Category Archives: HIV
Broadway Cares – Christmas Carols for a Cure
Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away, Hamilton, Waitress and A Bronx Tale.
The Christmas season is in full show tune swing now that the 19th volume of Broadway’s Carols for a Cure has arrived. The latest compilation from the beloved series continues Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ tradition of pairing the casts from award-winning Broadway musicals with seasonal songs that are both classic and new. Once again, the result is pure magic and is sure to help make the 2017 holiday season shine brighter than ever before.
“These are all new, original recordings, creatively arranged and performed by the incredibly talented performers and musicians from the 2017 Broadway season,” explains producer Lynn Pinto who, once again, collaborates with engineer Andros Rodriguez on the album. Pinto allows each company a great deal of freedom in choosing the material and the style of the arrangement. She adds, “We record the musicians and singers in layers, utilizing isolation booths for a higher quality recording. It gives the album a unique sound from most cast albums and allows us to showcase some of the best voices and instrumentalists in the world.”
The first Broadway’s Carols for a Cure album debuted in 1999, making this year’s album the 19th in the annual series. Fans of Broadway will be overjoyed to hear recordings from Tony Award winning casts of Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton, Come From Away and many more:
WICKED God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Highlights are copious but include Billy Porter and the cast of Kinky Boots singing an all-new, rockin’ version of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and the cast of A Bronx Tale performing “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day” in a New Yawker-style that will have listeners humming for days.Additionally, Meghan Toohey (Sara Barielles’ long-time guitarist) serves up a lovely 1960s-style original song, “Wonder What You Got For Me,” featuring the talented Anastacia McCleskey and the rest of the company and band from Waitress; and Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, the composer/lyricist team behind Anastasia perform their original carol, “All Those Christmas Cliches,” along with their award-winning cast.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is a nonprofit organization that helps individuals with serious illnesses including AIDS receive the health care and support they need. In addition, they provide financial support in the form of grants to AIDS and family service organizations throughout the country.
“The 19th volume of Broadway’s Carols for a Cure is the best yet,” promises Lynn Pinto. “It exudes such warmth, like a cozy blanket on a snowy Winter’s day.”
The 2-CD set is in the web store at BroadwayCares.org or by calling Broadway Cares at 212-840-0770.
HIV Vaccine Moves Forward
Johnson & Johnson have announced plans to bring a HIV vaccine to large scale efficacy testing in humans, making it the first to ever reach this stage of testing.
The vaccine has been designed to treat all strains of HIV, has has already proven to be 100% effective at achieving immunity against the virus after a trial of 350 volunteers.
“Today we are thrilled to announce for the first time, that we are going into large scale efficacy testing of the HIV vaccine in humans,” announced Paul Stoffels, Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson.
“As a scientist and a physician, I can tell you that this vaccine holds the promise of groundbreaking development.”
The Gates Foundation and the National Institute of Health will now help test the vaccine on a larger sample of humans.
ALSO
CDC says, There is No Chance of HIV Transmission if Positive Partner’s Viral Load is Undetectable
The statement, which came as part of a press release from the CDC on National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day:
Scientific advances have shown that antiretroviral therapy (ART) preserves the health of people living with HIV. We also have strong evidence of the prevention effectiveness of ART. When ART results in viral suppression, defined as less than 200 copies/ml or undetectable levels, it prevents sexual HIV transmission. Across three different studies, including thousands of couples and many thousand acts of sex without a condom or pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), no HIV transmissions to an HIV-negative partner were observed when the HIV-positive person was virally suppressed. This means that people who take ART daily as prescribed and achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of sexually transmitting the virus to an HIV-negative partner.
Neil Patrick Harris in New York City
This year marks the monumental 10-year anniversary of (RED).
It is astonishing that in 2005, 1200 babies were born every day with HIV. In 2015, that number was cut by two-thirds to 400.
Playing a role in this pivotal fight and extraordinary anniversary, Neil Patrick Harris is partnering with Coca-Cola and (RED) to help bring additional awareness to this cause.
Beginning today, you can head over to Omaze.com/NPH to donate. A $10 donation will get you 100 entries for Neil’s exclusive experience. One lucky winner + guest will join Neil and his husband for a fun night out in New York City! In addition to getting flown out and staying in a 4-star hotel, the winner will catch a Broadway show with the couple and grab dinner at one of Neil’s favorite spots in the city.
