Online, Offline Resources - Sex

Chicago-specific

Center on Halsted – Sexual Compulsive Therapy Group
Weekly psychotherapy group for gay and bisexual men struggling with sexual compulsivity issues. Pre-registration required. Meets Thursdays 6:30-8:00 pm.
Contact: Tim Bechtel 773-472-6469 x158

Get Tested Chicago
Comprehensive info on syphilis signs and symptoms and testing info.

And the rest

Barebackhealth.net Health tips to reduce the risk of sex without condoms.

"Desire, Disclosure, Protection and Pleasure" is the presentation on sero-adaptation by Dr. Will Wong and Jim Pickett from the ManAlive 07 Chicago gay men's health summit held November 3, 2007.

Disclose HIV The "status sorting"campaign from the San Francisco Department of Public Health and Better World Advertising that has had a number of hens clucking. From the site: "Status sorting is a prevention strategy: Every gay man should know his status.Status sorting, also known as "serosorting", is when guys who have the same HIV status hookup - positive with positive or negative with negative..." For more, go to the site already.

"Gay, Sexy and Healthy: Strengthening Prevention for Men Like Us" was a special FREE speaker series held in Chicago October 10 featuring Dr. Ron Stall (left) and the CDC's Greg Millett (right) who discussed the social and cultural factors that influence gay men of all colors. Download Ron's slide presentation - "Improving Safe Sex Interventions for MSM". Download "HIV Infection Among Black and Latino MSM" by Greg.

The Global Mapping of Pleasure is a directory or organizations, programmes, media and people who eroticize safer sex. It is a treasure trove for many audiences, including everyone who is tired of hearing the same-old prevention messages – that sex is dangerous, something to be feared, and that safer sex is un-sexy or anyone looking for a new, exciting and sexy approach to safer sex and sexual health.

HIV SeroAdaptation Presentation At the February 8, 2007 meeting of the San Francisco Prevention Planning Council, UCSF's Jeff McConnell made a fascinating presentation on serosorting and other related risk reduction behaviors being employed by gay men - "HIV SeroAdaptation: Selecting Sexual Partners, Practices, and Positions in the Midst of an Epidemic." Click here for the LifeLube blog posting on this subject.

How I Roll is the ssssexy new site launched by porn star Steve Cruz with the help of friends over at Stop AIDS, filled with tips, facts, helpful info and nice visuals. "I am not here to wag my finger in your face. You have to figure out 'How You Roll'. If nothing else I am here to remind us all that safer and hotter sex is still happening… " says Steve - and we believe him!

In Spot Need some help telling that guy you may have passed along a little something extra the other night? Click on this site for info on STDs and assistance in letting him know.

IRMA International Rectal Microbicide Advocates - a global network of advocates, policy makers, researchers and funders committed to the research and development of safe, effective and acceptable rectal microbicides. A rectal microbicide could be a gel, lube, douche, or enema that provides protection during anal intercourse.

Men Seeking Men No nonsense sexual advice from our friends in New Zealand.

My Sexy City This innovative website engages you in true-to-life situations in which you make virtual decisions on behalf of an animated character. Various scenes include the streets, a club and an apartment complex. Along the way, you receive info about HIV transmission, sexually transmitted infections, substance use, coming out and relationships.

Oral transmission of HIV, reality or fiction? This article from Oral Diseases, 2006, will tell you the what's what.

PrEP Watch is a comprehensive information source regarding pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention, launched by the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) refers to an experimental HIV-prevention strategy that would use anti-retrovirals to protect HIV-negative people from HIV infection. Along with AIDS vaccines and microbicides, PrEP is one of the experimental HIV-prevention strategies being tested in clinical trials today. PrEP Watch features a regularly-updated table of planned and ongoing trials as well as current information including scientific findings, advocacy documents, and meeting reports.

Safer and Healthier Sex Gay Men's Health Crisis and AIDS Project Los Angeles pulled together these "10 Tips for Gay Men." Tip #4 - "Take any symptoms on your penis or anus seriously." May seem pretty obvious, but a lot of us like to blow these sorts of things off, hoping they will go away. And while the symptoms sometimes do in fact disappear, the underlying cause is still there...

