Posts Tagged ‘research’
My Fabulous Disease: The Complete Video Collection
Tuesday, February 15th, 2011
Here is a brief description and link to the entire collection of My Fabulous Disease videos, stretching back to the premiere episode in 2008. The videos have been viewed in classrooms, at conferences and in support groups, and you’re welcome to re-post and share with proper credit.
This list is always available to you for browsing — just look under Categories on your right for “A LIST OF ALL “MFD” VIDEOS.”
HIV Criminalization Face-Off: One Poz Man and His Accuser. February 7, 2012. What if you could witness a face-to-face confrontation between a man living with HIV and the sex partner accusing him of not revealing his status? Wouldn’t you like to be a fly on that wall? The fireworks could be mighty, as emotions raged between the furious accuser and the positive person trying to defend his actions. What might that meeting look like, exactly? In this video, you’re going to find out. I was proud of how this video turned out, and gratified by advocates who considered it a solid and well balanced look at this controversial issue.
The ‘My Fabulous Disease’ Holiday Spectacular! December 13, 2011. That’s right folks, this is fun for the whole family! In fact, MY whole family gets in the act, as we share holiday cheer, get a lesson on Christmas cookies from Mom, and even get a visit from Santa. When we filmed this video, I told my family that there were people watching my blog who didn’t have a close relationship with their family, and discussing HIV was out of the question. They took this to heart, as you will see, and their compassion shines through. Merry merry!
The Long Road Home from Relapse. November 29, 2011. Okay, this isn’t a video but I didn’t want you to miss it so I’m making an exception. This is a honest account of my drug relapse and it quickly became the most viewed blog posting in the history of this site. While my perception of the reasons and fallout from my relapse continue to evolve, this is how I felt at that time. I hope it might help others — either to give you a sense of addictive thinking, or remind you why you never, ever want to go back to using.
Sailing the 2011 HIV Cruise Retreat. November 15, 2011. I realize how fortunate I am. So many of us are not able to take the time or devote the money for a cruise like this. It’s my hope that this video blog will inspire you to seek community, in whatever way you can, and never forget that a sense of humor sure does help the journey. And what a journey this 7-day Caribbean cruise was! There was plenty of social events, educational workshops, excursions to the shores of various islands, and let us now forget the parties — The Mad Hatter Party was worth the fare alone, but then The Blue Party, hosted by my comic alter ego Anita Mann, reached new levels of madness and joy. You can get more info about the event at www.HIVCruise.com. The event welcomes men and women, gay and straight, and they are a truly inspiring, fun filled group.
Divorce, Stress, HIV… and no jokes. November 3, 2011. This is a rather personal blog video, there’s no doubt about that. I was even a little apprehensive because it doesn’t offer the usual helpful tips or the “entertainment value†of my other videos. But one of my problems has always been trying to be the life of the party when I’m not feeling it. So I was relieved and pleased that there was so much love for this video, in which I sit down with my friend (and a therapist) David Fawcett to discuss divorce, loss, HIV, and what to do when life isn’t all that damn fabulous. This is a different Mark than you might be used to, unplugged and exposed.
Finding Support in an e-Patient World. September 26, 2011. You’re part of a healthcare revolution in cyberspace, my friends. It’s changing the way people find treatment information, relate to their doctor, and support one another. In this video blog from the e-Patient Connections conference, you get to meet some of the marvelous people who are leading the charge. And guess what? It turns out that there are people living with a wide variety of conditions who are online and advocating for themselves and others. This moving and funny video will teach you something.
7 Ways to Save Money on Your Meds. August 16, 2011. With all the doctor appointments and wellness activities we engage in, living with HIV/AIDS can be a full-time job. And the truth is, it doesn’t pay very well. We’ve all been feeling the pinch of tough economic times. So I hope you’ll find some savings in this video blog, “7 Ways to Save Money on Meds,” featuring Jason King, a patient advocate for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Jason has some tips that your pharmacist may not be telling you.
I’m Gonna Wipe That AIDS Right Off of My Face. August 2, 2011. Most of us know “the look,“ and I’ve started to get it. It’s the telltale gullies and sunken cheeks associated with longtime HIV infection or (more likely) medications. Many of my friends and colleagues in this struggle suffer from it, and they may either be comfortable with it, proud of it as a badge of honor, or simply resigned to it. I salute us all, whether our features tells our HIV story or not. But meanwhile, I’ll do what I can to wipe that shit off my face. In this video, I revisit Dr. Gerald Pierone for a treatment of Radiesse and Sculptra, and get information about the more permanent facial filler, Artefill.
The Entire 2011 ADAP Conference in Nine Minutes! July 19, 2011. The 2011 ADAP Advocacy Association (aaa+) conference held July 5-7 in Washington, DC, was bursting with spirit. Dozens of advocates from across the country met for three days of workshops and speakers, and in this video blog, you’ll see the entire conference boiled down to only nine minutes. I’m the cliff notes of HIV/AIDS events! The AIDS Drug Assistance Program waiting list continues to grow on a daily basis, denying patients the very medications that can keep them alive. This national disgrace deserves our attention and our phone calls to our elected officials, urging them not to forget the most vulnerable among us.
