Acons lack of action at the looming pandemic of HIV infection in Sydney

[streetsurfer]

Put that blame stick down kiddo, we get enough of that crazy arse shit from straight people without getting in on it ourselves. Put up or shut up? Not quite, maybe something alonge the lines of: Get your arse into making that change, or tell someone else who will.

Voluntary organizations are what we make of them. I don't think blaming or getting arsey at ACON is going to achieve shit. Criticism, suggestions and getting involved in it yourself on the other hand, brilliant.

Maybe you should focus on what needs to change and what you can do to change it?

That is after all how we got as far as we have.

Edit: I refer not to your letter, which was fabulous, but your rather childish and unhelpful comments on their reply.

ACON does seem far less relevant then it once was, and that has to change, but it can only change if we, the younger crew, get in and change it. Getting all whining and 'down with the man' is utterly unproductive.

Acon does do some great work but preventing infection isn't it. I NEVER saw any intervention aimed at my age group leg alone younger guys in the whole time I was on the scene. I accept it was a pretty crappy letter. It was written on the spur of the moment but it was something I had been thinking of for some time.

Nothing in their response suggested they were anything but interested in meetng with you to discuss your thoughts. You obviously have some pretty strong negative preconceptions about ACON, for whatever reason, but your own personal bias is hardly conducive to a productive meeting - how about you actually try and discuss the issue rather than just create noise?

Nah, it was designed to put me off, a 2 on one meeting, me with no experience in the charity sector and them who have been involved in ACON for years, they give me their titles....it hardly sounded like a cup of tea and sconne type thing....in fact it reminded me of that scene in Erin Brockovitch when the four Lawyers from that company walked in for the meeting so they grabbed the secretary and other staff to bolster their numbers.
Which is why I asked if I could bring my journalist friend and do a structured interview......still waiting for a reply..

Of course it does, and you absolutely should. Complaining is easy, activism is hard. I hope you do, it sounds like a real shame waiting to happen that could be avoided. They've given you exactly what you want, a chance to collaborate in fixing the problem. Accept that for what it is and I think you might just save some lives, but I think going in there with a hostile/negative attitude will be detrimental to your cause.

Good luck

I agree so much with what you say. I accecpt I havn't been out there pushing the anti hiv/harm minimazation barrow in any organised capacity but that does not preculdue me as someone effected by these issues from critazizing
ACON any more than if I am an end consumer of their services. I have (foolishly) donated money in the past, In fact I put a $50 note in their bucket last year at fair day (when I wasn't working). The rest of their money they recive is in government grants.
So, as a tax payer, a contributer and a fag, I have the right to critazize their performance and it has been nothing short of shockingly shit

In 2004 ACON recived EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS in government grants and revenue from charity events. The former paid by everyone, the later paid for in majority by gay and lesbian people.

This is my beef with ACON, Out of that 8.5 million dollars, only half a million was spent on programs, while 5.5 million dollars was spent on 'salaries and associated costs.'

Only half a million, from 8.5million dollars....In an organisation that says it "rely's on volunteers".

I ask this one question. If ACON was a private company, and you were a shareholder, would you accept the above figures?

These are the people who stand up in the gay community and say "We are out there fighting for you, help us help you etc etc".
We give our money to them (over other organisations) because we think it will help most there, because we trust them.. I know there are some really good people working at ACON but their leadership, in particular the ACON board are not forfilling their responsibilities and the impression I get from many people I have talked to is that they are a bunch of self servers that run the organisation like an empire and have done so for many years.

It is the same with crystal meth. I have seen it Destroy, and I mean destroy my community. The vibe isn't happy anymore, there is fights agression....My friends, good friends, who are shadows of their former selves and while this has been happening what did acon do?
After two years they......drumroll, released a booklet!!! Which I sure as hell never saw

Crystal meth has been proven to be a link between unprotected sex, rough sex (increasing the risk) and I know from my own experience, I just don't give a fuck about safe sex and scared the fuck outa myself several times yet kept doing it.

I am pretty scathing of meth and its effect on the body and speak about its harmfull effects, my past use of it, and how I have watched in destroy my community in these 2 threads
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=263616&highlight=meth
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=222155&highlight=meth

So please don't think I am raising meth because its convienient. I hate the shit, for what it did to me, what its doing to my friends. In fact I think my lowest moment was hiding in the bushs in the domain trying to smoke a pipe and people kept seeing me

I am bringing meth at because it is the other half of their disregard for our community

 

[THR!]