Donations can be made at many levels and include additional campaign perks – anything from a (RED) campaign shirt to signed merchandise from Neil himself. Coca-Cola will also match every dollar raised by Neil Patrick Harris’ campaign this year, up to $2million.
Crystal Meth, Gays and Addiction
Meth can be in crystalized form or powder, and varying in color from clear to chalky white, or yellowish brown to different shades of blue. All forms of meth can be snorted through the nose, smoked out of glass pipes, injected with syringes, or ingested orally.
The words addiction, drug addiction, alcoholism, and chemical dependency are common terms for abuse of alcohol or drugs. Addiction is a condition that results when a person ingests a substance (e.g., alcohol, cocaine, nicotine) or engages in an activity (e.g., gambling, sex, shopping) that can be pleasurable but the continued use/act of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work, etc.
ANYTHING CAN BE ADDICTIVE! Especially when it feels good!
In a new article for POZ, writer Mathew Rodriguez examines Meth use in the gay community. READ IT HERE.
Dopamine produces a positive reaction to everyday occurrences that keep us alive. When we eat or drink, our body gives us dopamine. In fact, studies show that eating food releases about 150 units of dopamine. Sex (without drugs) releases 200 units, nicotine results in 250, and cocaine clocks in at 350. In comparison, crystal meth unleashes a whopping 1,100 units of dopamine.
Meth offers cheap and quick dopamine to those in need of a feel-good fix—and the American Psychological Association says that the LGBT community experiences much higher rates of general depression and anxiety than the rest of the population.
But there is good news. “One aspect of the meth mystique that needs to be challenged is that there is no hope,” Fawcett writes. “This is simply not true. While recovery from meth is difficult, it is absolutely possible.”
Meth use in the gay community. READ IT HERE.
PrEP Works…usually
Poz’s Trenton Straube has published the first interview with the 44-year-old Canadian gay man known as “Joe,” who is the first recorded person to contract HIV while using PrEP with evidence of strict adherence.
His doctor said, “Because we’ve always suspected that this potentially could happen, and now we’ve shown that it can happen, people need this information to make decisions about their sexual health that feel right for them,” Dr. David Knox told me by phone yesterday. “The more information, the better. And that’s the bottom line.”
Thanks to the blood tests he was given that were able to point to the relative time of HIV transmission, Joe says that he knows the guy he contracted it from:
He’s in a relationship and “discreet.” We met on bbrt [a bareback community], and he says he’s negative. I prefer to be with people who are positive and know it and are on meds—I’m on PrEP, you’re undetectable, the chances of transmission are like negative 10 percent—but I broke my rule with this guy. So it was with him, I think—it was a bit of a busy period. I reached out to him and he says, “Well, I’m not worried, I’m OK. But I’ll go see a doctor.” And I checked in with him again: “Have you gone? What are the results?” “Oh I’m really busy and haven’t had a chance.” I checked in again. “Oh, I’m out of town on work.” Checked again, and he stopped replying to me. To be honest, I gave up. I don’t need to be vindicated or have him say I’m sorry or whatever. I just wanted to let him know. It’s being socially responsible.
Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation PSA
GLAAD, the world’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy organization, releases a new public service announcement (PSA) to inspire, inform, and reignite the passion and action needed to beat the HIV and AIDS epidemic once and for all. The PSA, produced by the award-winning Martian Entertainment, is created by GLAAD and The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation as part of an ongoing partnership to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS in a new era of prevention and treatment.
The PSA begins with Elizabeth Taylor’s historic and impassioned speech at the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert as a framework to introduce a new generation to the modern realities of HIV and AIDS, as well as the tools we have to overcome them. It includes participation from Meredith Vieira, Whoopi Goldberg, Jonathan Groff, Michael Emerson, Tituss Burgess, and Bebe Neuwirth. WATCH
For more information, visit http://www.glaad.org/HIV
For more information about GLAAD’s work, please visit http://www.glaad.org, http://facebook.com/glaad and http://twitter.com/glaad.
HIV NEWS – Terry Curry
HIV Equal Online Senior Editor, Tyler Curry, created a short film about the difference between the HIV of today versus the AIDS of yesterday.
This is dedicated to the long-term survivors and the ones we lost in the fight.
