POZPLANET Magazine (August 2022)

PozVibe is a podcast for People Living With HIV, their friends, family and allies, sponsored by Dublin Pride and as co host and is described as all about “trying to create change and spread those positive vibrations throughout Ireland.”

The theme of this season is POZWORLD THE MOVEMENT, a tribute to SPICEWORLD: The Movie and was inspired by the Girl Power Movement. It’s about empowerment and fighting stigma…POZ POWER! The announcer for this season is none other than Anamatronic of the Scissor Sisters! So be sure to find them on spotify and twitter https://twitter.com/pozvibepod

Veda is an iconic drag performer and cabaret artist who has been a leading light in the LGBTQI community in Ireland for over two decades. She is the host of Witchy Wednesday at The George Dublin. She is what we call in show business , a double threat , she does music , she does comedy and she’s HIV positive, which is no treat to anyone at all. Veda collaborated on the HIV documentary movie , How To Tell A Secret which just premiered at The Dublin International Film Festival 2022. She is also the mother of PozVibe podcast, a revolutionary new platform for people living with HIV , their friends , family & allies. Robbie Lawlor became active within the HIV community since his diagnosis in 2012. Robbie is co-host of the PozVibe Podcast, a member of the European AIDS Treatment Group, and is a co founder of Access to Medicines Ireland. Robbie is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Dublin City University and has a particular interest in grassroots activism and the access to medicines movement in Eastern Europe. His research is exploring HIV/HEP C treatment activism in Ukraine.

They have been called the Beastie Boys of HIV activism! Let’s find out about the duo behind PozVibe Direct from Ireland, this show is making waves in our community.

Find this podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/0fqGps6n2UjdrtTrnLZBus

18th New York Times story of the excruciating symptoms and lack of care available for those with monkeypox in that city, the sexuality of the men profiled isn’t referenced until 11 paragraphs into the story, and even then it refers to them as “men who have sex with men,” which is technically correct but dodgy. Moreover, the article, which supposedly addresses barriers to care, ignores the fact that gay men routinely experience apathy and even judgment from health providers.

Is A Gay Thing. We Must Say It.

Monkeypox

Really? Should lesbians be lining up for a monkeypox vaccine, whenever the heck they become widely available? This is happening to gay men. Say it.

For this article and all of his blogs check out: https://marksking.com/my fabulous disease

Ryan lays out those facts plainly: Here is what we can discern from data collected about monkeypox so far: This viral outbreak isn’t just mostly occurring among men who have sex with men. The confirmed cases, at least to date, have consistently almost entirely occurred among this demographic, which accounts for 96 percent or more of diagnoses where data are available.

Journalist Benjamin Ryan, in his excellent Washington Post opinion piece, draws a hard line between attempts not to unnecessarily stigmatize gay men and the importance of telling the truth about monkeypox, writing that “public health officials cannot be expected to police the public’s reactions to epidemiological facts.”

The mainstream media and public health officials are being so damn careful not to label monkeypox “a gay disease” that they’re doing a disservice to the gay men who most need important information about the outbreak – while misleading everybody Inelse.aJuly

Other media stories, and statements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have mentioned monkeypox cases in the context of “the LGBT community.”

Per capita, the few monkeypox cases in women and children remain minuscule compared with the rate among gay and bisexual men. Of course, substantial transmission could always occur among such other groups. But researchers at the WHO and elsewhere have speculated that the monkeypox reproduction rate will likely remain significantly lower in such demographics meaning the virus will more likely hit transmission dead ends among them than among gay and bisexual men. An uncomfortable truth, one documented in peer reviewed papers, is that sexual behaviors and networks specific to gay and bisexual men have long made them more likely to acquire various sexually transmitted infections compared with heterosexual people. This includes not only HIV, but also syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B and sexually transmitted hepatitis C.

Global public health experts agree that skin-to-skin contact in the context of sexual activity between men has been the principal driver of the monkeypox outbreak, at least thus far.

Such experts have also asserted that the risk of monkeypox to the broader population not having multiple sex partners remains low even “very low.” This is hopeful news, and the wider public deserves to be reassured accordingly. Assuaging fears of contagion will help fight unhelpful hysteria and prevent gay and bisexual men from being subjected to even greater stigma should they be painted as culprits of the spread of virus to others. Monkeypox didn’t begin with gay men, that much is true. As Yale infectious disease expert Gregg Gonsalves explained to the New York Times, “This is not a gay disease; it has been circulating in West and Central Africa for many years… What likely happened, in this case, is that somebody who had monkeypox had a lesion and showed up at a gay rave in Europe, and it spread to those in that social and sexual network.”

Whatever the origins, we’re now dealing with an outbreak almost entirely limited to gay men in the United States and Europe. And that is worth saying explicitly.