I think you live in some form of fantasy. It is not ACON's responsibility to police people's drug use just as much as it isn't anyone else's responsibility. You make the choice to take drugs and you suffer the consequences. Them releasing a pamphlet means they are at least attempting to do something. But it's not even nearly something I would call a responsibility or a primary objective for ACON.

Just because you don't see them tackling what you have raised as issues doesn't mean that the funding isn't going to good use. There are a lot of causes that they need to tackle - HIV obviously being a very large one - but you really need to understand what goes on behind the scenes. Having the meeting with them will probably help you with this (unless, of course, you go in with your current attitude).

Simply, I think you're barking up the wrong tree. There is an issue, most people know that, but pointing fingers instead of trying to get involved and help the situation doesn't help anyone.

 

[streetsurfer]

It is not ACON's responsibility to police people's drug use just as much as it isn't anyone else's responsibility. You make the choice to take drugs and you suffer the consequences. Them releasing a pamphlet means they are at least attempting to do something. But it's not even nearly something I would call a responsibility or a primary objective for ACON.

Show me where I made anything that even vaigely related to ACON having a police role???....thats right nowhere. As for your statement "You make the choice to take drugs and you suffer the consequences" I can't belive your a moderator on a drug harm minimization site and you make a statement like that! You should be stripped of your powers.

Applying your view to the argument about ACONs role of reducing HIV infection would go something like "You choose to be a poofter so accept the consequence's when you get AIDS"

You are a troll, and trolls to my knowledge, live in a fantasy land. So from now on I will not feed you anymore
So get back under your bridge trolly. Anything you say now I am going to disregard.

 

[streetsurfer]

Acon is given goverment money not just for the hell of it, they are given the money because they are percived to provide a service to the community that is needed. Rather than the government spending heaps of money on starting their own service to fill this need, they give money to charitys like St vincents de paul, the salvo's and ACON effectivly subcontracting the work to them. This is seen as a far more cost effective solution to for providing that service themselves as these organisations have a volunteer workforce and (supposedly) their finger on the pulse of the community.

They are entrusted with this responsibility. They are given the money in the absence of it being used for this purpose by a government agency

Acons Drug Strategy

2002 – 2005
(this is the most current version they have released)

The overarching goal of ACON’s Drug Strategy 2002-05 is:

To improve the health of gay and lesbian communities by reducing the harms associated with the use of licit and illicit drugs.

To achieve this goal we have developed strategies that seek to be relevant to our communities needs and appropriate to their patterns of drug use. We will provide information that is both honest and accurate about the harms and subjective experience of drug use and to implement programs that are flexible, innovative and appropriate.

Our key objectives are to:
• Increase the gay and lesbian communities’ understanding of drugs, and the contexts of drug use
• Reduce the risks associated with drug use by leading discussion and providing education on the harms and subjective experiences associated with drug use as well as the means of safer drug use
• Support community in taking responsibility for drug use
• Strengthen existing partnerships and build new partnerships to reduce drug related harm and promote safer drug use
• Extend and improve our services to clients who experience a reduction in quality of life as a result of drug use
• Advocate for law reform in the area of illicit drugs in order to reduce the harms associated with criminal sanction; and
• Promote the use of evidence-based practice in the development of policy, the delivery of our services and the partnerships we develop.

ACON’s DRUG PROGRAMMING

Our efforts in improving the health of our communities have always operated under a framework which sees an essential link between social justice and health. We provide drug programming in a non-judgemental way which respects the diversity of our communities. We are active in empowering community and have been a strong advocate on behalf of our communities.

ACON’s drug programming currently provides a number of services including:

• Needle and Syringe Programs – we operate NSP services from our Sydney office and regional branches.

• Counselling – our team of counsellors provide short term focussed counselling and referral for members of our communities with issues around alcohol and other drug use.

• Enhanced Care – this project provides psychosocial care coordination for HIV+, gay and lesbian clients of GPs in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Many of these clients present with alcohol and other drug use issues.

• Injecting and Other Drug Use Project – we employ a range of health promotion activities to raise awareness of drug related issues and to reduce the harms associated with drugs.

• Venues – we regularly liaise with venue owners and operators including SOPV in order to reduce harms associated with drug use.

• Dance Party Package – we have a harm minimisation presence at all major dance parties with volunteers, the provision of clean injecting equipment and promotion of post party counselling services.

• Research – we collaborate in numerous research projects to help identify and address issues around alcohol and other drug use in our communities.