Should AIDS Activists and Pharma just get along? July 12, 2011. Am I an AIDS activist, ready to question authority and demand high standards of service for those living with HIV/AIDS? Or am I a “resource†for the pharmaceutical industry, so that they might craft more effective community programs that will lead AIDS patients to “care.†This video on treatment activism mulls over the conflict, provides some historical context, and keeps the red spray paint at hand, in case the activism needs to go “old school.” This became the most “shared” blog posting of mine to date, and very quickly, too. I think people responded to the mix of education and edgy advocacy.
Dab Garner’s 30 Year Story of Survival. June 28, 2011. This video is quite simple, really. One man explains to you what happened to him, from becoming one of the first AIDS patients in San Francisco to his life today in the service of others with HIV. Dab Garner has clearly put things into perspective, and his calm manner shows a man at peace with his fate, his survival, and the ghosts around him. It’s an amazing story, actually. And considering the importance of passing our history down to younger people, it might not be a bad idea to share this video with someone you know, maybe even someone under 35 years old.
Vacations and Retreats for People with HIV/AIDS. April 28, 2011. Summer is approaching and vacation plans are being made – but have you ever considered a retreat or getaway with other people living with HIV/AIDS? It might sound odd to seek out a vacation event just for people with HIV. For me, my status is only a part of who I am, and I’ve gotten pretty good at disclosing when I need to. But for many of us it’s tough getting past that hurdle. So joining a group of others living with HIV might be a fun solution if you’re looking to make friends with other people living with HIV and build your support network.
The Hard Facts on Erectile Dysfunction: Pills, Pumps and Prosthetics. April 6, 2011. My friend and HIV fitness author Nelson Vergel (“Testosterone: A Man’s Guide”) returns for another visit, this time to discuss erectile dysfunction and HIV, including the treatments available and issues specific to those of us with HIV. He also gives detailed information on the use of testosterone replacement therapy. Quite an informative video.
A Special One-Year Anniversary Posting! March 8, 2011. After weeks of teasing you with announcements and Top Ten listing, I finally put an end to milking the occasion with this, a special video celebrating one year of blogging on my site. This is lightweight, no doubt, but I do answer the most popular questions I get about myself and the blog, and it gives me a great opportunity to thank you, my readers and watchers. It has indeed been a great first year, and this video demonstrates my gratitude.
Touring an HIV+ Gay Sex Club. Plus: The Porn Stars that Got Away. March 1, 2011. I revisit a video tour of a public sex venue from last year and catch up with the host of “Poz4Play,” a monthly gathering of HIV positive gay men. Along the way we discuss serosorting (limiting partners to those who share your HIV status) and if these parties offer real prevention or a false sense of security from other STD’s. Meanwhile, I share what happens when you get “too real” in your line of questioning with porn stars (hint: they stop returning your e-mails).
The Hilarious Idiocy of Anonymous Gay Sex. February 7, 2011. When someone brought this YouTube video to my attention, I laughed out loud at its amazing recreation of an online hookup between two gay men, and the level of stupidity that is often involved when negotiating sex. The person who created this video prefers the anonymity of cyberspace, but I think he deserves a medal for perfectly demonstrating what we’re up against when it comes to making intelligent sexual choices.
Hitting the Gym with HIV Fitness Expert Nelson Vergel. February 3, 2011. Fitness expert and author Nelson Vergel gets my growing waistline to the gym for a lesson in aerobic activity and weight training and the benefits and risks to those with HIV. Part Two in an ongoing series of fitness and nutrition videos with Nelson.
AIDS Activism 101: Steps to end the ADAP crisis. January 31, 2011. An interesting and practical look at the steps to take to have a voice with your elected official, by getting the activists at the 2011 ADAP Summit to cle4arly explain what was happening with the program, and then easy directions to contact your elected official about this (or any!) advocacy issue.
Five Things About HIV (They’re Not Telling You). January 18, 2011. Activist and POZ Magazine Founder Sean Strub stops by for a game of ping pong and then a very provocative discussion of why public health campaigns keep getting it wrong in terms of messages to gay men, and some things that gay men should know that have not been widely reported.
HIV Fitness Stud Nelson Vergel Raids My Fridge. January 11, 2011. The first in a series of fitness and nutrition videos with HIV fitness expert Nelson Vergel. In this video, Nelson raids my fridge and gives simple, practical tips on eating right, mysterious “diet” labels, and the importance of proper pooping!
Recovering Joy. December 14, 2010. Why include a video of my performing in drag at a Christmas benefit for people in recovery from drugs and alcohol? Because it’s funny. And because I wasn’t very funny when i was an active addict, and there are a lot of wise messages contained in this very funny rendition of “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” as read by my alter ego, Ms. Anita Mann.
Once, When We Were Heroes. November 28, 2010. This is an essay that won a 2008 award from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalism Association, for best written piece of the year, but I created this video version because I wanted another way of sharing its message. It potently describes the early days of the AIDS epidemic, and draws a bittersweet line between life than, and now. The best of my work.
My T-cells could use a facelift. November 11, 2010. This is the video that might be my personal favorite because it is funny and speaks to my issues of aging and regret and selfishly trying to hold on to old behaviors. Watch as, through video editing magic, my mature self and my young, selfish self argue about the effects of aging in a gay culture. Funny and wise, I think.
My Video Report aboard the HIV Cruise Retreat. November 1, 2010. During my maiden voyage as M.C. for the HIV Cruise Retreat, I didn’t know what to expect. But as you’ll see in this rollicking video diary, our group bonded and laughed and learned. Absent were so many of the social tensions that usually follow a group of largely gay men around. We all just cared for one another and had a terrific time. I hope I can return every year!
The Price is Right, 30 Years after Coming on Down. October 18, 2010. Would you believe I won a car on the Price is Right, back in 1980 when Bob Barker still had dark hair, and I have the video to prove it? I sure do! You’ll watch the video and get to read an essay about the entire experience, and how it haunted me for years, when the advent of AIDS ruined all those wonderful plans I had told Bob Barker I was making for my life.
In Praise of HIV Negative Gay Men. October 13, 2010. Oh man, did this one ever get me into trouble. Here I thought I had such a great idea, doing a video to praise an encourage HIV negative gay men for staying that way, and acknowledging the fact that, in many ways, their struggles without HIV are harder than mine with it. Oops… this video offended just about everyone, mostly for a perceived sarcasm in my delivery. I’ll let you watch and decide for yourself.
The 2010 HRC Dinner (in under four minutes!). October 10, 2010. I attended this national dinner for the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, DC, and had fun teasing the event by presenting the bloated evening in less than four minutes. My snarkiness was rewarded — it has become my most-watched video because, as it turns out, there appear to be quite a lot of people who like people being snarky about HRC. Just sayin’.
Fighting Back Hard Against Bullying. October 5, 2010. This essay about gay bullying includes the video “It Gets Better with the King Brothers,” the video I made with my (also gay) brother Dick. We had no idea it would become one of the most watched videos for the project, and it now slated to be included in the “It Gets Better” book out in March, 2011. People seemed to like our brotherly love!
Condoms & Bareback Sex at the Gay Summit. (September 20, 2010.) As gay sexual advocates met at the annual Gay Men’s Health Summit in Ft Lauderdale, there was an assortment of workshops and speakers focused on a golden oldie: promoting condom usage among gay men and how to address barebacking. Included is an interview with activist (and one-time bareback poster boy) Tony Valenzuela.
My Forbidden Love for Gay Monsters. September 28, 2010. This essay on my crush on Quentin Collins from Dark Shadows, and love for horror movies, gave me a chance to show off a video I produced for a stage production of Night of the Living Dead. I had such a blast making it!
HIV Stigma (and my lover Jack) at USCA. September 14, 2010. At the United States Conference on AIDS held in Orlando, I learned about a new project to address HIV stigma (which seems to be growing, not shrinking) and the reasons why. I also provide a tour of the conference itself and get some designs lessons from Jack Mackenroth, the Project Runway hunk who is HIV positive and is behind a public awareness campaign.
Sex While HIV Positive: The New Criminals. September 6, 2010. This video was significant to me for two big reasons: making it introduced me to the heroic activist Sean Strub for the first time in person, and it gave Sean a chance to very clearly outline a misunderstood topic. At a time when treatment successes and public acceptance of HIV/AIDS has made strides, why are there horrific laws that not only unfairly fault those with HIV, but are based on bad science?
Does the Gay Men’s Health Summit make me look fat? August 26, 2010. Also while at the Gay Men’s Summit in Ft Lauderdale, I attended a workshop on body image and gay men — and not a moment too soon, since my expanding waistline was threatening what my culture (and I) valued about the perfect body.
AIDS2010 for Dummies: An Entertaining Review. August 3, 2010. This is a collection of ALL the videos I produced while in Vienna for the 2010 International AIDS Conference, and it’s quite a colorful collection. I left the research-oriented reporting to others and followed the people, sights and sounds of this amazing conference — teenagers from around the world teaching about condoms! An AIDS prevention musical featuring sex workers (STAR WHORES)! The rallies and the protests and the celebrities are all here. My thanks to TheBody.com for sending me to this event as their correspondent!
The Gay Pride PSA (that will never air!). June 15, 2010. What begins as a funny reflection of what gay pride has meant to me (organizing a parade starring ME as a drag queen — when I was eleven), becomes something much, much different in this short video. I guess the wreckage of my drug addiction was still haunting me. What results is a sweet message about PRIDE that suddenly punches you in the gut. I’m proud of this one.