#Live
Gay Health News – Truvada
In a new article,
The scientific community and HIV/AIDS activists are abuzz about the preliminary findings of a new PrEP study showing not only the effectiveness of the treatment overall, but the success of an innovative regimen wherein participants took PrEP only when they anticipated having sex instead of taking it daily as it is currently prescribed.
Participants in the IPERGAY trial, which occurred in France and Canada and closed early due to high effectiveness, took two pills of Truvada in the 24-hour period before anticipated sex and, if sex occurred, then took two separate one-pill doses of the drug in the two days following sex. IPERGAY investigators did not release any effectiveness figures or other data, but will do so once a complete analysis of the results has been completed, which they say should be sometime in early 2015.
Read the whole piece at GA VOICE
Travada Financial Assistance information
FCKH8 Male Model Charity Calendar
Straight and Gay Hunks Get Naked Together, Lowering Their Underwear to Raise Awareness and Funds with 2015 HIV/AIDS Charity Calendar
FCKH8.com Teams Up with Photographer Justin Monroe to Create Sexy Poolside Photo Spread.
Hot on the heels of the massive viral success of their anti-sexism “Potty-Mouth Princesses” video that garnered almost 20 million views and raised $30,000 for charities promoting girls and women’s rights, FCKH8.com is campaigning to benefit HIV/AIDS charities with a sexy new 2015 benefit calendar that features straight and gay men getting naked together for a cause.
Lensed by renowned photographer Justin Monroe, and promoted by the gay social app Jack’d, the 12 month photo calendar features beefy straight and gay hotties stripped down to their bathing suits… or their birthday suits. The calendar, as well as the behind the scenes video that shows even more of the guys than the calendar does, were shot by the pool in the Hollywood hills in the hot California sun.
With a behind-the-scenes video on the FCKH8.com home page, the 9 inch x 12 inch glossy calendar is available for purchase for $9.99 on the FCKH8.com campaign website. To support the cause, 50% of all the money raised will go to HIV/AIDS charities that online supporters will be able to vote for on the campaign’s Facebook page.
The video and calendar shoot were made with the help of the guys at Jack’d, the fastest-growing gay social app in the world, who are promoting the cause to their audience of millions of gay and bi men to turn them on and turn up their support.
Behind the Scenes Video Can Be Seen HERE
Joan Rivers Leaves Money to Gods Love We Deliver
The legendary comic Joan Rivers in life was always a strong supporter and philanthropist when it came gay issues .
Now, even though Joan is gone, she is still continuing her support by leaving the AIDS charity, Gods Love We Deliver a sizable amount of money in her will.
Ms. Rivers trust was filed with New York State Surrogate’s Court on Tuesday – and daughter Melissa Rivers named as executor of her $150 million estate.
While the exact amount is not known, Joan left a substantial amount to the charity was set up in 1985 to deliver food to men dying at the height of the AIDS crisis – many of whom were not receiving substantial care.
Read more at Back to Stonewall.
#WeAreAllClean the HIV ALS Challenge
THIS IS BRILLIANT!
Could this be the HIV equivalent to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? We think so. The concept is the brainchild of well-known HIV activist, Jack Mackenroth who has partnered with Moovz, the leading global gay social app, to launch the project. It’s genius in its simplicity. We are now a selfie-obsessed culture and Mackenroth urges everyone to take a special selfie for an important cause.
“I was inspired by the use of the word ‘clean’, especially common in gay culture, to describe oneself as STI/STD free. Indirectly this implies that HIV-positive people are somehow ‘dirty'”, says Mackenroth. “I thought a PG or PG-13 shower selfie or Vine video would be a fun way that everyone could easily show their support on social media for finding a cure by using the hashtag #weareALLclean when they post their photo with the link. They then nominate 3 other people to participate and hopefully donate to the project as well.”
The goal of the campaign is to raise 1 million dollars to stop the epidemic and help find a cure and the campaign will be ongoing indefinitely. Donate here. All donations received will be donated to Housing Works, a New York-based nonprofit organization fighting on the front lines to end AIDS and homelessness, not just in New York but globally by 2030. The CDC estimates that there are currently 1.2 million people in the US living with HIV and over 35 million people around the world.