• Education – we work in partnership with other organisations on health promotion and harm reduction responses to alcohol and other drugs.

• Advocacy – we advocate for change in legislation and government policy where these do not serve to promote health within our communities. This has included work on drug laws, drug law enforcement practices and the medicinal use of cannabis.


The strategies outlined in this document build on our achievements in the alcohol and other drugs area and outline new initiatives to expand our work. It is anticipated that appropriate funding would be sourced to develop a Drug Action Plan for the implementation of these strategies.

http://www.acon.org.au/assets/file_library/reports/Drug_strategy.doc

 

[Doppelganger]

Personally, I learnt that HIV within Australia is most prevalent in the gay scene when I was in about grade 3.

Everyone in Australia knows this, therefore I don't think the lack of education amongst gay men is the problem!

The problem is people getting caught in the moment with the wrong person, or complete lack of care for health and well-being.

That said, streetsurfer, you sound like a good guy and it's good to hear you're donating your time to a good cause. That's so much more than I can say for the majority of the population who judge their own worldy compassion based on their ideals... rather than their actions!

If you feel like what you're doing is making a difference... then fucking continue doing it .

 

[THR!]

Show me where I made anything that even vaigely related to ACON having a police role???....thats right nowhere. As for your statement "You make the choice to take drugs and you suffer the consequences" I can't belive your a moderator on a drug harm minimization site and you make a statement like that! You should be stripped of your powers.

Applying your view to the argument about ACONs role of reducing HIV infection would go something like "You choose to be a poofter so accept the consequence's when you get AIDS"

You are a troll, and trolls to my knowledge, live in a fantasy land. So from now on I will not feed you anymore
So get back under your bridge trolly. Anything you say now I am going to disregard.

Firstly, I am not a troll. I agree with you in some ways and disagree in others. If I choose to disagree with your view, that doesn't make me a troll. My use of the word 'fantasy' was purely because you seem to be jumping to conclusions as to the ACON representatives intentions. Just meet with them and then cast judgement. This issue obviously hits close to home with you. It does with me too.

Secondly, I am allowed to have my own opinion on drugs. So while I believe, as with many things in life, you create your own destiny and any consequences of decisions you make are your own, that's not to say I am wishing anyone any harm. That is a completely separate issue. I am not anti drugs, however you are ultimately responsible for your own actions. I don't think that is unreasonable.

Thirdly, I think the below implies that you believe they have a responsibility to be doing something.

It is the same with crystal meth. I have seen it Destroy, and I mean destroy my community. The vibe isn't happy anymore, there is fights agression....My friends, good friends, who are shadows of their former selves and while this has been happening what did acon do?
After two years they......drumroll, released a booklet!!!

Now while I don't believe it is ACON's responsibility, or at least, not solely their responsibility, you have obviously provided their action plan towards the use of illicit drugs. It's good to see they have a plan but as we know, a plan is merely that. You are right to question whether it is being enforced but I think that problem is way bigger than one organisation and I really don't believe committing resources battling that problem is very efficient. It's an entire community issue and it isn't just restricted to the gay community, although the problem may be more prevalent.

The core issue is HIV. That is where a majority of funding should be committed. Raising awareness is really important. I myself was naive towards it as are many that are not originally from Sydney. So while it's pretty much a given everyone has heard about it, they're probably not aware how extensive the problem is. There are simply too many people having unsafe sex for whatever reason and I'm not sure why.

 

[streetsurfer]

ACON's response to meth is a good indication of its response to HIV
Here it is, chronologically


Sydney’s Meth Response to Date
A chronology documenting a lot of words but little action.

Contents:

2003

2004

2005

2006

Recommended Further Reading.

2003



May 27 2003. Steve Dow's Sydney Morning Herald report "Beware of Ice" told of Australian customs seizures of crystal (methamphetamine) having leapt from less than a kilo in 1997-98 to 154 kilos in 2001-02. The report told how experts at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre's party drugs symposium in Sydney in February heard that the number of ecstasy users in NSW who had also tried crystal or ice had risen from 6 per cent in 2000 to 43 per cent in 2002.



In the same SMH report, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) information manager, Paul Dillon, said the number of people who had approached him recently for information on crystal or where they could get help for friends had been "phenomenal". Dillon said he had also written, in the Sydney Star Observer, of risk from the increased chance of HIV infection through unprotected and uninhibited sex while under the influence of crystal. He said the liberating nature of the drug meant that, often, "safe sex is discarded while sexual activity increases greatly". It had been reported in the US that in almost half of the new HIV cases, crystal had been consumed. Dillon said users may feel invincible and imagine that they can't catch a disease. He said research had also shown that crystal methamphetamine abusers exhibited symptoms that included violent behaviour, anxiety, confusion and insomnia. They can also suffered paranoia, auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances and delusions. In extreme cases, the paranoia resulted in suicidal thoughts.