Status Seekers: The fuss over "serosorting" Article from POZ Magazine (Feb/Mar 07) that asks, "Is exclusively picking sexual partners of the same HIV status, a tactic called serosorting, the safe way to condomless pleasure and freedom from transmission worries... or is it risky self-segregation?"

Sex and Sexual Health GMFA's sex and sexual health website, designed to answer all of your questions about gay men's sexual health. Very cool, from the UK. How risky is? - GMFA's page from their Sex and Sexual Health website which provides info on the riskiness of various sexual acts. Reducing the risk without using condoms - GMFA's page from their Sex and Sexual Health website which provides info on reducing the risk without using condoms.

Sexual Chemistry - Sex, Drugs and Gay Men What this booklet from the South Beach AIDS Project attempts to do is to have a full and frank discussion about the often complex and varied relationships between drugs, sex, and sexual health for gay men.. It's non-judgmental and realistic about drug use and risk-taking in the gay community.

Shotworthy.com A very "keepin' it real" kinda site about STDs, HIV and the relative risks of all kinds of sex. So, is that dude you are about to get it on with "shotworthy?"

STDCheckup Frequently intimate, frequently test... Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are pretty common among gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM). This nicely done site addresses this situation iin a straightforward way by educating both medical care providers and gay/MSM about the appropriateness and importance of routine STD testing if you are sexually active.

What's Safe to You Safer sex can mean different things to different people and can be smart, fun and involve other options beyond condoms. This hot little pamphlet from Gay Men's Health Crisis and AIDS Project Los Angeles helps negotiate the realities of "safety" in a world that forgets about intimacy, love, desire and pleasure between men.

Without Condoms: Unprotected Sex, Gay Men and Barebacking (Book) 2005, by Michael Shernoff. "For the last quarter century, the AIDS epidemic has forced upon gay men a horrible entanglement of sex, love, intimacy, and death. Our response to this situation has too often offered rationalistic prescriptions that uncannily ignore the complexity of human emotional life. Michael Shernoff has managed to step well outside such rote response and return the subject to the complex, sensitive analysis it desperately requires." - Walt Odets, clinical psychologist and author of In the Shadow of the Epidemic: Being HIV-Negative in the Age of AIDS. Unsafe at any speed? Gay.com interview with Michael Shernoff Therapist and author Michael Shernoff talks about sexual harm reduction, including strategies like "serosorting," "strategic postioning," and "negotiated safet." that make some uncomfortable but are indeed reflective of the reality of gay men's lives.

Online, Offline Resources - Drugs

Chicago-specific

http://dickeb.net/aa

A list of over 50 GLBT-focused Alcoholics Anonymous meetings per week in Chicago

Center on Halsted
3656 N. Halsted Street, Chicago
773-472-6469

Center on Halsted - Gay & Straight Together NA (Narcotics Anonymous)
12-step meeting on Saturdays 11:30 am – 1:00 pm. Second Floor.

Center on Halsted - When You Care
A support group addressing the unique concerns of individuals whose LGBTQ partners, family members or friends are struggling with substance abuse. Meets Thursdays 7:00-8:30 pm.
Contact: Tim Bechtel 773-472-6469 x158.

Center on Halsted – Sober Horizons
GLBT Alcoholics Anonymous Group. Meets Sundays from 9:00-11:00 am. Second Floor

Howard Brown Health Center
4025 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago
773-388-1600

Howard Brown Health Center - Bitch to Quit
Co-ed smoking cessation groups providing skills and support, without judgment, to help beat cigarette addiction. Nicotine gum and patches available at no cost. Call for locations and start dates.
Contact: Kristen Torres 773-388-8682 kristent@howardbrown..org or www.bitchtoquit.com

