A sure fire way to help beat the summer heat is to sport shorts. We all tend to wear less during the summer months whether it is for added comfort or just to bring a little sexy back. After all, what better way to flaunt all that gym time, exercise and/or great tan than by exposing those sexy gams? 

Once reserved exclusively for sports and casual attire, shorts have expanded into other realms of one’s wardrobe needs. Case in point: designers have teamed up Bermuda shorts with blazers over the last few summers, giving you dressier options to integrate into your wardrobe as well. Depending on your work environment and/or social obligations, these cuffed or uncuffed shorts, which usually end about an inch above the knee, can be an acceptable alternative to trousers. They also create a new and easy option for morphing into an “after five” look. 

Besides Bermuda shorts, Cargo Shorts (which include patch pockets down the sides of the legs), and ¾ length trousers, there are two new options to consider this season. Short shorts available in a wide array of solid colors work best with looser fitting tops or knits keeping proportions in check. The length varies from a few inches below your inseam to the widest part of your thighs (Quadriceps).

Fabrics range from colored denim to exotic. Silk is a new alternative but be careful that you don’t look like you are just wearing your boxer shorts and were in a mad rush to get dressed.

Elongated shorts that are cut a few inches below the knee flatter the trend in pattern play that is so popular this season. Tropical prints tend to look best with this style and can be fitted to the body if not semi tapered. The most flattering end point would be the widest part of your calves, making your legs appear larger than they actually are. This style can also add height to your frame. 

Fabric options vary pending the style of shorts. Seersucker, which is a textured cotton and/or blend, is the most comfortable as it creates an air pocket between your skin and the garment and feels as close to being nude as you can possibly get. They are the best option, especially for those of us who live in humid climates. Linen is also a cool choice but best for casual looks due to the crumpled affect it creates. Also, look for other machine friendly options to keep your summer free of trips to the Drycleaners.

Exotic prints, checks and patterns are abundant in all styles and again keep your proportions in mind as to select the most flattering and appropriate looks best suited to you. 

Sandals also play an integral role in complimenting your selection of shorts, adding to your cool quota. Desert boots are a new option this season and are worthy of consideration, especially ones made in suede and in a vibrant color. Sandals or Shoes that are worn without socks create an elongated leg that can come in handy if you are vertically challenged. Adding socks with your shoes or boots when wearing shorts creates a more casual look that may add to your machismo. Socks with sandals is still a huge no-no and falls into the old stereotype of looking homely or completely out of touch. 

Striking the perfect balance with your lifestyle, age, proportions and comfort zone will take some added experimentation due to the variety of styles available this season. But once you find the right styles best suited to your needs, you will breeze through the summer in a selection of shorts guaranteed to keep you cool and well dressed for any occasion.

And that is the end to this short story.

This article by Alex Garner, Frontiers’ Editor-at-Large first appeared on the website of FrontiersLA.com here.

I’m sure you’ve seen the sensational headlines, “HIV-Positive Prostitutes Arrested” or, “Greek Panic over HIV-Positive Prostitutes.” 17 female prostitutes in Greece were arrested for having HIV. It’s being covered as a scintillating story full of drama and intrigue. It has all the makings of an 80s miniseries. All that is missing is Phoebe Cates asking, “Which one of you bitches is my mother?” The appropriate title could be, “Sex, Scandal and Stigma.”

The key word is stigma and unfortunately, this is not a TV movie, it’s real life. The rights of these women have been completed disregarded in order to further the narrative of the dangerous and diseased prostitute. Their names and photos were released to the media, in the style of America’s Most Wanted, and Health Minister Loverdos is using language like, “exploded bomb, “ which helps paint them as sinister immigrant prostitute terrorists.

There has been no indication that HIV transmission has occurred and even the Health Minister admits that assigning blame is a bit tricky. He said, “It's not all the fault of the illegally procured woman, it's 50 percent her fault and 50 percent that of the client, perhaps more because he is paying the money."

So as this scandal unfolds it will pull focus from the challenging conditions for those living with HIV and it will keep a frustrated population from focusing on an economic catastrophe.

This incident should provide us with an opportunity to think about what it means to be an HIV-positive prostitute. Here in Los Angeles, there are scores of gay men working as escorts. Many also work in the porn industry. They aren’t “dirty bombs of disease,” they are just gay guys making a buck off their ripped abs, bulging biceps and other ample bulges.

What exactly are the dynamics at play if one is an HIV-positive escort?

A few years ago, a contributing writer to The Infection Monologues in Seattle, wanted to include a story about how his character got infected from an escort. It was the classic example of relinquishing all responsibility and blaming it on the diseased professional. The question I posed to him is still relevant today- “what incentive does an escort have to be honest if he knows he will lose money?”

I don’t mean to say the escorts are all money hungry monsters. They are businessmen who are making a living. If they know that being honest about their HIV status means they will no longer be able to make a living then it’s reasonable to expect that they may not divulge that information.

I don’t believe that HIV-positive escorts are callous and intend to infect their clients so they can make a quick buck. I think it’s important to explore the complex dynamics of sex, money and power that are at play. 

When a man decides to hire an escort he usually has a sense of what he is into and what his boundaries are. He is paying for a service and he establishes the power dynamic. An escort often has their own boundaries but those boundaries might be flexible depending on how much money is being offered and how low their bank account might be.

The scenario could go something like this: A client calls an escort and asks him details about his services. The client says he intends to be very safe and use a condom. He then asks the escort if he is negative or positive. The escort says positive. The client thanks him for his honesty but decides to move onto another escort.

If this happens to the positive escort again, will he be just as honest? If the escort is undetectable and a condom is going to be used, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the escort would lie so that he could make some money.

And what about the client who declined the services of the positive escort? Does he expect every other escort to be as honest? Was he asking because he might really be interested in sex without a condom?

The bottom line here is that sex work is very complicated. Whether they are immigrant prostitutes or Weho escorts, they are real, three-dimensional human beings. They are already working in an industry that is highly stigmatized and add to that a disease that is all about stigma and it makes for a difficult situation.  Not to mention, there are profound differences between the escort from Rentboy and the one on the street corner in front of Shakeys.

Depicting these people as akin to bomb toting terrorists only increases the fear and fuels the stigma. The solution is a sophisticated and nuanced discussion about sex work that acknowledges the rights and the humanity of the workers while understanding the complicated dynamics involved.

Alex Garner says: I invite you to follow me on Twitter and join me on Facebook.

 

Ever since I came out of the closet for the second time with my diagnosis I made a promise to myself that I would be vocal, to anyone who’d listen, about my life as a gay man and living with HIV.

Essentially, I had practice coming clean about situations in my younger years when I talked with friends and schoolmates about my adoption from a foster home in Colombia.  I thought nothing of it, but what always amazed me was how fascinated people were with my story.  As I grew older I realized it wasn’t so much my adoption that they were interested in hearing, rather the passion I exuded in my words.

It’s always great to get my listeners to laugh when I told them I was adopted and I happened to be on sale that week and went by the name, “Baby Number 5.”  Of course I was joking!  From there on I knew that I loved to make people laugh…even over a touchy subject like HIV.  I never stop talking about my beginning HIV story and where I am now, but recently I returned my energies back towards gay rights in our country - something I hadn’t cared much about since I began with HIV.  Now I advocate for both the rights of positive people and gay people. 

I’ve endlessly told my HIV story and spoke about my background on many websites, including my own blog site and in particularly, Robert Breining’s POZ I AM site where individuals recently diagnosed can find a safe haven.  Now that it’s been over two years since my diagnosis I’ve acquired the skill to summarize my limited experience (time-wise) with HIV in a couple of paragraphs. That way it leaves the dialogue open for people to reach out to me for further details.  