Six Tips for Choosing Your HIV Doctor. May 28, 2010. When I began making plans to move from Atlanta back to Ft Lauderdale, the most daunting task was having to find the right doctor in my new city. Luckily, my Atlanta physician, Dr. David Morris, walked me through some practical tips that anyone can use. Watch his advice — and then watch as my cameras capture my very first meeting (really!) with my new doctor in Ft Lauderdale, as I follow the tips and grill him with questions!
What It Feels Like for a Mom. May 4, 2010. How does our HIV status affect the ones who love us most? What fears are they not telling us? I’ve always wondered, so I sat my mother down for an interview about my HIV, what it was like raising two gay sons, and how it affected the family when we experienced our own AIDS tragedy. She never flinched at the questions, and her answers are sincere and revealing.
Has My AIDS Crisis Ended? April 18, 2010. As the annual AIDS Walk strolled through my community, I remembered the crisis mentality of earlier Walks — and how getting myself to a Walk at all no longer seemed so important. Has my “crisis” lifted? As part of this video I sat down with U.S. Congressman Barney Frank and asked him about the difference between the emotional toll to gay men, “then” and now.
Facing Change. March 25, 2010. While packing for my move back to Ft Lauderdale from Atlanta, the chore of separating my belongings (“deciding what to keep and what to throw away…”) brings up some emotions (it also brings up a face in a box, more than ready to tease me for feeling blue). I give the packing a rest long enough to get honest about the reasons for the move, and the beauty of second chances.
The Real Poz Guys of Atlanta. March 11, 2010 (originally posted on TheBody.com on February 23, 2010). Another fun evening of friendship and chocolate and secrets with my supportive group of friends in Atlanta. This time, we bake brownies and talk about everything from our doctors to our love lives, and then have Show ‘n Tell! A great example of the value of strong social support for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Anita Mann’s Infamous TV Set Number. (Filmed in 2008). Set to Nancy Lamott’s “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,†my drag queen alter ego battles herself locked in a TV set in this, her finest hour on stage. This performance was taped at a fund raiser for gay and lesbians in recovery from drugs an alcohol, since Anita (and I) are in recovery from crystal meth addiction. Laughter isn’t just good for my t-cells, it is also vital to my recovery from addiction!
A Facial Wasting Update. (Originally appeared on TheBody.com on February 2, 2010). In a previous video I took you along to my first appointment with Dr. Gerald Pierone to address my facial wasting, and that video focused on how my wasting affected me personally. This video, told more from the perspective of Dr. Gerald Pierone, takes you along on my third visit for facial fillers to treat my wasting (lipoatrophy) with Sculptra and Radiesse. Hope you’re not afraid of needles.
Serosorting and Sex Clubs. (Originally appeared on TheBody.com on January 4, 2010.) This quickly became my most-viewed video blog to date. Was it the intelligent discussion about serosorting (limited one’s sexual partners to those who share your HIV status), or was it the guided tour of a gay sex club? Hmm. At any rate, Poz4Play sex party host Bill Trimble leads me through the titillating hallways of his monthly sex party “exclusively for HIV positive gay men.” Then we have a seat next to the sling and enjoy an equally interesting conversation about the sexual choices gay men make — and why Bill believes he is providing important HIV prevention.
My Search for Meaning. (Originally appeared on TheBody.com on May 27, 2009.) Such a tiny topic, eh? And yet when you are faced with such tragedy like the AIDS crisis you can find yourself asking, “What’s it all about?” I’ve shared my frustration with the topic and then conduct interviews with psychiatrist Dr. Jesse Peel, AIDS physician Dr. David Morris, and gay theologian Rev. Chris Glaser. Interesting food for thought.
You Gotta Have Friends. (Originally appeared on TheBody.com on April 22, 2009) So many people wrote to express their appreciation of this video and its simple plot: I invited four friends over for dinner and conversation, and all of us are living with HIV. The intimacy of the conversation is real; these are, in fact, good friends of mine. We cover everything from how we disclose our HIV status to friends and dates, to what our mothers think (and which ones are supportive). Antron, Craig, Eric and James demonstrate that in the sometimes stressful world of HIV, friends really matter.
Treating My Facial Wasting. (Originally appeared on TheBody.com on March 25, 2009.) After dealing with facial lipoatrophy (wasting) and seeing it so evident in my videos, I decided to do something about it by visiting Dr. Gerald Pierone in Vero Beach, FL and being treated with injections of facial fillers. Facial wasting and fat displacement are common side effects of both HIV infection and the medications used to treat it. This topic was updated in a later video when I returned to Dr. Pierone, “Facial Wasting Update.â€
Mark’s R-Rated Sex Pig Blog. (Originally appeared on TheBody.com on January 28, 2009.) Barebacking, glory holes, casual sex and disclosing my HIV status are all discussed in this bawdy, provocative episode. Aging and negotiating sex as a gay man is as funny as it is frustrating, if you ask me. My favorite part: negotiating safer sex through a glory hole. The video is notable for another, unrelated reason: I was only one month clean from my crystal meth addiction and you can still see the ravages of drugs on my face, which is a lesson all its own.