Dow's report also told of Englishman Gary Leigh, in Australia on a grant from the Millennium Foundation in London, to warn of the dangers of this drug he had witnessed wreak havoc on entire sub-communities in the US where he had been living. Leigh told of Crystal Users Anonymous groups, attended by addicts whose bodies had become wasted and their personal relationships and careers destroyed. The drug had cut a swathe through the gay scene, and was spilling over into mixed clubs. Leigh said he had found strong evidence of the drug in clubs here: "It really hit me that Sydney is knee-deep in crystal, and Melbourne is on the same path." During his Sydney visit, Gary Leigh approached the AIDS Council of NSW (ACON) to warn of the dangers to gay men, but found his concerns falling onto deaf ears when ACON asked where his evidence of this was. Leigh founded Life or Meth, an international resource.



November 12 2003. Tim Benzie reported in Sydney Star Observer "Crystal Warning From San Francisco." San Fran Dept Health's HIV Prevention Director Steve Tierney oversaw the recent allocation of US$425,000 in funding to two agencies to assist gay men recovering from crystal meth and speed addictions. The city had provided US$300,000 to fight the problem last year. Sydney’s gay community needs to hear “honest talk” about the risks surrounding crystal meth use to avoid the problems now facing US gay scenes Tierney warned. “I think people need to get a real vision that this is not perhaps just another party drug, that this one has some pretty serious consequences. The kind of message we need is: ‘You know what? I thought I could use this recreationally and only use it on weekends and only use it when I went to a circuit party, and the fact of the matter is it kicked my ass, and it kicked my lover’s ass and neither one of us have been able to get off it in two years.’”



December 1 2003. Speaking on World AIDS Day on ABC Radio, Don Baxter, CEO of Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) warned: “What we are now concerned about is there seems to be, although in very small figures, a bit of an association between crystal meth use … and really rampant sex,” “We are concerned that a number of these new infections actually come from episodes of crystal bingeing,” Baxter said.



December 4 2003. Tim Benzie's "Dark Crystal" in Sydney Star Observer reported meth use on the rise. Benzie wrote that specific qualities unique to crystal may justified attention, such as the drug’s provision of a sense of invincibility, the removal of sexual inhibition and its long period of effectiveness. He reported that according to three recent surveys there may be a link between crystal meth 'bingeing' and the recent rise in HIV infections. Data released at the previous month’s Australian Society for HIV Medicine conference, revealed: 15.9 percent of newly diagnosed HIV-positive men surveyed were using crystal meth at the time they believed they became infected.

 

[Doppelganger]

THR - What are your reasons for argueing with the O.P?

He sent them an email and they responded by inviting him to a meeting! Obviously the organization [ACON] is interested in hearing him out - why would you care to argue that what he's suggesting is not ACON's responsibility? It's sounds to me like ACON is keen to at least consider taking on the responsibilty, maybe with the help of streetsurfer!

 

[streetsurfer]

Tried to post the rest but it won't let me. It can be all found on lifeormeth.com

Have a read of this

AIDS Inc.

http://www.lifeormeth.com/australasiapacific

 

[streetsurfer]

I really want to hear from anyone else who feels strongly about this who would be prepared to help in ANY capacity, maybe hook up with some other organisation like lifeormeth to push for action.

PM me

 

[preacha]

regardless of who you believe is liable for the welfare of men who actively engage in promiscuous and unprotected sex whilst consuming illegal substances, one thing is utterly clear

this is the most moronic thread of the year

 

[THR!]

THR - What are your reasons for argueing with the O.P?

He sent them an email and they responded by inviting him to a meeting! Obviously the organization [ACON] is interested in hearing him out - why would you care to argue that what he's suggesting is not ACON's responsibility? It's sounds to me like ACON is keen to at least consider taking on the responsibilty, maybe with the help of streetsurfer!

Excuse my stupidity as it's early but what is O.P?

My reasons are clear. He is trying to apportion all blame to ACON when they play only a small part in any solution. While ACON might have a mandate to assist in those issues, it is in no way their sole responsibility.

And instead of having an open mind when meeting ACON he's already writing off any good that will come out of the interview.

