AID Atlanta is staging a cookout and forum in Piedmont Park Wednesday to discuss unprotected or "bareback" anal sex, which agency officials say seems to be on the rise among gay and bisexual men. Blending an often clinical topic with an everyday social venue might sound awkward, but a similar forum last year "turned out to be our best-attended event," said Justin Ziegler, an AID Atlanta development officer.
"Since it is something we're seeing people are doing a lot more these days, we basically wanted to have an open forum so we could talk about it," said Ziegler. "Obviously since people are doing it, we need to talk about what's driving people to do it." Honesty demands admitting that many gay men see benefits to unprotected sex, not just risks, Ziegler said.
"It's our goal that people, after going through this event, will want to have protected sex," said Ziegler. "We just want to create an open, nonjudgmental environment where people will feel comfortable talking honestly about this."
The June 18 park event is a part of AID Atlanta's "Popular Opinion Leader" (POOL) HIV prevention series, which is based on a CDC-approved prevention strategy. Most AID Atlanta prevention sessions targeting gay and bisexual men are POOL-based.
"We want it to be a fun event, we want them to have fun while they're here so it's not just us cramming information down their throats; a program that is interesting enough that people would want to attend even if they've lost interest in the cause," Ziegler said. Series topics planned for upcoming months include crystal meth use, body image, pornography, and how these relate to safer sex decisions, Ziegler added.
"Barebacking in the Park" will be held at 6 p.m. at the Piedmont Park Meadow, 10th Street and Monroe Drive.
06/13/08
GEORGIA: AID Atlanta Hosts Candid Talk About Unsafe Sex
Source: Southern Voice (Atlanta):: Ryan Lee; Courtesy of the CDC National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention