Gay – Page 2 – news.lgbti.org

Gay Straight Alliances

Gay Straight Alliances are an increasingly popular way of bringing people together in order to reduce homophobia and homophobic bullying.

GSA’s have become popular and are groupings of individuals who get together to create a safe space where gay people can meet and talk with straight peers without fear of harassment and discrimination. However Noah Davis-Power points out that such alliances need resources, funding and commitment – it is not enough to just set them up and tick the box.

GSA’s exist to assure that each member of every community at work or school is valued and respected regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

Most of them have been formed in high schools and colleges but there are also some gay straight alliances in the adult and internet worlds like Twitter and Facebook.

If you think you could benefit from having a gay straight alliance, here are steps to forming a Gay Straight Alliance:

1. Follow the guidelines at your school or office. Establish the GSN the same way as any other club or society. Check the regulations or company policies on establishing and running clubs or support groups.

2. Find a supportive teacher or staff member or manager. Identify an ally or champion and get them on your side to help start your GSN.

3. Inform the school’s or employers’ administration or personnel section. They often work as liasons to other school members or colleagues.

4. Know the law.

5. Carry out a climate survey. This will allow you to better understand the prevailing culture and position of your colleagues on such issues as anti-LGBTI+ bullying and harassment and to make your case for continuing with the GSA.

Sexual Agreements & Substance Abuse among Gay Couples

Researchers have been trying to understand how gay male couples’ relationships, including their sexual agreements, affect their risk of getting HIV.

According to studies, gay men and other men who have sex with men are disproportionately affected by HIV. They account for nearly two-thirds of HIV cases among men in the U.S. Also, between one-third and two-thirds of men who have sex with men acquire HIV while in a same-sex relationship, according to a recent article published in AIDS and Behavior.

According to “A Cause for Concern: Male Couples’ Sexual Agreements and Their Use of Substances with Sex,” studies have found that gay men who use illegal substances, like ecstasy, and controlled substances, like alcohol, are at an increased risk for acquiring HIV. Some of these men are also more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behavior with men who have sex with men, such as unprotected anal intercourse, and some have used substances during sex. Many of these men consider some substances “sex drugs,” it said, because they either prolong or enhance the sexual experience.

The study’s researchers decided to also figure out how sexual agreements are associated with gay male couples who use substances with sex. They define a sexual agreement as “an explicit understanding between two partners about which sexual and other behaviors are permitted to occur within, and if relevant, outside of their relationship.”

The researchers recruited U.S. men who have sex with men using a Facebook advertisement. They looked for men who were either in a relationship, married or engaged, and they narrowed their focus to 275 HIV negative concordant couples who participated in an online survey.

The study found that 87 percent of the couples practiced high-risk behavior, and about one-third had sex outside of their relationship. Fifty-nine percent consented to a sexual agreement. A majority who agreed said it was closed, but a little over a third said it was an open agreement. A small percent were not okay with the agreement at all.

The findings also indicated that the couples having an established sexual agreement were more likely to use a variety of substances with sex particularly within their relationships. Couples who had broken their agreement were more likely to engage in the use of marijuana or amyl nitrates when having sex.

Researchers believe more studies need to look into these relationships and agreements further. Also, HIV prevention efforts, which have focused on individual gay men and communities, need to focus prevention intervention among gay male couples, especially those who use substances with sex.

Dr. M. Mirza, LGBT Health Wellness – 2014

Alarming Facts About Meth In The Gay Community

Crystal meth has become an epidemic in the gay community, especially in larger cities where “party and play” (PnP) is a well known scene. While party and play can include any type of drug use combined with sexual activity, it usually refers to crystal meth. Following are some unfortunate facts regarding crystal meth use in the gay community:

Meth abuse is widespread

There are higher levels of drug abuse and addiction reported from gay men than heterosexual men. Crystal meth has become an all too common dangerous problem in the gay community within the last 20 years. In certain areas, arrests that have involved crystal meth have doubled, and higher rates have taken place in gay neighborhoods.

Meth is used in combination with other drugs

Many combine meth with other drugs. One trend that wreaks havoc on the body is “speedballing”, which is the mixture of drugs that have opposite effects (sedatives with uppers). The most popular speedball concoctions involve meth and Viagra or GHB. More recent data shows that combining crystal meth and viagra can speed up HIV production in the brain.