I was diagnosed January 21, 2010.  I went into a severe depression that only took a downward direction when I was told that it was in my best interests to start medications right away given my low T-cell count at the time.  I began my regimen March 27, 2010 and was declared undetectable with a growing T-cell count by June.  I was lucky and once I knew that there was nothing to worry about I disclosed my status to my parents one hot July evening at home.  Following that,  I went viral with a YouTube video that disclosed my status to friends, relatives, co-workers and strangers.  The video continues to get recognition and praise for the most part and can be found at the end of this post. 

My video skills have since improved, but I’ll never forget how nervous I was when I filmed it.  It took almost a whole day to get my words right.  One can probably pick up on the fact that I stuttered with my words, trying to get all my feelings out in ten minutes (I thought it would be my only video.)  Needless to say when it was published my Facebook page, my cell phone and email FLOODED with responses from all my connections of life.  They cried and admired, making sure I was okay and that I wasn’t dying.  Talking to everyone as if I was a doctor explaining how my HIV isn’t killing me, I quickly realized that I made a breakthrough with my words and began a stepping stone for people’s idea of HIV.  Sky was the limit for me from that point on.  This coming August that video will be two years old. 

So there you have it, my HIV history in a speedy nutshell.  I’m not one for living in the past as I have a mind to just look at the road ahead- bumps and smooth terrain alike- with a little more knowledge and experience under my belt. 

I’m at a place in my life where I meet people in bars or social events and I talk about my HIV like it’s an everyday thing - because it is, in retrospect.  I know disclosing isn’t as easy for everyone, but I’d like to think my one voice will encourage others to come out, negative and positive, and talk about HIV.  Besides, I’m tired of being a third class citizen - second because I’m homosexual and third for being an HIV positive homosexual. And don’t get me started on HIV-positive women in this country as my heart will always have a place for them. 

The reason I bring this up is because I’ve transitioned my HIV story from being recently diagnosed to living with HIV.  I’m stealing the “So What, Now What?” slogan.  I live in America where the news and media is lately saturated about our President’s support for gay marriage.  Sure, I’m happy to hear about his support, but I’m one of those people that want to see action.  After all it is an election year in our country and isn’t timing just everything?  What happens if one day my body’s virus takes a turn for the worse and my partner at the time is unable to see me in the hospital? 

With my “so what, now what” attitude and my HIV in a healthy check I reassembled my fight for gay rights that I put on the backburner since January 21, 2010.  I’m still hopeful that more and more of our states and provinces will approve equal rights for all.  This will be quite a year in our country with the election, the mass hysteria over gay rights and the International AIDS Conference being held this summer in Washington, D.C.  The President won’t be able to hide then when he’s asked why America has a waiting list for medications and treatment for even one  individual too many and what he plans to do about it.  

I can’t wait when a few decades down the road I’m writing the memoir of my life and I make jokes at the fact that I remember a world that opposed gay marriage and people feared HIV.  Those were the days.  However, that future I set will only be a reality if more people like me come out from the shadows and scream about their HIV.

1) Where Have You Been (Hardwell Remix)-Rihanna 

2) Starships (Krunks Ghetto Booty Bass Mix)-Nicki Minaj 

3) Girl Gone Wild (Dave Aude Dub)-Madonna 

4) Somebody That I Used To Love (J Farrell Remix)-Gotye 

5) Molly (Original Mix)-Cedric Gervais 

6) Levels (Baltimore Bounce Edit)-Avicii 

7) 212 (Extended Mix)-Azealia Banks 

8) Turn Up The Music (Chris James Edit)-Chris Brown 

9) Rumor Has It (Joe Maz Remix)-Adele 

10) Move Your Body (Benny Benassi Remix)-Marshall Jefferson 

Check out DJ Relentless for Dirty Mondays at Crews & Tangos on May 21st & May 28th. 

And here's a free download for your listening pleasure: 

DIRTY MONDAYS Sampler Mix

 

In the early days of HIV, gay men played a significant role in shaping the movement; not only because the gay community was severely impacted by HIV, but also because gay men were actively involved in providing services and programs. 