Why? Because identifying those at risk and getting information to them is a basic public health strategy for containing an outbreak. Gay men are getting monkeypox and suffering greatly. When gay men understand the threat, we are more likely to take precautions, get vaccinated, or be informed about treatment. Will there be stigma and judgements and homophobia? Of course. And we’ll have to deal with that. But that doesn’t mean we bury crucial facts in vague, evasive Monkeypoxmessaging. is a gay thing. That’s the truth.

LinksMark

in article: https://twitter.com/benryanwriter

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/24/briefing/monkeypoxdeservehttps://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/18/nyregion/newhttps://twitter.com/gregggonsalves-york-monkeypox-vaccine.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/07/18/monkeypoxgaymenunvarnishedtruthgaycommunity.html

AT: Haha of course. So I’m turning 25 in August and also yes, I am indeed from Toronto born and raised. Ethnically, I am a mix of Chinese and Vietnamese, and very proud to come from such a rich culture, and cultures that have such amazing food. I actually recently graduated from McGill University in Montreal in 2021. I did my Masters studying Public Health. In terms of work, I’ve been involved in research, I’ve done some consulting work within the social service space, and currently I’m working in a Research Administration role here in Toronto. Hopefully that’s a good summary of me haha.

AK: Hey Alex....how are you today?

AT: Doing well! Just finished work, and I'm looking forward to dinner haha. Hope you’ve been well since last I saw you.

Over the past couple years, I began sitting on a few HIV panels. Recently I began working with a U=U Community Advisory Committee out of Vancouver. In that group I met a very interesting young man named Alex Tran and I wanted to find out more about his story and how he became an activist.

AK: How are you liking the U=U Community Advisory group?

AT: Honestly, I’m loving it. I’ve gotten to meet such interesting and driven people from across Canada who share an interest in HIV and U=U. I think what’s most interesting is how we all come from such different backgrounds and walks of life. Yet are linked through our shared interest in health and health promotion.

AK: Even though we have been working on this committee for a few months, I just realized that I don't know very much about you. Would you mind sharing a little about your background? Are you originally from Toronto? Are you presently a student?

AK: Now...I hope you don't mind but I ask everyone who gets interviewed for this column how long have you been HIV+?

AK: How did you start being an activist? When did you begin sitting on panels and committees?

AT: I think my interest in activism, specifically in promoting health began when I started university at 18 actually. Learning about how health is impacted by so much more than biology was something that really struck me. I was part of a student council during my undergraduate studies, alongside other student clubs, and one thing I would also promote is the importance of social inclusion and taking care of your mental health. Especially in a school environment where everybody is constantly stressed out over exams, projects, life after school, whatever else. I wanted to remind people that your environment really affects your ability to be healthy and to be mindful of that. In terms of HIV, our U=U advisory committee is actually the first committee I’ve been on related to HIV and health! Prior to this, I did a research internship with a research group which had a focus on HIV and health related to the LGBTQIA2S+ community. I think after that experience was over, and after I graduated from school, I thought to myself how else can I get involved? Although my day job was not situated in that field anymore, I wanted to do something and get involved again. And that’s when I stumbled upon the U=U committee advisor position. Like I said earlier, it’s been an amazing experience so far on the committee and I’m so excited to see where our ideas take us soon. But yeah, I believe that my journey of being an activist has just begun! Feels kinda weird to even think of myself like that haha. But I definitely hope to make my activism a lifelong journey.

AT: I don’t mind at all! I got diagnosed with HIV in August of 2018, just a few days before my 21st birthday actually. So almost 4 full years now? Wow, I did not realize 4 years had passed haha.

AT: I would love to continue to work on other projects related to HIV, U=U, and health promotion projects situated in the queer community. Other areas I would love to support are projects related to homelessness and youth homelessness, as well as projects with a focus on the experiences of BIPOC folk, and southeast asian folk. All this to say that there is much I want to do and hope I can follow through haha. I also want to say thank you for inviting me to do this interview! I had a great time, and this was actually very helpful for me to think about where I want to go in the future. I look forward in continuing to work with you on the U=U committee and perhaps even future projects as well!

AK: Well, I am so glad that we got this opportunity to learn a little bit more about you, Alex. Thank you so much for doing this interview and I am looking forward to working with you on future projects and causes.

AT: Honestly, I would tell them to first just breathe, and accept the fact that they are now a person living with HIV. I know that is probably easier said than done, but from my point of view, and how I personally viewed my own diagnosis, what is done is done and although there is no changing the past, you are able to shape how you decide to move forward. I feel like there may not be much to gain from dwelling on ‘what if’ situations. Next, I would say to go online and find some local resources which provide support, whether it be financial, mental, or physical support to those living with HIV. Meeting other people living with HIV who have gone through what you are now going through is very helpful. I know that this could be difficult for people living in more rural and remote areas, but I am sure there are other online resources such as online communities hosted on Reddit and Facebook groups that support those living with HIV. Most importantly, I would tell this person to not hate themselves. Be kind to yourself. With time, you will adjust and also don’t forget to live life to the fullest that you can!

AK: And before we let you go, are there any campaigns or committees that you'd like to work with in the future?

AK: I'm curious...what advice would you give to a newly diagnosed person living with HIV?

Listen to the mix here: https://www.mixcloud.com/djrelentlessny/ear candy august 2022 Download the video of this mix here: https://krakenfiles.com/view/Z9DsRNEc5U/file.html

“Bong Bing” by Laa Lee featuring Cristale has that nice groove and I could imagine this being played at house parties or in a big club. I’m hoping there are at least two or three remixes that go even more tribal but the original is just fine as it is. And “WATAWI” by Ckay featuring Davido, Focalistic & Abidoza is another banga! Now, I have to confess that the original speed is about 113 BPMs, So, I had to pump it up to 120 to make it work with this set. I definitely think that this should have a serious Afro House remix! And another sound on the rise is more Latin Pop House. “ESTILAZO” by Marshmello featuring Tokischa definitely going into rotation in my sets for sure! And the video is very LGBT friendly! Our fifth track is one of those that get on my nerves. I hate it when producers decided to steal lyrics or a hook from a song from the past and them rebrand it as a new song with a new name.

It’s probably one of the hottest summer that we have experienced in years. If there was ever proof of Global Warming the 100 degree temperatures in Europe say everything! And while Senator Joe Manchin is still pretending to be a Democrat, Joe Biden is having a really hard time getting anything done as his approval rating is slipping into 45 territory Jennifer Lopez got married for the fourth time and made Bennifer a solid thing while Madonna is about to drop “Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones” on August 19th So yes…August is gonna be a hot one out there and I’ve got 20 tracks that you should know about in this month’s mix! Let’s dive in shall we? Up first is the new release from Ciara called “Jump”. I have to applaud Ciara for filling the void of Janet Jackson for this generation. Her choreography and fashion definitely is on the level of what Janet was at the height of the 90s. I only bring Janet up because I watched the Essence Festival Concert and she’s still got it but like us all she has aged like a fine wine. And there’s nothing wrong with that. She’s over 50 and she’s a mother now. Age gracefully and do what you can do. Still love her and can’t wait to her new single when it drops. But back to “Jump”…nice that it’s at 120 BPMs and has a good production to be remixed. I definitely can see this being an Atlanta favourite for the summer. Young black gays are gonna be recreating this music video on the dancefloor for sure! As an African American DJ it is really refreshing to see Afro Beat infiltrate Dance Music in North America. It is a sound that is unique and isn’t going to be copied or appropriated anytime soon. And our next two tracks are great examples of hotness for the dancefloor.

Check out DJ Relentless’ Mixcloud page: https://www.mixcloud.com/djrelentlessny Check out DJ Relentless’ HearThis page: https://hearthis.at/djrelentlesstoronto

Another trend is this undertone of 80s Pop resurfacing in Dance Music today. The sixth selection is the latest from Purple Disco Machine featuring Sophie & The Giants called “In The Dark”. I swear if I heard this playing in a mall while shopping, I would definitely believe that it was some song I missed back in the 80s. If it weren’t for the slight Disco elements added it could be in some prom scene from a “Sixteen Candles” knock off. Often folks think that the U.S. and Canada share everything. Well, apparently not. We here in Canada (or at least here in Toronto) never got the Pepsi commercial where Doja Cat covers “You’re The One That I Want” from the motion picture “GREASE”. So, imagine my surprise when I got the Choppe Davila Remix through one of my video pools.

Up next we have the Amice Remix of “Afraid To Feel” by LF System. Scottish producers Conor Larkman & Sean Finnigan are the “LF” in the credits for this banga! The track is a hybrid of Classic Disco & House. The video adds a sexiness and the swing in tempos gives it a unique vibe. Probably one of the best tracks I have heard in a while. Love it!

“Live For Tonight” by Jack Wins is a complete rip off of “Dreams” by Gabrielle from 1993. I guess Jack thought if he didn’t use the actual chorus that he could get away with this. If you’re gonna do a cover you should give the proper credit and acknowledge it. Don’t let these kids today think that you’re a genius when you’re really just a thief.

Our eighth selection is “HMU For A Good Time” by Tinashe & Channel Tres. Honestly, visually if I blinked I would not be able to tell Tinashe from Doja Cat. There’s a clone effect going on which I believe is a hybrid of Beyonce and Cardi B right now. But I have noticed that Tinashe has been pumpin’ out some really hot House tracks. And this one is a nice one!

