Health Initiative for Men: My Fucking Life, High Life, and New West

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      Health Initiative for Men, a Vancouver-based organization devoted to the full spectrum of well-being for gay, bisexual, and all men who have sex with men (MSM), has been busy at work so here's a quick rundown of what's new with them.

      My Fucking Life

      What do you like about your fucking life? Dislike?

      HIM decided to ask 70 gay men and MSM about their fucking lives and what they discovered was transformed into a six-part webseries called—rather appropriately—My Fucking Life. Since they're a sex-positive organization (that regards sex as an integral part of a healthy life, rather than shameful), they wanted to avoid any moralizing about sex.

      Four actors represent the men's stories in the docudrama, with everything from bathhouse sex and fuck buddies to looking for love up for discussion.

      The actors portray four diverse types of men: a young idealist, a monogamist in a relationship, an experienced dude (who is happily and partly slutty), and a pragmatist with a fuck buddy.

      As provocative and attention-grabbing as the title is, it's meant to spark conversation about gay men's health issues, and to reach audiences that might not normally be interested in such subjects.

      It's also a way for men who might be socially isolated, lack gay male friends, or might be closeted to hear others share experiences from their sex lives.

      The series will start on September 2 and will be released weekly at the website.

      High Life

      In other aspects about life, if you're planning on getting high or drunk, there are ways to be street smart about it. HIM and YouthCO launched High Life, a new campaign to address and encourage safer substance use among gay men and MSM.

      The website features:

      • a short quiz, which allows users to build a profile that will provide tailored information;

      • information about the risks, effects, mixing substsances, and safer use practices of various drugs (ranging from alcohol and marijuana to crystal meth);

      • tips from gay men on everything from knowing your limit to quitting or helping out a friend with usage problems;

      • a list of resources, such as health clinics, counselling, addiction services, support groups, and more.

      HIM New Westminster

      Speaking of resources, HIM opened a new health centre in New Westminster (40 Begbie Street) earlier this month.

      Like their health centres in the West End and on Commercial Drive, the clinic offers STI testing, rapid HIV testing, early HIV testing, and sexual health information, and will provide counselling.

      It's open Mondays and Wednesdays from 4 to 9 p.m.

      It's located a few blocks away from the gay bathhouse Steam1. It will help to serve the growing LGBT community in the municipality, as well as anyone in need of accessing services discreetly.

      For full details, visit the HIM website.

      Also at the HIM website, you can find out more information and resources for mental, physical, sexual, and social health for gay men and MSM, which includes everything from life-drawing or self-defense classes to support groups and social activities.

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