk and represented the majority of infections in 2007.

UAF rejected this year's grant of $87,000 and is asking donors to cover the cost of its new campaign that aims to normalize condom use, "Unleash the Power of the 'C.'" A focus group of gay men held Thursday applauded the approach, said Penfold.

The Utah AIDS Foundation attributes the jump to:

1. Improvements in anti-retroviral drugs that have extended the lives of the
   infected but also lead youth to falsely believe the disease is
   curable.
2. Young men who grew up after the 1980s AIDS
   epidemic think of AIDS as a problem in Africa, not America.
3. The use of methamphetamine and alcohol that contribute to risky
   behavior.

Your thoughts?

Village Pride Activities

Wanna get Lei'd? Village and Utah AIDS Foundation volunteers will be out in force at Pride, handing out lei's attached to condom packets and encouraging festival goers to visit our Marriage Booth and HIV Testing Booth. See you there!

Click here for info on Pride.