We Have Received Your Donation and or Payment.
Through your generous contributions, we will be able to
-
provide services and care for persons living with HIV/AIDS
-
as well as emotional and financial support to their family members.
Defeating HIV will require a comprehensive response, and effective programs must be scaled up to treat people already infected and prevent new infections. Capacity has to be built; network and collaboration need to be forged. We need more support and donations in order to work towards the local and global vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.
Only with your generous support, are we able to continue our aim of achieving the three zeros.
Thank you for helping us, so that we can do more and do better. We are honoured to put your generosity into affirmative action.
MSM Community Symposium (Update – 1/3)
Over the weekend of June 28, 2014 we held our 2nd MSM Community Symposium – Time to Act forum.
The gay and MSM community is experiencing increasing numbers diagnosed with HIV infection every year. Many of the MSM who are diagnosed are young (29 years and below).
We took this opportunity for our stakeholders to unite, as a community, for a meeting to discuss the issue of HIV and MSM in Singapore and came up with some new & better ideas to stop the spread of the infection and to assist those with HIV/AIDS amongst us.
The first session of the presentation was the HIV/STIs done by Prof. Roy Chan (NSC), Dr. Martin Chio (NSC) and A/Prof. Lee Cheng Chuan (CDC). The second session was from the clinical services for MSM by Anwar Hashim (AFA), Paul Toh Club Genesis support group and Avin Tan (AFA) followed by our community support group for intervention and education with Bryan Choong (Oogachaga), Hafiz Muhd (SG Rainbow) and Nathan Renga (The Purple Alliance).
We had a great turn out to the our event and with so many new and familiar faces. We also took this chance to launch our very own MSM website Gayhealth.sg for the MSM community in Singapore. Please visit www.gayhealth.sgfor the site.
We would like to thank all our community members for coming since Pink Dot was also having their event as well.
Stay tuned for more updates and summary from the symposium.
Element Magazine Relaunch
Element Magazine has been described as the first alternative high-fashion and lifestyle men’s journal with featured stories connected to the Asian LGBTQI community in particular, and it is launched and based in Singapore. The magazine was established by Noel Ng and Hiro Mizuhara in March 2013. The decision to launch the magazine on digital platforms enabled the publishers to side-step Singapore’s regulation of print media and meant it had no need to obtain a media license. It uses an Internet host server in the United States. Normative and positive depictions of gay people in mainstream media are currently banned in Singapore by the Media Development Authority (MDA). The magazine boasts an average digital circulation of more than 15,000 since its launch. It is also the organizer of Asia Pink Awards, a regional Awards event that celebrates those campaigning for LGBTQI acceptance in Asia.
The new design of Element magazine will be relaunch August 2014. Visit http://www.elementmag.asia/
Telling Him I Want a Condom
Sure, we know that condoms significantly reduce the risk of HIV transmission, but it isn’t always as easy as it sounds to have safer sex, even if you want to! Sometimes we don’t ask or insist on what we want because we’re afraid of rejection, or we might have other reasons.
Every relationship has power imbalances, which can change from time to time. Maybe one partner feels less attractive or smart than the other, or one has less money or education. One partner might experience more privilege in society as a result of his race, ethnic background, age or gender identity. One partner might have more power in one area and less in another.
These imbalances can make it more difficult for you or your partner to express what both of you want, including condom use and other risk reduction strategies. If the imbalance is preventing you from saying what kind of sex you want, consider talking to a professional about it.
Tips for communicating what you want:
- Find a way to communicate what you want that feels comfortable for you.Keep in mind that few men are going to react negatively if you tell them what kind of sex you like, or that you want to use condoms. If he does react negatively, do you want to have sex with him anyway?
- If you’re in a situation where verbal communication isn’t as feasible, such as a bathhouse sauna or dark room, or you just don’t feel comfortable communicating verbally, use visual cues. Reach for a condom. Display it prominently on the bed. Tuck it into your waist with your towel.
- Saying that you want to use a condom doesn’t imply that you are HIV-negative or HIV-positive. The majority of gay and bi guys use condoms most of the time, regardless of HIV status.
- Alcohol and other drugs can affect your judgment and ability to communicate what you want. If you’re planning on drinking or doing drugs, plan ahead of time what kind of sex you are comfortable with, so you don’t have to make that decision when you’re under the influence.
- Pay attention to what your partner wants, too. Communication barriers and power imbalances aren’t always one-sided. Sometimes you’ll feel uncomfortable communicating, and sometimes he will. Make sure this doesn’t prevent him from bringing up what he wants.
- If you’re finding it difficult to express what you want, talk to a friend, supportive family member, or a community organisation.
You deserve the kind of sex you want, and there are ways for you to get it.
Source: The Sex You Want