The Drug Addict Takes a Holiday. (Originally appeared on TheBody.com on January 13, 2009.) Ouch. This one is tough for me to watch. After my former partner Ben ended our relationship when I ended up in drug rehab, I visited him in the home we had shared in Ft Lauderdale and tried to make sense of our past — and what may happen in our future. This video is also a visual testament to age, past drug abuse and HIV meds catching up with me, as evidenced by the lipoatrophy (facial wasting) so apparent on my face.
Taking Care of Hal. (Originally appeared on TheBody.com on November 20, 2008.) I never dreamed I would be spending two months in Michigan helping my oldest brother through chemotherapy. But it got me outside of my head, beyond my own HIV diagnosis, and helped me focus on helping someone else. Sometimes, that’s the best medicine of all. (My brother, Harold R. King, Jr., passed away in the Fall of 2010.)
Oprah Comes Calling. (Originally appeared on TheBody.com on November 10, 2008.) In this, only the second episode of my ongoing video series, Oprah reaches out to touch… me! It leads to bittersweet memories of Louise Hay (the “Hayrides†of the 1980s in West Hollywood), and of my gay brother Dick and his partner’s struggle with AIDS. Also, I get an annual physical with Dr. David Morris. Interesting in that you can see me trying to find a balance between humor and helpfulness.
The PREMIERE of My Fabulous Disease! (Originally appeared on TheBody.com on September 24, 2008.) In September of 2008, my video series “My Fabulous Disease†debuted on the best HIV resource on the net, TheBody.com. Here is that episode, which introduces me as a gay man in recovery living with HIV/AIDS. Little did I know what video adventures would lie ahead!
Tags: acting, Aging, aids, barebacking, culture, drag, family, gay, gratitude, help others, hiv, lipo, Louise Hay, meth, Oprah, physical, physician, politics, Radiesse, recovery, Recreation, research, Sculptra, serosorting, Sexuality, testing
Posted in A LIST OF ALL "MFD" VIDEOS, My Fabulous Disease | 1 Comment »
The Hilarious Idiocy of Anonymous Gay Sex
Monday, February 7th, 2011
The cute robots in this video are about to get down ‘n nasty after hooking up through a gay chat site. There’s just one problem: the horned up bareback bottom forgot to ask the top about his HIV status. What follows is a funny, pornographic (NSFW), painfully realistic “negotiation†in which stupidity rules the day.
I have had conversations exactly like this one. And I’ll go even further: in my crystal meth days, I had chats like these through glory holes. “If you’re clean, we’ll do it raw,†the gentleman in the adjoining booth would suggest, to which I would reply, “You’re going to take the word of a stranger you’re talking to through a three inch hole in the wall…?â€
The joke, if there really is one, is on the bareback bottoms who “restrict†their hookups to men who claim they are negative. These misguided folks are almost certainly already positive and don’t yet know it, leaving the door open for them to infect others.
The lesson in all this, of course, is not to put your life into the hands of someone you’ve known for five minutes. Or five months. The responsibility not to get exposed to HIV (and hepatitis and other STD’s) is entirely yours. And another thing: if you’re a sexually active “man about town” and your last HIV test was months ago, the results don’t really matter anymore. Go get a new one.
I exchanged e-mails with the producer of the robot video, who prefers the anonymity of cyberspace but nevertheless has strong feelings about the curious mating habits of the gay male. “If (HIV negative) guys are out there having anonymous sex with strangers, they’re having plenty of contact with HIV+ guys.” he wrote me. “Is there really something that they’d do with a stranger from Manhunt or Grindr that they wouldn’t do with someone who says he’s HIV+? It seems that what bothers them is knowing the truth.”
“I’d like to think that gay men could educate themselves enough to apply a safety standard to their conduct that doesn’t stigmatize anybody,” he goes on, perhaps a bit optimistically, “rather than hide behind a curtain of fear and blame.
I explored a lot of this territory is one of my older videos, “Mark’s R-Rated Sex Pig Blog.†In the video I discuss risks like barebacking and reenact my glory hole conversations (left), complete with a wall, a hole, and my friend Brian playing “the mouth.†And since the video was done before I got a handle on my meth addiction, you can see the ravages of addiction on my face, which is a lesson all its own.
This funny, bawdy robot video says more about the state of gay male sexual risk than any of the horrid public health campaigns out there today. It is exactly the kind of message I would have praised in my recent video conversation with HIV activist Sean Strub about HIV prevention campaigns.