Meth and sex parties are growing in popularity

The increasing popularity of parties, which often include drugs, exists with a lot of help from social media sites such as Tinder and Grindr. These parties are regular in many parts of the US. Those who host the get-togethers might even advertise that there will be free meth provided and anonymous sex. This leads to many of the folks attending engaging in unprotected sex.

Meth is extremely dangerous for gay, HIV positive men

Of course, meth is dangerous for everyone, but is particularly harmful in the gay community. There is concern due to indications provided by data that crystal meth can greatly reduce the effects of HIV medication and/or create the “HIV SuperVirus”, which is a virulent strain of HIV.

New HIV infections are rising among young gay men

Gay men between the ages of 17 and 29 are reported to be the highest users of meth and the highest risk level is to those in the western states, under 40 and gay. These risks include that of acquiring HIV and crystal meth addiction. Even if one is HIV negative, use of crystal meth could potentially lead to them contracting HIV more quickly.

IV use is increasing among gay men

Research shows that there is a significant rise in IV meth use seen in gay men. The Antidote, which is LGBTI support service in the UK, reports that use has quadrupled between 2011 and 2013. Users are given an extreme rush and high with an IV trend that is known as “slamming”, which sometimes lasts for several days at sex parties.

Sex can seem boring after quitting meth

It’s is extra difficult for gay men to quit meth due to the effects it has on dopamine in the brain, leading to intense euphoric feelings and heightened sexual arousal.

What Gay Men Think About Masculinity

Masculinity is a big deal in gay culture. Not only is it a force that crushes many “effeminate” gay men with unnecessary ideals, but it also impels gay men to avoid and disdain other gay men that do not meet their own standards. Studies have shown that the gay male image of masculinity is based strongly on ideals like a muscular and large frame, emotional restriction, and sometimes sexual adventurism. These ideals draw obviously from mainstream societal standards for men, and their impact on gay men probably make a large contribution to the higher incidence of psychological distress and HIV/AIDs in young gay men who are particularly vulnerable to societal pressure.

It’s not just chance encounters that are tarnished by masculine ideals. Research has shown that personal ads placed by gay men seeking other men tend to list masculine ideals like muted emotions and muscularity. Self-descriptions by single gay men will emphasize classically masculine personality traits while neglecting more feminine ones.

If these divisions in the gay community exist as reported, why is it that gay men don’t take the reins back from mainstream culture and stop adding to their own adversity?

Well for one, gay men are already an extremely varied group in terms of how they express gender, and the stress that mainstream culture puts on masculinity in general is unrealistic — but valuing masculinity isn’t inherently harming gay men, per se… at least not enough for anyone to prove it.

Surprisingly, many gay men in social studies done on gay masculinity report being protective of masculine ideals, such as competitiveness and masculine interests, because of their potential to advance one’s success in the workplace.

Positive consequences of conforming to masculine ideals keep gay men seeking men with similar ideals. Personal care that involves fitness rather than fashion, an interest in traditionally male entertainment, and financial security are all factors that singles looking for same-sex partners may have in mind while creating personal ads.

Most of the emphasis on masculinity in gay culture is a consequence of media pressure and traditions that are taking a long time to break, and not deliberate intra-social homophobia. Moving away from such standards involves abandoning the media image of the successful male, and gay men are no more or less responsible for its idolization than the rest of society.

Dr. M. Mirza, gbt health wellness .com – 2014

Gay Black Men’s Pressure to Conform Leads to Higher HIV Risk

Familial and cultural pressure to conform to expected masculine behaviors leads gay black men to engage in riskier behavior, therefore increasing their risk of contracting HIV. This is according to a report out of the John’s Hopkins Children’s Center and published in Science Daily. This community of men feel distress and social isolation, according to the report, which may contribute to their decision to take part in such behaviors. The “compensatory” behavior according to researchers leads to riskier behavior and contributes to the higher infection rate among gay black men.

Gay and bisexual black men attributed to 4,800 new HIV cases in 2010, more than two times that of other male groups, says the CDC. Thirty five young, male participants took part in this study, recently published in the American Journal of Public Health. Openly gay and bisexual men took part in this study, as did young men who have sexual relations with men but don’t self-identify as gay or bi-sexual, also known as MSM. Adolescent medicine expert at the John’s Hopkins Children’s Center and the study’s lead author, Errol Fields, M.D., Ph.D., said of this study, “HIV risk is the sum total of many factors, but social and family stress is a well-known driver of all types of risk-taking behaviors, and our findings clearly support the notion this also holds true when it comes to HIV risk.”

