LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Looking Back and Forward to Safe, Sexy Summers |
by Bill Sievert |
Expect to see some fresh faces around Rehoboth this coming season, as new recruits join the brigade of CAMPsafe lifeguards. Their goal once again will be to encourage all gay and bisexual men to keep their guard up, protecting one another from unnecessary risks to health during a long hot summer at the beach. In 1999, the "unofficial" team of guards was a highly visible component of CAMPsafe, an HIV outreach project of CAMP Rehoboth as supported by the State of Delaware's Division of Health and Social Services. The state has renewed the project's contract for a third year, and plans are well underway for another energetic, action-packed season. Last year, CAMPsafe and its lifeguards, through their photographic images and personal appearances, showed up just about everywherefrom bars to beaches, shops to guesthouses. The project reached thousands of men with a series of SAFE Tea Dances, a Safe Sex Weekend Retreat and film sponsorships, as well as with distribution of complimentary condoms and educational materials to group houses and businesses. Throughout the season, the CAMPsafe banner flew high all over town from the popular gay beaches to the bustling CAMP courtyard. Among the highlights of CAMPsafe in 1999: More than 8,500 copies of six full-color postcards featuring images of the lifeguards providing safesex messages were given away through a network of 21 area businesses, during tea dances and at other events. The collectible cards, with sexy guys in playful poses, were designed to grab the attention of CAMPsafe's target group: men who have sex with men. As they picked up the postcards, men also snapped up more than 5,000 condom kits, plus such promotional items as decks of CAMPsafe playing cards, refrigerator magnets and tank tops with the message: "You Only Get One LIFE, GUARD it well." A series of monthly SAFE Tea Dances and wienie roasts on Sunday afternoons in June, July and August drew a total of more than 1,000 party-goers to the deck and dance floor of Cloud 9. These were the first tea dances ever held at the Cloud, and almost all those who participated were well aware that they were attending an event centered on a theme of protecting themselves from HIV. Although the Teas were great social gatherings, everybody knew that CAMPsafe was the sponsor. The information table was constantly busy during the dances, requiring several persons to staff. (Other volunteersoften in full drag despite steamy weather in July and Augustcame from men's group houses to serve up free hot dogs.) Besides picking up condoms and promotional items, many men took time out from the parties to fill out the lengthy CAMPsafe Survey of Men's Sexual Practices. (Results in this article.) With the assistance of educators at Washington's Whitman-Walker Clinic, CAMPsafe presented a Men's Safe-Sex Retreat Weekend in October, hosted in cooperation with the Renegade Resort. Part of the CAMPsafe mandate has been to offer educational speakers, but it was important to come up with a program more enticing than a traditional (boring) lecture series. The resulting retreat featured workshops on the exciting subjects "The Anatomy of Pleasure" (which drew a capacity crowd) and "The Dating Game: Relationship Building." Experienced facilitators from Whitman-Walkerincluding a nurse and an HIV program administratorcleverly provided safe-sex information and encouragement with humor and personal caring. They employed such tools as having each man write a classified advertisement searching for a boyfriend, describing his own sexual interests and the guy of his dreams. The ads were used as a basis for communicating the dangers each man might be facing and how to avoid them. Audience members responded enthusiastically and urged CAMPsafe to offer similar programs in the future. In November, CAMPsafe packed the house at the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival with its sponsorships, in association with AIDS Delaware, of two films featuring themes of coming of age and coming out. Nearly 300 welcome bags of educational and promotional materials were distributed to audience members (some 350 persons attended the two screenings). In an effort to reach out to younger gay and bisexual men, CAMPsafe provided complimentary tickets to groups of students from Sussex County and from Northern Delaware. One of the sponsored films, 24 Nights, won an audience prize for being among the Festival's finest offerings. A total of 327 men, triple the number of the previous year, filled out the 39-question 1999 CAMPsafe Survey of Sexual Practices Among Gay and Bisexual Men. The results indicated that, while a majority of the respondents have been making concerted efforts to avoid HIV transmission, a significant minority continues to pose a risk to themselves and their partners. On a positive note, 89% of those surveyed reported that they had been tested for HIV. However, one of the more disturbing results was that 58% of men with multiple sex partners said they "seldom" or "never" asked a new partner about HIV status. Clearly, a majority of men still don't feel comfortable talking about this important issue with someone new. Anyone interested in poring through the entire survey should contact the CAMP Rehoboth office for an appointment. Among the key findings: A total of 42% of the men said they were "more likely" to have used condoms during anal sex in the previous 12-month period; 15% were "less likely." The remainder said they were "as likely" to have used condoms, did not engage in anal sex or had no new partners. Several who said they used condoms less often noted that they were seeking "more pleasure." About 15% of men with multiple partners said they seldom or never used a condom while having anal sex. Five per cent said they were engaging in sex with more people, 13% said fewer people. Nearly two thirds (64%) of the men said they had multiple partners in the previous year. Nearly half of those with multiple partners had sexual contact with at least four men, and 28% had sexual experiences with more than ten men. Nearly half (45%) of respondents said they were in a "steady relationship" during the 12-month period, but 40% of them also reported having had sex with one or more partners other than their primary lover. Nearly half of the latter group did not use condoms with their primary partners. Approximately 18% said they had changed their sexual behavior by "taking fewer risks," but 9% admitted to "taking more risks" than in the past. The rest said they were already risk-free or were taking "the same risks" as before. Overall, 14% of the men described themselves as being at "medium" to "high" risk of acquiring HIV, which correlates closely to the 15% who reported using condoms rarely, if at all. Why do these men continue to place themselves and their partners in harm's way? Some of those taking more risks commented that they had been "desensitized to HIV" or are "tired of worrying" about AIDS. One respondent in his 50s, who had been with 10-14 men in the 12-month period, reported "having sex with more people" and "taking more risks" because he "got bored with usual sex." A man in his late 20s, who had been with 10-14 men, said he was using condoms less often because it "feels too good." A man in his 30s, who had been with 10-14 men and only "sometimes" used condoms, reported that he "had one scare but I came out okay." He mistakenly estimated his risk level of getting HIV as "low." As long as people can so easily rationalize perilous behaviors, there will continue to be a need for a program such as CAMPsafeto help them think again. That is why CAMPsafe is readying a new series of postcards and posters, plus gearing up for more Tea Dances and other events, for the 2000 season. Watch these pages for full details. Thanks to everyone who participated last year. Special thanks to the more than 70% of survey respondents who stated that CAMPsafe has provided them useful information and encouragement to practice safer sex. And you can thank yourselves for using so many complimentary CAMPsafe condoms. We hope to see you all again this season. In the meantime, don't be afraid to preach what you practice. Help us to remind everyone else: Have fun! Play smart! CAMPsafe! Bill Sievert is a member of the CAMP Rehoboth Board of Directors working with Project CAMPsafe. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 10, No. 2, Mar. 10, 2000. |