If you want to do something about new HIV infections among our gay brothers, here’s an easy task: send this video to every sexually active guy you know.
Sometimes the truth hurts. In this case, it’s also hilarious.
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Kudos to Maureen McCarty of The New Gay for flagging this video for me. Finding potty-mouthed robots chatting about risky sex is exactly what makes a good editor, I always say. — Mark
Tags: barebacking, culture, gay, hiv, research, serosorting, Sexuality
Posted in Gay Life, My Fabulous Disease, Prevention and Policy | 6 Comments »
Five Things About HIV (They’re Not Telling You)
Tuesday, January 18th, 2011
In the early 1990‘s, I was invited to participate in a roundtable discussion with national public health officials. They wanted to gauge what those on the front lines were thinking about HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns. I gave them an earful.
“Why won’t you tell gay men that being a top is less risky?†I lamented. They always resisted “promoting†anything that might conceivably transmit HIV, no matter how remote the odds, and it drove me nuts. “Give us something to feel better about…” I said. “Won’t you even say that oral sex is lots safer? Why can’t you throw gay men a bone?â€
Gay men are still forced to piece together the latest facts about HIV, largely due to the reticence of public health messages — or in some cases, just plain homophobia.
Thank goodness for people like Sean Strub, lifelong AIDS activist and founder of POZ Magazine. In his blog posting on Poz.com last month, Sean joined a chorus of advocates who are furious over a fearful New York City public health commercial. The spot says “it’s never just HIV,†and shows horrific HIV outcomes that include broken bones, insanity and even a gruesome shot of anal cancer.
Sean sees the campaign as another example of how public health gets it wrong, investing in failed “fear-based†messages while keeping a lid on information that could make a real difference.
In this video episode of My Fabulous Disease, Sean and I discuss five things we believe either represent what is wrong with prevention campaigns, or demonstrate strategies being ignored by public health officials. Pay attention to my links in this post, because I document the research and campaigns we discuss.
We refer to Swiss experts who suggest people with HIV with undetectable viral loads may be non-infectious (for more on this topic check out a great video interview with AIDS physician Paul Bellman, M.D. and his article “Vanquishing AIDS” posted on AIDSmeds). We discuss an infamous 1987 Australian commercial called “The Grim Reaper,†(photo, above) and refer to research that concludes that fear-based messages do not change long-term behavior.
You might enjoy comparing the difference between the NYC “It’s Never Just HIV†spot (in all its frightful foreboding) to the endearing, life-affirming Japanese campaign “Little Taiko Boy,” (left) which presents sexuality in an honest and entertaining manner — complete with music, shirtless dancers, and a drag queen goddess! By the time the goddess presents the film’s lovers with bejeweled condom packages, I was enchanted… and happy for them and their impending bout of safer sex.
Does anything in our talk surprise (or offend) you? Did you know HIV negative people could take a drug regimen immediately after exposure (sexual and otherwise) and greatly reduce the risk of becoming infected? Do you agree that stigma against those living with HIV may be greater now than ever before? This is an important community discussion, and I’m always up for constructive debate or dissent.
Meanwhile, my friends, please be well.
Mark
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Guess what, everybody? This is my 100th posting on My Fabulous Disease! I want to thank you for your warm welcome to the blogosphere since I launched in March, and I hope you will help celebrate by sharing this post with friends or colleagues. And I just joined Twitter! Follow me @MyFabDisease. Thanks!
Tags: aids, barebacking, culture, gay, hiv, politics, research, Sexuality, testing
Posted in Gay Life, Living with HIV/AIDS, My Fabulous Disease, News, Prevention and Policy | 15 Comments »
AIDS2010 for Dummies: An entertaining review.
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
If you require a clinical overview of AIDS2010 in Vienna, or a review of the scientific data presented, boy are you reading the wrong blog. Please check out those articles on The Body, AIDS Map, or the AIDS2010 organization itself.
I’m more of a Charles Kuralt type of correspondent. If he had been gay. And HIV positive. And umm, an addict in recovery. I think you get the idea. The goal of my video blogs from Vienna was to introduce you to the people and programs that energized the conference, and the individual stories of participants from far-flung regions of the world. Beyond the headlines, I wanted you to get a feeling for the sights, sounds, and pure energy of the event.
So here’s a day-by-day breakdown of my video blog episodes, including the stories and interviews included in each. Each synopsis begins with a link to that day’s video blog.
THE MSM PRE-CONFERENCE. Before the official conference, a separate event was held to focus on (M)en who have (S)ex with (M)en. Believe it or not, a very small percentage of 
AIDS2010 was devoted to MSM issues, making this day especially important. The video blog includes a chance interview with Michael Sidibe, director of UNAIDS (left) at the United Nations; a frank conversation about the role of HIV+ gay men in AIDS leadership, a chat with Jim Pickett from IRMA about research into rectal microbicides that might kill HIV without condoms (and a foretelling of the major news of AIDS2010); an interview with a young gay activist from Africa; and a talk with presenters from Gay Men’s Health Crisis about aging and HIV.