There is a very traditional view of masculinity with strong anti-gay sentiment in the community where the participants grew up. These participants needed to prove their masculinity, hide homosexuality, and conform to social pressures. This makes them far less likely to take part in monogamous relationships and more likely to take part in unprotected sex. Black gay men also sought affirmation through sex which they weren’t getting from a close loved one in their life. Some also said that having unprotected sex showed trust and love for one’s partner. Since the community they were from expected them to act aggressive and free of any feminine behaviors, they were forced to either conform or be ostracized. Drug use, drinking, fighting and other such risky behavior was taken part in so as to prove their masculinity and fit in.

According to Dr. Fields, “The findings of our study reveal a clear clash between internal sexual identity and external expectations at a critical developmental stage,” As a result, “This clash creates loneliness and low self-esteem and appears to drive these boys and men to risky behaviors, sexual and otherwise.” These young men were also constantly worried that they would be found out. If they were found out they would lose their friends and family, so they needed their secret to be safe. “It’s a true catch-22 for these youngsters,” said Fields. “On one hand, they are dealing with the chronic anxiety of hiding their homosexuality, but on the other they face the prospect of becoming social pariahs if they come out as gay or bisexual.”

Dr. M. Mirza – 2014
lgbt health wellness .com

Americans Identifying as LGBTI+ Increased

According to a recent survey from the Gallup research firm, 5.6 percent of Americans are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex people. This significant increase, which means about 18 million people, is attributed to the greater acceptance of LGBTI+ individuals in the society.

While this rate was 4.5 percent in Gallup’s 2017 survey, the result from the 2020 survey indicates a record jump of 24 percent. The main reason for the increase is from Generation Z adults aged 18-23. 15.9 percent of this generation say they are LGBTI+.

“At a time when the public is increasingly promoting equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, ınterex + people, a growing percentage of Americans identify as LGBTI+,” the Gallup website said.

In the 2020 election, the US saw Pete Buttigieg as the first openly gay presidential candidate. LGBTI+ candidates have had multiple historic wins, including Sarah McBride, the first open transgender state senator.

According to the Washington-based research center Public Religion Research Institute, Americans’ support for same sex marriage, which was legalized in 2015 and seen largely as a synonym for LGBTI+ rights, rose from 36 percent in 2007 to 62 percent in 2020.

The Gallup survey shows that 54.6 percent of LGBTI+ Americans identify as bisexual, 24.5 percent are gay men, 11.7 percent are lesbians and 11.3 percent are transgender.

For the first survey conducted in 2012, 15,000 Americans were randomly interviewed by phone throughout 2020. While 86.7 percent of the respondents identified themselves as heterosexual, 7.6 percent refused to respond to the interviewers. This rate was around 5 percent in past surveys.

There were significant differences between generations. Among those born before 1946, seniors were much less likely to see themselves as LGBTI+. The lowest rate was recorded as 1.3 percent.

Researchers found that women were more likely to describe themselves as LGBTI+ than men. While this rate was 4.9 percent for men, it was 6.4 percent for women. From a political point of view, 13 percent of liberal respondents and 2.3 percent of conservatives identified themselves as LGBTI+.

It is noted that there is a similar trend in England. According to government data, the proportion of people identifying themselves as lesbian, gay or bisexual increased from 1.6 percent in 2016 to 2.2 percent in 2018.

Rainbow Tattoo Ideas

Although the Indians, Japanese, Native Americans and some tribes in Africa used the tattoo as an ornament, in many societies the tattoo was applied as a protective talisman (amulet) against illnesses and evil spirits, the position of the individual in society (slave, master, adolescent, worker, soldier) It is known to be used to emphasize.

The tradition of tattooing is quite old. It was understood from mummies that tattoos were used in ancient Egyptian society in the 2000s BC. Apart from the Egyptians, Britons, Gauls and Thracians also had tattoos. The ancient Greeks and Romans used to make tattoos on criminals and slaves, which they deemed “a barbarian occupation”. Tattoo was prohibited in the Christian faith. In contrast, the first Christians had tattoos on their bodies bearing the name of Jesus or a cross. Centuries passed, Europeans forgot about tattoos. They encountered tattoos again in American Indians and Polynesians on overseas trips in the late 18th century. European languages have taken the word tattoo, which means tattoo, from the Tahitian word tautau. Tattoo became widespread especially among sailors after the early 20th century. Tattoo was widely used to indicate romantic feelings, patriotism or piety, and is still used today.

Tattoos are also used by the LGBTI+, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex+ Community.

I’ve compiled some rainbow tattoos for you…

If you wanted to have a tattoo, which tattoo did you get? You can comment…

Homeless Shelter for LGBTI+ Opened in Naples, Italy

Friday, February 5, was an important day for the Neapolitan LGBTI+ community: The House of Cultures and Hospitality opened to host LGBTI+ people who are victims of discrimination, abuse and violence.

The municipality structure, whose address cannot be disclosed for security and protection reasons, is three-level and will be managed by Antinoo Arcigay Napoli and ten other partner associations.

Shelter; It will serve LGBTI + individuals who are exposed to violence, harassment, discrimination and exclusion.

Naples Mayor Luigi De Magistris said the municipal shelter is the only one of its kind in Italy.

“Today is an extraordinary day for rights, freedoms and justice,” said Luigi De Magistris.

De Magistris said, “This building is a sign of change. Our city believes in emotions, brotherhood, solidarity, justice and reaching out to people in need.”

The associations that will be responsible for the operation of the shelter stated that this project will strengthen their efforts to “protect civil rights in Italy and the Mediterranean”.

Antinoo Arcigay Napoli Association, which is involved in the project, also stated that the shelter will “host Covid victims as well as victims of intolerance and hate”.

The association drew attention to the fact that the coronavirus epidemic mainly affects the most vulnerable people.

Italy is in the last rank for LGBTI+ Rights

In Italy, the law granting same-sex couples legal status under the name of “civil partnership” was passed in 2016.

Although this decision is a historical turning point in the country where the Catholic Church has strong influence, Italy is still at the bottom of LGBTI+ rights among Western European countries.

According to a Eurobarometer survey conducted by European Union institutions in 2019, the acceptance rate of LGBTI+”Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, +” individuals in Italy and the proportion of those who say that same-sex couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples is below the European average.

Tim Cook: Being Gay is God’s Greatest Gift

Tim Cook, who has made history as the first CEO to announce that he is gay among the top 500 companies in the world, mentioned being gay as the ‘greatest gift of god’ and stated that he made the statement to support those who were oppressed because of their sexual orientation.

“I explained it because kids who read the rumors that I was gay on the internet started writing to me. In the letters and emails they told me that they were ostracized, bullied and abused because of their sexual orientation,” said Apple CEO, who emphasized privacy, but ultimately helped others by revealing his sexual identity. He said he decided it would be selfish to remain silent while he could.

“I had to do something for them,” said Cook, adding that he wanted to show gay kids that they can move forward in life the way you are and achieve great things.

Expressing that he was ‘shocked’ when he learned that Fortune was the first CEO to announce his homosexuality in the 500 largest companies index, Cook expressed his satisfaction that other CEOs followed in his footsteps.

“I learned what it means to be a minority. The feeling of being a minority gives people a certain level of empathy for other people who are not in the majority. This is also very useful for a leadership role, very instructive. gave the message.

Underlining that he is ‘proud of being gay and explaining it’, Cook emphasized “God’s greatest gift to me”.

Our English news site is available now

The LGBTI Solidarity in Turkey is now in English for LGBTI+ News Across the Globe

The LGBTI Solidarity in Turkey is ready to be the voice of the LGBTI+ Solidarity in the World.

You can make comments to the news and post your own news and articles because your opinion matters.

You can access to LGBTI news worldwide, comment, publish your news and articles.

The desired categories can be followed on the site where categories such as Lesbian News, Gay News, Bisexual News, Trans News, Intersex News, LGBTI News.

You may support us by sharing the news on your social media accounts.

If you have a blog or website, you may support us by adding a banner or text link to your blog or website in our banner area.

When adding news, you must reference the source , content copied from websites will not be approved. If there is any news available on the Internet, you may send it by editing and commenting. There is no small support. There is just support.

If you want to reach Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex people from all over the world, you may do this by adding your news and articles to the our news site. Because we are better together.

You may instantly see the latest news, members’ comments and reactions to the news on the dashboard.

For more information, info@lgbti.org

Inclusion and diversity is our policy. Now is the time for unity, For Solidarity and humanity.

Welcome to our family.

The LGBTI Solidarity in Turkey