Frank

I have been a specialist in men's sex and health issues for more than 15years.   Over that time, various buddies, colleagues and I have often talked about the meaning of "gay community" and more recently, the emerging virtual online community.  It's something we couldn't have anticipated even ten years ago.  But then we also weren't anticipating the restrictions we see today in the way the government wants us to limit the way that we talk about and encourage gay men's sexual health.

With the support of a limited private grant, some friends and I developed a web-based national venue for gay and bisexual men to make new friends, encourage healthy and safe sexual activity and develop a resource of information that is, in every aspect – sex positive!  SAFESEXCITY.com is a place where its OK to be identified as a Gat or Bi man; where we can acknowledge casual sex as being as important a choice as monogamy and where we empower men to THINK and QUESTION what we deserve in our health care standards and government policy.

Members of this innovative, new, social network site, come from all the communities that make up the "gay agenda" regardless of how we define ourselves.   If you're thinking that you might not be sure what the term "gay agenda" means, help us take this phrase back and define it for ourselves.

Our members are committed to a series of common desires;

* The opportunity to make social contacts for friendship or sex with out fear of judgment or ridicule,

* The strength to be supported or continue established techniques in keeping ourselves safe,

* The right, if infected with an infection, to seek confidential and proficient treatment options,

* The self-determination to receive consistent and accurate messages on how to prevent re-infections

* The power to explore, question and learn about ourselves and each other.

As with any new project, this is a work in progress and one that has many goals. This is first, a national site that where we can address issues that affect the larger community.  Secondly, we want Safesexcity.com to be like any other place in our neighborhood where we can meet and hook-up with other men, just like us.   Ultimately, we need you to help us build the community we all want and deserve. We have provided low cost agency and CBO opportunities to promote to services (such as online syphilis testing here in san Francisco ) as well as free resource listings, and a free basic membership to gay, bi and transgender  men. Much of this is focused in our "Gay Agendas" and Community Resource links sections which include topics/forums on HIV, STD and Hep C, drug use,  Erotic, sensual and sexual exploration, video reviews and other subjects that you can help us build.

We encourage folks to feel free to email us with questions, comments and ideas. All members will be able to use and optional STD test reminder
feature that will confidentially send them an email up to 6 month from a date you choose - suggesting it may be time to test for STD's. Remember
this site is community driven - your interests and events have a place on it.

Our "Gay Agendas" section also has a community calendar section to promote local and national events and programs as well as a monthly newsletter of highlights.

As we look to 2004 and beyond, we are finding that simply being able to make the choice as to how we have sex, whom we love and what it means to be a sex-positive gay man, are questions often left unanswered. We are living in a world that all to often refuses to acknowledge us as individuals and a community; we still struggle to find messages that encourage our sexual heath. SAFESEXCITY.com is our attempt to balance the scales of sex and knowledge.

Please contact us (off list please) if you are interested in banner space for your agency, on how to post free calendar events or would like further details on this project and other ways you can participate or promote this innovative approach to men's health

Frank Strona and Jon Albert

Frank Strona, Strona@rcn.com
Jon Albert, Admin@safesexcity.com