AIDS2010 DAY ONE: SEX, DRUGS, AND ANNIE LENNOX. The conference gets started with the roar of the registration area as your tour of the conference venue begins. Then 
it’s an interview with Edwin Bernard about the criminalization of HIV, a hot topic at the conference because of its connection to human rights. After a quick stop to sample the Global Village, there’s a free-wheeling conversation with Wendy Kneer of The Pleasure Project (right) about the female condom and its application for gay men. Next, we meet Methadone Man and friends, who explain the advantages of Methadone therapy for heroin addicts.
In Part Two of the video blog from the first day, I get so close to Annie Lennox in the press room that I could thump her on the head, which I don’t, because her profile as a 
global AIDS activist is growing by the minute. I do, however, get to question her during the main press conference about her “HIV POSITIVE” t-shirt. What a thrill. Then we’re dashing on a Vienna subway to chat with women from the Congo before witnessing a hearty AIDS protest at the conference about the lack of funding to the Global AIDS Fund. Finally, we visit the World AIDS Campaign booth in the Global Village.
AIDS2010 DAY TWO: THE WISDOM OF YOUTH. This was the day I felt my age, having to contend with the energy and passion of very young activists from around the world. I 
met with leaders from the Vienna YouthForce, who held a press conference and then chatted with me about their commitment to HIV in their home countries, including Afghanistan, Lebanon, Germany and Canada. What a group! Then I was charmed by the talents of No Strings, a project that teaches HIV prevention and awareness to children through puppetry, and conducted an interview with one of the project organizers and her trusty felt friend.
AIDS2010 DAY THREE: HUMAN RIGHTS NOW! It was about time to show you more of Vienna, so I welcome you from a gorgeous plaza in the middle of town, before we’re off to 
a reception with the organizers of AIDS2012 in Washington, DC, and a chat with National Minority AIDS Council Director Paul Kawata. Paul shares his highlights of the conference so far. Then one of the most moving events of the week: a human rights march and rally through the streets of Vienna, capped by a live performance by Annie Lennox.
AIDS2010 DAY FOUR: THE ART OF AIDS. Everywhere at AIDS2010, people were expressing themselves artistically. But what were they trying to say? After whining a bit about the exhaustion of the busy conference, we explore the many vendors in the Global 
Village who are featuring artwork for and by people living with HIV/AIDS, and interview the artists. Then another conference highlight: a performance of “Star Whores III,” (right) in which sex workers from around the world dance and spin and thrust their way closer (?) to human rights, if not personal dignity. After a look back at how artwork has been inspired by AIDS since the beginning of the pandemic, we visit a quilt project in the Global Village that is creating its own quilt from the work of conference attendees.
AIDS2010: A FINAL LOOK BACK. How could I not feel fortunate in my own life and struggle with HIV, after meeting a man, Frank from Malawi (left), who makes his living 
giving rides on his bicycle? Who could not be deeply moved by the commitment of women from the Congo I met one a subway? My final blog introduces you to some of the 900 people at AIDS2010 via scholarships, and the value of their voices being heard. Included: an interview with AIDS2010 Chair Julio Montaner.
I wish to thank the editorial team at TheBody.com for assigning me the daunting, exciting task of covering the event, armed with my video camera and a curiosity to meet the real people doing the real work of AIDS around the world. I will never forget this experience.
Tags: aids, culture, gay, hiv, physician, politics, research, Sexuality
Posted in Living with HIV/AIDS, My Fabulous Disease, News, Prevention and Policy | 2 Comments »
AIDS2010 in Vienna: A Final Look
Saturday, July 24th, 2010
I knew AIDS2010 in Vienna would be a great learning experience, but I suppose I didn’t expect to feel such profound gratitude for my life and my advantages. Life is such an arbitrary thing; I was born here, you were born there, she was born over there… and that simple geography equation will mean virtually everything when it comes to our human rights, our access to basic health care and services, and how long we will likely live on this planet.
In my final video blog from Vienna, I introduce you to some people who were attendees as a result of scholarship programs, and I talk to the Chair of AIDS2010 about the importance of every voice being included.
I would also like to express my thanks and great respect for the editorial team from TheBody.com with whom I worked this week. You would assume that great commitment goes into the production of a web site like this one, but it was awesome watching them in action.
Tags: aids, culture, gay, gratitude, hiv, physician, politics, research
Posted in Living with HIV/AIDS, My Fabulous Disease, News, Prevention and Policy | 1 Comment »
AIDS2010: The Art of AIDS
Friday, July 23rd, 2010
Everywhere you look at AIDS 2010 (the international conference in Vienna I’m blogging), HIV is being expressed artistically. It’s as if the disease is so profound to people that simple words can’t communicate their feelings. AIDS has been a productive artistic muse over the years and is the subject of countless pieces of theater, literature, film, dance, and music.