Since those early days, and with more effective treatments, it seems that many gay men living with HIV are less involved. Partly because of improved health and partly because of a shift toward services that address the specific needs of other populations. Gay men are in some ways disaffected from the movement that began in order to support them. 

But where did the gay and bisexual men go? Are they connected to other men living with HIV? Is there an importance to being connected? Are newly diagnosed gay/bi guys finding the support they need or are there those who remain “in the closet” about their HIV and are isolated, lonely and dealing with disconnection? 

The answers to these questions are not entirely clear, but here in Victoria, BC we’re finding that there are men who are not connected. There are men who are lonely and isolated; there are newly diagnosed men who have no association with other men living with HIV. And for those of us who are aging, the separation can leave us with a lack of support and “community.”

Some might say that we don’t need anything… Gay men are welcome to access programs and services as long as we’re comfortable in the settings provided. However, in dealing with the stigma of HIV as well as homophobia, there’s something to be said about creating spaces for gay/bi men to be together and develop community that speaks to their particular needs and interests. A place where being gay/bi isn’t an issue: a place for safe, supportive sharing and social interaction.

Here in Victoria, we’ve started to build those spaces. Positively Connected is a pilot project of Victoria AIDS Resource & Community Service Society (VARCS). VARCS saw a need to create something unique for gay/bi men living with HIV that includes social connection as well as support. In larger centres these programs exist already, but in smaller communities there may be a gap. This project is attempting to address that gap. Support can be anything from a facilitated group to one-to-one meetings in the community or hospital. Social activities range from a walking group to a pub night and coffee evenings. 

HIV is only a part of our lives. Positively Connected is working in concert with the Vancouver Island Persons Living with HIV/AIDS Society and AIDS Vancouver Island Men’s Wellness Program to develop activities and support that resonate with gay/bi men and link us together in meaningful ways. Creating the connections that open us to new friendships and that assist in maintaining our health. 

For more information or to get connected, please write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . You can also visit or like our Facebook page: Positively Connected Victoria BC. 

Michael Yoder has been living with HIV since 1984 and has been involved in the HIV/AIDS movement for more than 20 years. He is currently self-employed and is contracted as the Coordinator of the Positively Connected Project.

Editor's note:  We don’t particularly like the term MSM – men who have sex with men - but prefer to use something like gay, bi and questioning men.  But MSM is a term frequently used by epidemiologists and others who look at gay/bi men on a population wide basis, so excuse the use of the term here.

In any event we received the following notice from the Global Forum on MSN & HIV (MSMGF) and thought it was well worth passing on. You can read more about the MSMGF here.

We did the survey ourselves; there are over 100 questions and while not onerous, it will take you more than  a few minutes.  But the kind of questions asked, in our view, will give a good picture of things like the prevalence of homophobia, HIV discrimination, access to treatment, availability of prevention  services and more around the globe. So we encourage you to complete the survey and add to our collective knowledge of these issues.

Note that you do not have to be poz to participate – the survey is for gay men and others who have sex with men.

*************************************************

Dear all,

The Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF) is thrilled to announce the official launch of the 2012 Global Men’s Health and Rights Survey (GMHR)!

GMHR 2012 is the second global survey on the health and human rights of gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) conducted by the MSMGF. The first global survey – GMHR 2010 – yielded more than 5,000 responses from around the world, revealing vital information about the state of homophobia, human rights, and access to health services for MSM worldwide.

Like GMHR 2010, this year’s survey is designed to support knowledge generation, policy development, program implementation and advocacy linked to the issues that matter most to our communities. We are stepping up recruitment this year in hopes of significantly increasing the number of respondents from each region around the world, generating robust data to help local organizations develop regionally-tailored advocacy and program initiatives.

Learn more and take the survey here in English, Chinese, French. Spanish or Russian

Please forward this to the MSM in your networks! The more men from your region that take the survey, the stronger the data will be to support local work!

Any questions regarding this initiative can be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Thank you very much!

The MSMGF Secretariat

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