Howard Brown Health Center - Contemplations Drop-In
A confidential space for LGBTQ folks who may be questioning their drug and/or alcohol use. Opportunity to discuss with a counselor what differentiates social use from abuse and addiction. Information on available treatment options is also provided. No registration is required for this service, which is provided at no charge.
Saturdays 1:30-2:30 pm @ 4025 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago.
contact: Lisa Rivitz 773-388-8886 or lisar@howardbrown.org

Howard Brown Health Center - Recovering with PRIDE Program
Individual/Group therapy and intensive outpatient services are available to members of the LGBTQ community struggling with alcohol or substance abuse or addiction, or wanting ongoing recovery support. Call for an assessment.
Program Coordinator: Lisa Rivitz 773-388-8886 or lisar@howardbrown.org

Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
Fridays at 7:00 pm at TPAN, 5537 N. Broadway, 773-989-9400
Sundays at 10:30 am at TPAN, 5537 N. Broadway, 773-989-9400

New Town Alano Club
Hosts a range of 12 step meetings with a primary outreach to lesbians and gays, including AA, CMA, NA, Alanon, Cocaine Anonymous, and others.
Meetings at 909 W Belmont, 2nd floor
contact: 773-529-0321

The Recovery Room
A community of individuals dedicated to celebrating the diversity of 12-step recovery in a spirit of inclusiveness. Hosts a range of meetings, welcoming all members of the GLBT community and their friends seeking recovery.
Meetings at 4003 N. Broadway (at Irving Park)
contact: 773-327-0110 or www.myspace.com/recroomchicago

Save our Sanity Group of AlAnon
Group for friends and families of alcoholics. Meets Monday Nights 8:00 pm at the Joliet Alano Club (go in the back door, to the front room) 265 Republic Joliet.
www.niafg.org

Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN) – Positive Progress I & II
A peer-led groups for HIV positive individuals in recovery. Special emphasis is placed on living a clean and sober lifestyle as a priority to effectively living and dealing with HIV. Group I reads from AA literature. Group II reads from NA literature. Meets Tuesdays 7:00-9:00 pm.
contact: Abraham House-EL 773-989-9400

And the rest

Dance Safe Promotes health and safety in the rave and nightclub scene with regard to party drugs and the boys who enjoy them.

Drugs in Partyland is a fantastic guide to party drugs, including stuff on cigarettes, alcohol, GHB, ecstacy, marijuana, poppers, Viagra, crystal (natch) and more, more, more...

"Gay, Sexy and Healthy: Crystal Meth Prevention and Beyond - Addressing the Holistic Health Needs of Gay Men" was presented by Jim Pickett at Washington State's Carevent Conference November 14, 2007.

Hurricane Tina Like a hurricane, crystal meth affects communities — not just individuals. How are we taking care of each other? Gay Men's Health Crisis put together this fantastic - and very real - booklet especially targetting gay men of color. After all, Tina is not just for white boys. And if it starts to hit Black and Latino guys hard, we may have to change crystal's nickname from Tina to Katrina. Let's not let that happen. Click here to check out the amazing PSA.

The Love Trip This site courtesy of Boston's MALE Center gives you accurate, non-judgmental information about the ins and outs of club drugs as well as how to take care of yourself, get help, and more.

Safer+Saner They don’t care if you call yourself leather, kinky, or just plain funkin' freaky… Just make sure whatever you do is SAFER, SANER, and all ways consensual. One of our fav sites - very, very hot with tips ranging from Crusin', Gettin' High, Sexxin', Watersports, Toys and so much more. Give it a click.

The Speed Project is for gay/bi/heteroflexible men who use speed. It is a harm reduction program based in San Francisco, but no matter where you live you can get something out of this rockin' site. Check out their fabulous 'zine, Speedometer, here.

Tweakends This innovative harm-reduction website comes via APLA and GMHC and is dedicated to helping gay and bisexual men understand crystal meth and its impact on physical, mental and sexual health. The site is designed to help users and their loved ones empower themselves to take charge of their lives, reduce risk and share what they know. Just look into the Crystal Ball...

Tweaker.org "Tweaking tips for party boys." Cool harm reduction site about meth.

 

This site is made possible by the Sexual Health Xchange and Project CRYSP.