“As someone who has been living with HIV for 25 years this is very personal to me.” Mackenroth adds, “There is current urgency for funding as we have new treatments that maintain viral suppression and render HIV-positive individuals virtually non-transmissible. Those same treatments can be given to HIV-negative individuals and protect them from infection. Essentially we already have the tools to stop the epidemic from spreading. Exciting new research is bringing us closer to a real cure for AIDS every day. ”
The campaign will launch within Moovz because of the app’s high user engagement rates and it’s history of successful international LGBT social media campaigns. Mackenroth is known as a social media powerhouse in his own right but he is also enlisting many of his “social media superstar” friends to get the campaign off the ground.
Actor, model, singer and social media stud, Chris Salvatore is igniting the campaign from Los Angeles after joining forces with Moovz as well. “It’s time to erase the stigma and unite as a global community. Regardless of your gender or sexual identity—no matter what age, color, size or shape you are, you should be part of this project! Let’s all be one loud, united voice in support of awareness, education, treatment and research for a cure.” says Salvatore. “And have fun with it. Be funny, sexy or silly. Who doesn’t want to see people in the shower soaping up for a good cause?”
“I truly hope this campaign goes viral—no pun intended.” Mackenroth quips.
The campaign launches between now and World AIDS Day, December 1st and is ongoing until the goal is reached. The hope is that there will be traction in the following weeks so that people know about the campaign on World AIDS Day and change their profile photos to show support.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Take a selfie or Vine video of yourself in the shower.** NO EXPLICIT NUDITY**
2) Post your photo now on Moovz and all social media platforms with the caption “Take HIV Shower Selfie Challenge raise $$ for AIDS cure bit.ly/CUREAIDS #
3) Nominate 3 or more other people to participate!
4) (Optional) DONATE!! Please consider a small donation if you are able. Every penny counts! bit.ly/CUREAIDS
5) On World AIDS Day (or before) : Monday, December 1st, please change all your social media profile pix to your shower selfie photo and spread the word!!
Undetectable viral load Showing Very very low Transmissions of HIV
The second large study to look at whether people with HIV become non-infectious if they are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) has found no cases where someone with a viral load under 200 copies/ml transmitted HIV, either by anal or vaginal sex.
Statistical analysis shows that the maximum likely chance of transmission via anal sex from someone on successful HIV treatment was 1% a year for any anal sex and 4% for anal sex with ejaculation where the HIV-negative partner was receptive; but the true likelihood is probably much nearer to zero than this.
When asked what the study tells us about the chance of someone with an undetectable viral load transmitting HIV, presenter Alison Rodger said: “Our best estimate is it’s zero.”
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Scientists have pieced together the origin of AIDS
Scientists have pieced together the origin of AIDS, and the tale is ludicrously interesting.
Take a few minutes to listen and learn how one of humanity’s most debilitating diseases grew into the monster it is today.
You won’t believe what you hear! This virus began in the early 1900’s!
We know the virus or a similar virus came from chimps in Africa…but this research now reveals new data showing that even further back, 12 variations of the virus, coming from 3 different types of monkeys / chimps / gorillas.
This audio clip was painstakingly produced by the geniuses at “Radiolab.”
Obama Pledges $100 Million to Help End AIDS
President Obama announced on Monday he’s redirecting $100 million at
the National Institutes of Health for a new initiative to develop a cure
for HIV as part of his vision for an “AIDS-free generation.”
Obama made the announcement when speaking before a group of HIV/AIDS
advocates at a White House event observing World AIDS Day in the South
Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
“The United States should be at the forefront of new discoveries in
how to put HIV into long-term remission without requiting live-long
therapies, or better yet, eliminate it completely,” Obama said.
In a fact sheet published after the event, the White House clarified
the $100 million would be distributed over the course of three years and
would catalyze further research for new therapies to improve outcomes
for people with HIV.
Read More at Washington Blade!
