Fridae

Despite the government's pro-gay stance, society's marginalizing and prejudice against men who have sex with men put them at a greater risk of contracting HIV, says UNAIDS.

On Monday, Uganda President Yoweri Musevini signed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which includes life imprisonment for repeat offenders and jail time for people who fail to report homosexuals to police. This the latest on the repercussions of the world’s most homophobic legislation.

In the last two years, three internet surveys in Europe, the USA and Asia asked over 200,000 gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) about sex, safety and stigma. Gus Cairns looks at some of the data, and finds a mix of the expected and unexpected and some challenging findings for HIV prevention.

PositiveVoices.Net will be launched in mid-2010 to provide a safe haven for the HIV-positive gay men and other MSM on the internet.

Over 90 representatives from 12 countries attend the first ever regional consultation on MSM HIV/AIDS care and support held last week in Bangkok.

Programme Director Raymond Tai takes time out from organising its annual RED Carnival to speak to Fridae about reaching young MSMs who "suffer from the 'not me' syndrome" and the challenges they face with the rise of political Islam.

Ever since studies showed that male circumcision halved the risk of female-to-male HIV infection, many have wondered what impact circumcision has on men who sex between men.

Bangkok-based entertainment writer and actor Nicholas Snow tested positive for the HIV virus just after New Year's Day this year. This week, he could well become the most outspoken HIV activist in Thailand. He tells Fridae his story in an exclusive interview ahead of his press conference to be held tomorrow.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are 19 times more likely to be infected with HIV than the general population, yet nearly half of the 128 country reports fail to provide any data on MSM, says AIDS group amFAR.

Of the 89 new HIV cases reported from January to March this year, 28 acquired the infection via homosexual or bisexual contact.