Good on him if he can effect some changes - I say go for it. I'm not arguing against that. But rather than argue against, it's better to try and work with. I'm totally supportive of any efforts to raise awareness of the issues. I don't really know much about the meth issue but from the postings above, it's obviously a big problem.

 

[Chaos Butterfly]

O.P = Original poster

CB

 

[Pop Popavich]

THR!: O.P. = Original Poster

streetsurfer: You mention in your posts that out of 8.5 million, only half a million was spent on programs, while 5.5 million dollars was spent on salaries and associated costs. Do you know for a fact that (at least part of) the 5.5m wasn't spent on the salaries of the people running the programs? From reading through the list of activities in their drug programming statement it seems entirely possible that a lot of those could proceed with very little spent on anything apart from the manpower to get out there and do it. Maybe the half million only accounts for the non personnel costs associated with their HM activities.

I'm not for a second pretending that I know the ins and outs of this, as this thread is pretty much the most of I have ever read about the situation in one place at one time, but in your position (which is one with a good opportunity and good motivation to achieve something) I would be conscious of giving them the benefit of the doubt and not assuming the worst from them, at least until they have had the chance to answer your questions.

Personally, if I was in your position, and had received a response like the one you did, I would be quite pleased. I read the fact that they were putting two people with decent pull in an interview with you as a win. At least it shows they are taking you seriously and not just blowing you off with an office pleb who would be happy to write down your thoughts and pass them on.

You obviously feel strongly about the issue, and have some ideas as to how things can be improved, you should use this opportunity to learn what you can about their operation and present your ideas in a productive way. Hopefully that will lead to further action and they will take up your suggestions/assistance. If you go in there looking for a fight, that's almost certainly what you will get, and there is no faster way to be disregarded than to go in with all guns blazing, refusing to listen to what they have to say.

Good luck with it, I hope you make some progress towards improvement. Just keep in mind that if you approach this with anything less than a level head, you are selling yourself short and may well be wasting the best chance you have at this point.

 

[ayjay]

Well - I followed the link to lifeormeth, and then the link to CAAMA, and read all that "Sydney chronology" stuff and...

... it's a little light on reason, and overly emotional, plus it contains some stupendous bollox on some specific points:

Categorising crystal meth as different to every other drug, such that a harm reduction approach doesn't work, is simply rubbish. I'm not even going to explain why - do some homework.

Claiming that shock campaigns cause a significant reduction in crystal use just isn't borne out in the links provided. In fact, the suggestion seems to be that meth use in the US is declining in general - just part of the ongoing cycle of drug fashion. This isn't the first time that there has been a panic about methamphetamine - the first one in the US was in the 50s, then again in the 70s.

But - I agree with the suggestion that more can be done to prevent HIV transmission, and that venues that happily cater to crowds where drug taking and sex are prevalent, have an ethical responsibility to be part of the solution.

For me, that means promoting safer drug use and safer sex - go harm reduction!

 

[streetsurfer]

Hey everyone, thanx for your replies, I have decided to chill out n give them the benifet of the doubt and go in looking for a productive outcome. I guess I took onboard alot of what other people were saying in critazism of ACON without having experienced it firsthand.
I guess my main beef being that in the time on the scene I never saw them or their work once.
Will get back in touch and agree to a meeting

 

[Raz]

This isn't about ACON, but just some thoughts I had which may help shed a bit of perspective on why there's even a question of responsibility....apologies for the length and I hope it doesn't ramble too much!


The gay community is a very recent invention. Up until the past couple of decades, there were no gay nightclubs, no gay bars, no positive gay representation in the media…even now in the era of Queer Eye For the Straight Guy and Will and Grace, coming out as an openly gay man is not something you do lightly.

If I compare my own experience coming out to that of my other gay friends, I had maybe the easiest time of it…and by that, I mean my sister warned me not to touch my nephews, she refused to let me be my youngest nephew’s godfather, my brother used to walk around the house in his underwear specifically because he thought it messed with my head, my siblings refused to take me to my mother when we thought she was going to die one night and I stopped talking to my siblings altogether for about 4 years. I had already stopped talking to most of the rest of my family when they pointedly ignored me at my uncle’s funeral. We have all now reached a kind of détente where “the gay thing” just doesn’t get brought up if it can at all be avoided because I know they love me but their tolerance has very tangible limits.