HBO Documentary Film “The Battle of amfAR” Premieres December 2nd
THE BATTLE OF AMFAR (premiering on HBO December 2nd at 9pm ET/PT with a sneak preview on HBO 2 on December 1st – World AIDS Day) tells the true story of when AIDS struck and two very different and extraordinary women – Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor and research scientist Dr. Mathilde Krim
– joined forces to take a stand and create America’s first AIDS
research foundation, AmfAR.
disease as a worldwide pandemic in desperate need of funding for
scientific research to find a cure. Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (HBO’s
Sundance award-winning THE CELLULOID CLOSET and Oscar©-winning COMMON
THREADS: STORIES FROM THE QUILT) and executive produced by fashion
mogul Kenneth Cole, THE BATTLE OF AMFAR chronicles the organization’s history and continuing importance in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
By
tracing the roots of the AIDS pandemic—through the use of new and
archival interviews, news broadcasts, time lapse fluorescence microscopy
and animation—THE BATTLE OF AMFAR educates the viewer on the history of
the stigma of the virus by examining the political and social attitudes
towards those infected since the emergence of the disease. Rife with
poignant interviews from co-founder Dr. Krim, footage of the late
Elizabeth Taylor, and a myriad of scientists, physicians, gay rights and
AIDS activists, THE BATTLE OF AMFAR not only contextualizes and tracks
the creation of the nation’s first AIDS research foundation, but
explores the contributions amfAR has made in the hunt for a cure for
HIV/AIDS. Aileen Getty (Elizabeth Taylor’s former daughter-in-law),
Regan Hofmann (former editor-in-chief of POZ Magazine) and Phil
Wilson (Founder and Executive Director of the Black AIDS Institute) all
bring human elements to the film, furthering the narrative that the
story of HIV/AIDS is a human one. Visit: http://www.thebattleofamfar.
WATCH Trailer
World AIDS Day and Margo Manhattan
December 1st marks the
25th observance of World AIDS Day. This year’s theme is fittingly “Shared Responsibility:
Strengthening results for an AIDS-free generation.” More than 1.1 million people are
infected with HIV in the United States and 20% more may be infected without
knowing it. An
interactive map details reported diagnoses across
the country according to race, economics, gender and age. STD testing, prevention and education is
key in the fight against this epidemic.
ribbon lapel pin for AIDS awareness. This furthered Margo’s reputation
as a visionary, socially aware and iconic jewelry designer. Margo’s
sleek, versatile designs are elegant with an edge, captivating and sexy.
Her passion for inventiveness and signature “of the moment we live in”
comes through eloquently in every aspect of her jewelry. Visit
the new Margo Manhattan boutique on 88th and Madison and explore her
collections or commission a special piece for you or your loved ones.
HIV EQUAL – What is Your Status?
and promote HIV testing by creating a social art movement.
activist and Project Runway alumnus, and celebrity photographer, Thomas
Evans.
The campaign photos include people from all walks of life who support the concept that regardless of one’s HIV status, we are all equally valuable. To help promote HIV testing, every person who takes part in the campaign will also be tested for HIV.
Heading up the testing portion of the campaign is Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gary Blick, who understands the urgency of outreach especially to the younger generations.
OraQuick at home Confidential HIV Test Kit
for HIV-1 and HIV-2. It’s an oral swab test that doesn’t require blood.
It’s completely private. And it’s based on the same HIV test that
healthcare professionals have used since 2004.
learning your HIV status. Find out in just 20 minutes in the comfort and
privacy of your own home. The results are completely confidential.
response to fighting the HIV virus. No blood required. Healthcare
professionals have used oral tests for HIV since 2004.
HIV Negative AIDS disease vs. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
This is very interesting…I read about last year and this weekend I received a letter stating , it’s quite compelling and thought provoking…….”Allied NATO Government is
hiding millions of infectious NON HIV AIDS cases (like mine) under the
“Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)” ICD-code.
This marked it’s 11th publication on 4 continents. This topic has been censored from mainstream media since 1992 (i.e., Gulf War I).
www.ukprogressive.co.uk/the-
I
hope that you will support this humanitarian issue, and spread-the-news
too (e.g., write a story, add to your e*Newsletter and/or post on
Facebook/Twitter).
My life with NON HIV AIDS (including my recent 5-minute federal testimony): on this blog.
My federal testimony about NON HIV AIDS from a recent CFS/ME advisory committee meeting (Washington, DC via conference call) posted (5 minutes): YouTube. “
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LISTEN THIS!
This could be a new form of AIDS – and no one is talking about it!
It is something doctors and the government need to answer to this!
Is AIDS FUNNY? Aids Jokes On The Rise
When did AIDS become funny?
Thats not bad. Because AIDS is not funny.
