Alarm Over Rising Hiv Infection Among Gay Men

[animatic]

If it gets more money to where it's needed,

I could care less how they massage the numbers to get it.

The problem with that argument is that when the people/institutions/governments who provide the funding find that they've been lied to they tend to withdraw the funding.

Why should they not know on their own, no question and answer sessions?

Are they so dumb they can't check figures for themselves and get second opinions.

There is outright lies and there is putting the best face on the numbers.

'Massaging the numbers' is not making things up out of thin air.

When faced with a burocracy you must reach past what you want

or you inevitably get less than you need.

It's the bureaucratic mentality to short any program.

In this case, whatever money they put at the problem is not going to be enough.

So they have no reason to gripe if the numbers were more negatively implied.

Edited November 3, 2008 by animatic

[Hairy]

Maybe some of you folks are too young to remember, but "the great heterosexual AIDS epidemic" has been eagerly anticipated by the media since the disease was discovered in the early 1980s. The fact remains that homosexual men are most at risk, and have been ignoring the issue, whether out of fear, or denial, or because they just hate condoms.

This is misleading at best.

Yes, homosexual sex and IV drug use is high risk.

So is heterosexual. I don't know what your agenda is, but it really isn't helpful.

To wit:

http://www.kff.org/hivaids/upload/3030-05.pdf

The major route of HIV transmission worldwide is heterosexual

sex, but risk factors for HIV vary around the world.

30 percent of the HIV cases in South and SE Asia are WOMEN. I guess they have been having alot of male to male anal sex on the side, based on your weird logic.

"The major route of HIV transmission worldwide is heterosexual" doesn't mean much when 90% to 95% of the population is heterosexual (varies depending on which agenda-laden group's statistics one attempts to believe, of course). Hey, there are nine to nineteen times as many heterosexuals! Is it any bleedin' wonder that the "major route ... is heterosexual"?

And yet -- and keep in mind that I'm in the U.S., and am going by statistics from here -- over half of new cases in the U.S. are among "men who have sex with men" ("MSM" for short). Source, CDC study:

http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news-...th-Men-26387-1/

Globally, I can't find hard numbers right this instant, but a brief search turns up a lot of "MSM at elevated risk" articles. Hint: if a group is at "elevated risk", that is NOT a good thing.

Well, unless of course you have an agenda to the contrary. Fred Phelps would probably be ecstatic. I'm guessing you're not a big supporter of his, though, based on several of your posts.

If I have any agenda, it is arguably the promotion of oral sex. Reduces pregnancy risks, reduces HIV transmission risks, nutritious, satisfying, is there ANYTHING it can't do?!?

The only gay or bisexual men in the world who are not aware of the hazards of AIDS/HIV must be hermits living in caves. And 99% of them know they should use condoms. Now, as for the remaining 90% of the world, please get your head out of the sand. Thank you. The life you save will probably be straight.

Awareness does not mean that someone is going to behave safely. Drunk drivers are aware that they're idiots, but drive drunk anyway.

[TAWP]

Seeing as straight men tend to be morons, think they are invincible and try to screw anything that walks - why would gay guys be different? It add then to the fact that in a gay bar you would have men of both side of the relationship/chase...

Disclaimer: Not saying that woman doesn't chase men/other woman too, but be it nature or culture, they are not doing it at the a lower level of aggression.

[chuck_s]

Well, I am not that surprised to hear this.

Some of the gay sites that cator to the western gay male – mostly those from Europe and the U.S. – They publicaly state in their profiles that they have HIV/AIDS, but msot thai don’t really care or bother.

Now, there is a difference in the additude amongest gay men here in Bangkok from what I gathered over the year and talking to some of the older gay thai men here.

• Older usually above 35: demand condoms, no barebac k sex. But some don’t either.
  
• Younger working class: demand condoms or no risky sex.
  
• Younger University: all depends, they want to take the risk. Medical students do demand safe sex in all aspects.
  
• Younger High school and some younger University: Not really demand safe sex, but if got a condom, good. If not, then mai pen rai = don’t worry now, it’s the thrill.
  

The sex workers tell me in Silom that if a man has HIV they still get paid and they need the money to survive and send some home to their families. It is about living life and not taking responsibility for their own lives. Foreigners don’t really care and seek this kind of mentality out.

In DJ and GOD ( Gays on Drugs) as most call it: western men who do not look the least bit healthy often approach Thais for sex and do get it. Many of the thai tell me, they do not like some of them, since they don’t like to use condoms.

Failure to provide condoms in many of the Gay Suana’s is a big issue and they do not want to be labled as a place to have sex. This is due to to the Thai Governments failure to acknowledge this issue. Deniel and thai refuse to take the risk and play safe. Org. such as some of the Gay/Lesbian/Bi/Transgender do provide information and free resources, which you can find some of their posters or broucers in some of the gay spots in Silom.

[wpcoe]

Back in America, I can reconcile differences in the younger generation having a different perspective on HIV/AIDS than the older generation of which I am a part: I saw many close friends suffer and die when the disease first reared its ugly head. The younger generation hears about it and/or reads about it, but living through the experience makes a deeper impression and hence a stronger motivation to engage in safe sex. The younger generation, having not experienced the pain and trauma, may not be as motivated.

Then, however, I wonder how that line of reasoning would hold up in Thailand. Totally different value to life and suffering in the Buddhist mindset: suffering in this life enhances the chance of a better life the next time. Buddhism *assumes* a next life time, whereas the mostly Christian west considers this to be our only chance to be in the flesh. Would such a difference in religious/cultural perspectives affect the serious concern we in the west place on HIV/AIDS/safe sex for Thai people?