I want to stress, this is the easiest coming out experience I have encountered amongst my friends. Other people I know have been physically abused, forced out of their homes and disowned. I have one friend whose parents honestly think witches have cast a spell on her to make her a lesbian…which might sound funny, but try living through it. As you can imagine, it’s a pretty standard thing for a lot of gay people to lose contact with their families and build support networks around them of people who do understand and accept them.

So…basically what you have is a group of ostracised people who are bombarded everyday with reinforcement which tells us we are at the best abnormal; lo and behold, suddenly there’s the gay scene which says it’s okay to be a deviant. More than okay, it’s celebrated. Our sexuality, which is the thing which sets us apart from being just like everyone else, is suddenly the thing which makes us great!

Anyone who has been to a gay club will tell you, overt sexual behaviour is much more accepted there. Why? Because it isn’t accepted anywhere else. There are no gay romance movies, there are no gay love songs, gay characters in tv shows don’t get relationships or sex – and when there are gay characters on the big screen or small, they’re always played by straight men who are lauded for their awesome acting ability in being able to pretend affection towards another man.

So we come from a world where everything had to be hidden in the dark, we throw in some inhibition-loosening drugs and/or alcohol, and we enter a world where having sex with your fellow man is pretty much the reason God put you on this earth.

...Now chuck in the sex-on-premises venues. A sex-on-premises venue is a place where you pay to get in, then you wander about the building fucking who you like. There’s none of the social interaction which is necessary at pubs or clubs, in a lot of cases there’s not even any talking. It’s just eye contact, fuck, leave. It’s not a brothel, because a brothel is a place which employs professionals who presumably give a shit what diseases they’re letting into their bodies. It’s more a place used by guys who either don’t want to use the standard social conventions or who feel like they can’t because it’s not something they can relate to. A lot of married guys use these places, as do guys who don’t relate to being part of the gay community and so don’t feel comfortable in gay bars. As do, unfortunately, guys who don’t have the self-esteem or assertiveness to stand up for their rights when it comes to safe sex and guys who will abuse that.

Basically my point is that gay men have a lot of traditionally repressed sexual desire which the gay scene encourages us to do something with. The gay scene IS sex. There’s not much else to it.

Does this make venue owners responsible for making sure that we have safe sex? Hell no. But they do bear some responsibility for creating an environment where it’s so fucking easy to have unsafe sex. I have seen guys passed out drunk in these places, I have seen guys in states where no mainstream venue would allow them entry…and to be honest, I have been in that state myself more than once and been allowed entry.

Ultimately, it’s up to the individual how they choose to life their life. But AIDS is the elephant in the room that the gay community doesn’t like to acknowledge if it can be avoided, because to acknowledge AIDS would mean the gay community would have to grow the fuck up and stop living this eternal protracted adolescence it’s loving so much.

Sorry for the length, hope that gives some perspective though…

 

[Innocuous]

Hey everyone, thanx for your replies, I have decided to chill out n give them the benifet of the doubt and go in looking for a productive outcome. I guess I took onboard alot of what other people were saying in critazism of ACON without having experienced it firsthand.
I guess my main beef being that in the time on the scene I never saw them or their work once.
Will get back in touch and agree to a meeting

I'm impressed, you seem really ernest about this, that you could change your take on how to deal with ACON says alot of good about you babe.
Don't drop the critical eye though.

good luck.

I just read Raz's long arsed post.. (read it if you haven't) I think I might add that having unprotected sex is often something we do not because we don't know better but as a unfortunate result of feeling pretty shit about who we are, a kind of sad self-destructive act. Like smoking, ever wonder why so many lesos smoke? So the answer is not just more education, more awareness, its also self acceptance.

 

[Raz]

^^^Yeah exactly....I didn't want to harp on about it because I figured my post was long enough as it is, but there are a lot of gay men who are self-destructive (subconsciously or otherwise) and there are a lot of gay men whose self-esteem is linked to sex - so to feel good about themselves they take stupid risks because they would rather that than the idea of being alone.

I'm not making excuses for anyone...like I said, each person is ultimately responsible for the choices they make. But when you understand the environment which actively breeds those harmful choices, it all makes a bit more sense why we feel that venue owners need to take a more active stance in protecting the people they're profiting from.

EDIT: Sorry if I'm derailing the thread, but I think it's all pretty much the same topic still..

 

[THR!]

No derailing, it was a great post. I really found it interesting reading about your coming out experience ... I mean, I guess I am at the exact opposite end of the spectrum - everyone I know has been fantastic - ... so it's just an eye-opener for me to see what a lot of people go through and as you've said, probably a major cause for a lot of what goes on. Kudos to you for sharing.