MAKING GAY HEALTH SEXY

They have Clifton Beach, Table Mountain, the wine estates, a buzzing gay scene and now Cape Town’s gay community is privileged yet again; South Africa’s first dedicated gay men’s sexual health service is up and running in the Mother City.

So what makes Health4Men so different to other projects working with gay men, such as Pretoria’s OUT and Cape Town’s Triangle Project?

“We literally offer a one-stop sexual health service specifically designed for gay men”, explains Dr Kevin Rebe, a medical specialist who leads the Health4Men team.

“Besides HIV testing, we offer free HIV management and blood tests, and we supply free ARV treatment through our partnership with the Western Cape Department of Health.”

The menu of free services includes STI diagnosis and treatment, CD4 and viral load testing, prostate health monitoring, vaccinations against hepatitis and ARV treatment.

Glenn de Swardt manages Health4Men’s psychosocial component. “Our mandate includes prevention strategies and we’re working with guys who are HIV negative as well as HIV positive guys. We’re intent on getting gay men to engage with issues relating to enjoying responsible sex.”

Health4Men has already conducted two successful seminars: during September their first seminar addressed bare-backing and they conducted an “Ass Class” during October.

“As gay men we seldom discuss our anuses”, says Glenn. “Even gay men are affected by the social taboo that surrounds the anus.”

We’re trying to make our messaging as interesting as possible. We need to make responsible messaging sexy…

Kevin and Glenn are a complementary and formidable team; during the “Ass Class”, for example, Kevin focused on anal physiology and health while Glenn addressed psychological factors and focused on how we relate to our own anuses.

“We’re also offering free professional individual and couple counseling as well as support groups. We’re busy setting up a group for guys who are HIV positive and soon we’ll have a group for negative guys whose partners are positive,” says Glenn, who left the country’s oldest LGBT organisation, Triangle Project, earlier this year.

A group for guys with sexual addictions is also being explored. “Our November seminar will take the form of a demonstration and workshop on bondage and control. Responsible sex messaging isn’t only about using condoms and we’re trying to make our messaging as interesting as possible. We need to make responsible messaging sexy”.

Health4Men’s office is located in Cobern Street in the heart of Cape Town’s gay village precinct – quite literally: They’re located between the newly opened Amsterdam Action Bar and Bar Code, the local leather bar.

“Our location in the gay heart of the city is ideal but we’re intent on making our expertise and services available to men living in the townships, the Cape Flats and even rural areas… our target extends far beyond guys living in the city bowl,” explains Glenn.

Health4Men has acquired a wing of the Woodstock Day Hospital and will launch a new clinic in Woodstock, specifically addressing gay men’s sexual health needs, during December.

“The new clinic in Woodstock is currently being fully refurbished and it will be the first specialised clinic to offer free services to gay men that address all aspects of their sexual health, including HIV”, says Helen Struthers, from the PHRU’s PEPFAR project, Health4Men’s sponsor.

Look out for the Health4Men team at this year’s MCQP party on 20 December – they’ll be managing the darkroom – and follow their progress here on Mamba.

Call Health4Men on 021 425 6463 for more info or to make an appointment.