Okay…I have to admit that I am crushing on John Duff right about now. At first I thought he was a kitchy gay artist, but he’s moving into some serious House territory with his latest release “Is It A Sin”. The Eric Kupper Club Mix certifies him as a House artist…in my opinion. The video is bland compared to his others (probably because it was shot in an actual church) but he still comes across as a hot guy. I don’t know about you, but I’ll be playing this in my sets…for sure. Swedish DJ/Producer Avicii died on April 20th, 2018. Many felt the loss of such a promising young artist who didn’t even make it to the age of 30. But ever so often someone remixes one of his tracks and keeps his memory alive. The HMC 2022 Remix of “I Could Be The One” featuring Nicky Romero vs Joe Stone is a good reminder. I chose our twelfth track because I liked its message…“Don’t Forget To Breathe”. With all that going on in the world (the rise of Conservatism, Global Warming, inflation, gas prices and the Kardashians still on our airways), it is easy to forget to take a moment to breathe. Before you just react, stop and think about what and where your actions will do the best. If you’re in the U.S. you gotta vote Democrats across the board in the midterm elections! It’s the only way to start to reverse what the Rethuglicans have damaged and destroyed. So for me…Associanu has created a self help anthem. I tried looking up who this artist or group is and only found an Instagram profile which reads “This is a profile about…dancing.”

And after you have taken that breath, “Don’t Stop Moving”! This 90s classic has had a makeover by Firebeatz vs Living Joy. Why they couldn’t have just said it was the Firebeatz 2022 Remix I have no idea. I’m sure Living Joy would have appreciated the full credit since it is their song to begin with.

I would say Bad Bunny is having his best year ever! As of me writing this article, his latest single, “Un Verano Sin Ti” has topped Billboard’s 100 Chart for two weeks in a row. And he’s about to be a big movie star in the new Brad Pitt joint, “Bullet Train”. The trailer for the movie looks amazing! And Mr. S remixed one of my favs and made it into a Club Banga “Yo Perreo Sola”! I fell in love with this track when I saw Bunny in drag in the video! He’s not gay but he supports LGBT rights and I give him mad props for that! For our fifteenth track I chose the Kryder Mixshow Edit of “My Pony” by R3hab. I am beginning to wonder if there are no new ideas or is the world in such a bad place that producers are yearning for yesterday. It’s getting exhausting with the rebranding of 90s hits. This is a really annoying cover of Ginuwine’s “Pony”. It would have been more clever to have just done a R3hab Remix of the song with the original vocal. The production on this one is definitely hype and full of bounce…just wish Ginuwine was a part of it. Some twink out there is gonna think this is original and that sucks. And with most thing these days…what’s old is new. The sixteenth selection is the Truth N Lies Remix of the 2011 hit, “Rattle” by Bingo Players. I used to play this track to get my floor hyped. So, it’s nice to get an updated take on it. And the music video always “quacks me up”. You ever listen to a remix and wish that it had happen back when it was a hit? Well, I’m not sure who did this remix of Alanis Morissette’s 90s Pop hit, “You Oughta Know” but it is FYRE! The download that was shared in my video group labeled it as the Unnamed Remix. So, I don’t know if that’s the real name or just a description.

Another hot track is “Boss” by Naiee. The mix of Hip Hop & Latin is turning Moombahton into Club tracks at Club speed. I’m lovin’ it! It’s givin’ me energy like Merengue while she raps in Spanish caliente!

That Miami Bass influence that Pitbull has been riding all of his career still works if you wanna get a floor. So, his collaboration with Daddy Yankee on “Hot” will probably be a banga for the clubs in Florida And to close out our mix is “Good Love” by City Girls featuring Usher. For me…City Girls have picked up where the 2 Live Crew left off in the late 80s. They like that 808 beat and function well with it. “Twerkulator” did quite well for them. So, with their latest “Good Love” they are servin’ some classic rollerskatin’ bounce with some JJ Fad delivery while Usher adds a smooth vocal hook. Definitely something fun for the summer!

DJ RELENTLESS’ NOTE: Before I wrap up this edition, I just wanted to say thank you to all of our readers who have been supporting and sharing our magazine. It is not for profit. The magazine is a labour of love. We feel it is important to have a publication that is FREE and open to share our stories as a community of people living with HIV. And I hope that you enjoy my column and take advantage of the free downloads or check out my Mixcloud and HeatThis pages. I believe music is important in healing and staying connected. Each month you can download the video version of my EAR CANDY mix and not only hear the music but see the music videos plus how I programed them to visually tell the story. Be safe, be healthy and enjoy your summer.