Date: 16th May 2004

Time: As usual we will meet at Just Around The Corner in Bandra from 5.00-6.00 pm then go to someone's house nearby where the discussion can take place. 

Venue: Just Around The Corner. JATC is a lovely snack bar at Bandra (West). 

DIRECTIONS : At Bandra Station, on the WEST side, take a rickshaw to Turner Road; at Turner Road take a right at Tawaa Restaurant (you will see an ICICI Bank on your left after the turn). Keep going straight for about two minutes; you will see the big blue signboard of 'JUST AROUND THE CORNER' on the left.

If you are however coming from Linking Road, take the very next left turn from the first petrol pump, leading to the Flying Machine Store.  On driving down the crossing of two lanes you shall see a huge blue colored board with "JUST AROUND THE CORNER " written onto it.

You can also take a bus going down Turner Road (Khar Station bus or Chumm Village bus). Get off near Tawaa Restaurant and walk to JATC in 5 minutes.

To Know More: click about Sunday MEETS

TOPIC : Sexually Transmitted Diseases (other than HIV)

This is a repeat of a GB meet we did a couple of years back. The reason we did it then, and why we're repeating it now, is the queries we keep getting from people about STDs they seem to have picked up and which they're uncomfortable discussing directly with their usual doctors. 

Why "other than HIV"? Well, partly because we do regular sessions on safer sex which focus on HIV, and also because in general, there's a fair amount of information and (hopefully) awareness of HIV out there now. But there are many other diseases and infections transmitted by sexual contact, and these often tend to get overlooked. 

These STDs may not be as life threatening as HIV, but as anyone who's had them can testify, they can be really painful and annoying. They can certainly cause problems with our sex lives and by leaving them untreated we're risking passing them on to our partners. In some cases these STDs can make you more vulnerable to even more serious diseases. 

The problem is because they're often minor and embarassing we tend to leave them untreated. As the queries we get show, many guys are too embarassed to speak to their family doctors about them, and often they even fear going to a STD specialist because the doctor might guess they are having gay sex. So many guys ask us if we know gay STD specialists, since these are the only ones they would feel comfortable talking to. 

Which is a pity since (to the best of our knowledge) gay STD specialists aren't that common, but most STD specialists couldn't care less about what you're doing, and no matter what you've got, they've probably seen more extreme cases. Still the fears and lack of knowledge exist, so we're having a specific session to tackle the issue. 

And like the last time, we're lucky enough to have a doctor in our group who has expertise in these matters and he's put together a presentation complete with slides and detailed and non-judgmental advice on how to prevent, recognise and deal with STDs (but please note, he's not giving out specific medical advice at this meeting, for that you'll have to go to a doctor in the normal way). 

So if you've ever had questions or fears about STDs but have never had the courage to ask them, this is the meeting to come to. We'll be meeting as usual at Just Around The Corner and then going to the house where the meeting will take place - for details just check the messages on these lists. And if anyone needs any more clarifications or has questions about this meet, mail Vikram directly at vgd1967@indiatimes.com 

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Note :
1. Ensure that you get to JATC before 6:00 pm - in case the evening carries over to another gay-friendly place close by.

2. GB, as a support group, has created this comfort space/event for gays. Many of the guys attending the event may be "newbies" (those still coming to terms with their sexuality); some of them may be coming for the first time. We request you to be sensitive to their comfort levels. Since these events take place at someone's house or at a public place we request you to dress and behave accordingly.

3. To identify the group, look out for someone wearing a BLACK cap.
 

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This is a GayBombay (gb) organized event

Rights of admission reserved.
You have to be above the age of 18 to attend this gb event.

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