In my video blog entry from Vienna, I’m taking a look back at art and AIDS, and a look around me, at some of the very beautiful — and very funny — “art” pieces that this disease has inspired. Could “Star Whores,” featuring the dancing sex workers of the East, be the next off-Broadway hit?
Tags: aids, culture, gay, hiv, physician, Recreation, research, Sexuality
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AIDS2010: Human Rights March with Annie Lennox
Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
The AIDS2010 theme, “Rights Here, Right Now,” took center stage on day three, with speakers, seminars and events focused on how important human rights are the the AIDS equation.
Access to health care and treatment is a human right. Women deserve rights around the world, so they are not victims of sexual violence, infected with HIV, and then cast aside. And sexual minorities must be respected in order for them to be granted equal access to prevention and treatment services.
In this video blog update, I give you a better look of the city of Vienna, as we venture out from the conference center for a reception with AIDS leaders, and then one of the most exciting events of the conference — the human rights march and rally through the streets of Vienna, concluded with a performance by recording star and AIDS activist Annie Lennox.
Tags: aids, culture, gay, hiv, physician, politics, recovery, research, Sexuality
Posted in Living with HIV/AIDS, My Fabulous Disease, News, Prevention and Policy | No Comments »
AIDS2010 Day Two: The Wisdom of Youth
Tuesday, July 20th, 2010
Today was a blast, because I spent it with my intellectual peers — puppets, show people and youth! In this video blog entry from AIDS2010 in Vienna you’ll meet some amazing young people from around the world who are making a difference in their communities. You’ll also be as charmed as I was by a program that teaches children in Africa about HIV/AIDS through puppetry.
If there is one thing I have learned, it is that these young people can speak for themselves. So I’ll let them. Thanks for watching!
Be sure to keep checking for my daily updates — tomorrow will be a report from the first human rights march ever held from the international AIDS conference, to be led by Annie Lennox.
Meanwhile, please be well.
Mark
Tags: aids, culture, gay, help others, hiv, physical, physician, politics, research, Sexuality
Posted in Living with HIV/AIDS, My Fabulous Disease, News, Prevention and Policy | 5 Comments »
AIDS 2010 Opening Day: Sex, Drugs, and Annie Lennox
Monday, July 19th, 2010
Wendy Knerr from The Pleasure Project really, really wants me to put a female condom inside my rectum. She keeps coaxing me, as if I’ll go running to the men’s room to try one on like a Ralph Lauren pullover. But her enthusiasm for the device is charming, and according to her it empowers gay men engaged in receptive intercourse to take control of safer sex without relying on their partner to use a condom.
Our free-wheeling conversation is in Part One of my video blog below, proceeded by an informative interview with Edwin Bernard, one of the organizers of a session on the criminalization of HIV, a very hot topic at the conference. Edwin does a marvelous job making the legal issues understandable, and he does it with a charming accent.
Meanwhile, Annie Lennox is in the media room and actually answers my questions about her famous “HIV POSITIVE” t-shirt, and colorful cartoon characters promoting recovery from heroin addiction roam the Global Village. These are all great reasons for bringing my video camera to this conference, and I can’t wait to share it all with you in this two-part video blog from the opening day of the event.
The theme of human rights seems, so far, to be embodied in the concept of de-criminalizing HIV, and I chat with an organizer of a seminar on the topic.
Please check back for my daily postings from the conference, and please be well!
Mark
Tags: aids, culture, gay, physician, recovery, research
Posted in Gay Life, Living with HIV/AIDS, My Fabulous Disease, News, Prevention and Policy | 1 Comment »
“Gay Day” at AIDS2010 in Vienna!
Sunday, July 18th, 2010
The AIDS2010 conference was still one day from making its grand arrival, so the MSM Pre-Conference took center stage, playing host to gay men and their advocates from around the globe. I’m here blogging for the best HIV resource of the web, TheBody.com, and here is my first video report to you!
In this, the first of daily video blogs from Vienna, I’m taking you along to meet leaders from the gay response to HIV/AIDS. You’ll hear from Michel Sidibe of the United Nations, saying that a world in which gay men face discrimination “is not a society I want to live in.” We’ll attend workshops together, on topics such as aging, or the role of HIV+ gay men in the AIDS struggle. And you’ll meet advocates like Jim Pickettt of Chicago, who has been working on the development of lubricants that kill the HIV virus without condoms.
It’s only been one day and I’m already tired and energized at once. Keep tuning in — there will be daily video postings, and the spectacle of the AIDS2010 Global Village — artists, exhibits, advocates — will be something you will not want to miss.
Meanwhile, please be well!
Mark
Tags: aids, culture, physician, politics, research, serosorting, Sexuality
Posted in Living with HIV/AIDS, Meth and Recovery, My Fabulous Disease, News, Prevention and Policy | 3 Comments »