Seattle Gay Scene has learned of a new community based safe-sex campaign that will make its Seattle debut tomorrow night, Saturday, March 27th at The Cuff during festivities for the 2010 Washington State Mr/Ms Leather Contest and the 17th Anniversary Party for The Cuff. The new group and website, SEAfukit is a fully authorized offshoot of an original program developed in Washington DC called DCFukit.
WARNING: BOTH SEAFUKITS AND DCFUKIT ARE NSFW SITES AND YOU MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE TO VIEW MATERIAL ON THE SITES. DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINKS IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE OR AUTHORIZED TO VIEW ADULT CONTENT!!!!
(I hope I made myself clear…and, You Have Been Warned!).
And, what exactly is “SEAfukits“?
About us: SEAfukits.org is a grass roots all volunteer community based prevention program developed by men who have sex with men specifically for our community. Our mission is to stop the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in our community by teaching the facts about sexually transmitted infections and by providing free condom/lube kits to the community as tools to help reduce the spread of these infections. Enjoy your sexuality responsibly; choose condoms and other safer sex practices, or monogamy, or abstinence. Love your partners, Love your community. Stop HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Infections, Get tested regularly.
And, SEAfukits wants to present safe sex information in a frank and open manner…no vague ads with sweater-clad wholesome gays urging you to “play safe” or sweet mother’s wagging fingers at our “naughty” behaviour; Seafuckits’ website will feature graphic videos and photoes about safe sex practices including demonstrations on HOW to put on a condom. It is not meant to titillate but to educate and to frankly admit that safe sex is ultimately about people having SEX.
And, to kick off the project, a number of SEAfukits’ volunteers including adult film star and Seattle native Tony Buff will be distributing Seafukits kits at The Cuff tomorrow night during the Leather Pride and Anniversary events. If you’re going to be at The Cuff that night check it out, and, (when you are at home) check out the new website and keep a look out for future news on upcoming events and programs coming from SEAfukits here at SGS or at the SEAfukits site or other media outlets in the Puget Sound area. They have some interesting ideas and plans for future events, promotions and video presentations in the works…it should be interesting.
Full Disclosure: A thousand kits were stuffed last Sunday, March 21st and I was there to help out (I love stuffing condoms and lube…)and take some pictures of the volunteers at work. I’m taking an interest in this group because I think it’s important.
Transmission rates of HIV are going up and there’s a strong sense that many gay men are abandoning safe sex practices with the advent of the many new treatments for HIV and AIDS. Sadly, new treatments aren’t a cure and men (and women) are still dying of HIV/AIDS. I think a guerrilla campaign like SEAfukits, which hopes to echo some of the activism of early AIDS groups like Act-Up is timely and important. And emphasizing the SEXUAL aspects of safe sex only seems logical. How else do you reach out to the millions of sexually active non-monogamous gay, bi and queer men in this country? Presenting safe sex information in a way that is accessible; entertaining, sexy, humorous, touching, inspired, and EROTIC, has a far greater chance of success than the old school methods which are largely ignored by both older men and the millions of younger queer men born AFTER the initial wave of the AIDS crisis in the 1980’s and early 90’s.
To quote a ringleader of the new group who chose to paraphrase a certain pop superstar, it’s time to start “bringing safety back” and “what’s wrong with making safe sex, SEXY?”
About the Author: Michael Strangeways
George Bakan – owner/publisher of SGN (Seattle Gay News)
Hi – This is an excellent effort – and SGN will support it 100 per cent in any way possible.
I was given a preview last week, but asked to wait for a public story. Apparently media strategy changed somewhere, should have know better.
But, the point is once again we must join efforts to try to stop new HIV infections. Because of all the restrains on funding, most campaigns to attract gay men are very neutered. A new effort using real time and real life gay male erotic themes is long over due.
SGN has had in the works its own "Smut and Rut" campaign in the same vein – print – look for its launch at Pride.
Regards, solidarity, xoxox, George Bakan
Thanks for your support.
You are an asset to the community.
Gay health issues somehow have been forgotten with recent struggles for marriage and military service.
Writer's Note: I was contacted by one of the founders of SEAfukits several weeks about the startup of this new group and talked to him over the phone, (we are personal friends). A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to the packet stuffing party that was held last Sunday. My source indicated that SGN had also been informed of the event, but as far as I am aware, no representative of SGN or any other media outlet was present. I participated in the event, as a volunteer, took some photos and a few notes. My source, (who has asked NOT to be named at this time as one of the founders; he doesn't want the organization to be about him but the grassroots campaign and I'll respect his wishes until told otherwise) had told me on numerous occassions that he would inform me when I could print the story of SEAfukits in the Seattle Gay Scene…much of it had to do with the final arrangements for the initial distribution at the Cuff events scheduled for tonight. Mr Source was finally able to finalize those arrangements Friday morning and then CALLED me Friday afternoon and gave me the go-ahead to print a story to publicize the event. Due to the nature of New Media this obviously gives SGS an advantage as we solely publish and daily update on the Internet; we are not enslaved to the demands of PRINT journalism which requires a strict adherance to publishing schedules, in the case of SGN I believe they go to print on Wednesdays…I, for one, am happy and proud we were able to get this information out to the public in a timely manner that is both beneficial to the public at large, and more importantly to the launching of an important new public health organization. I will continue to work with SEAfukits to develop further opportunities for them to grow and prosper. It would seem to be counter-productive to get in a snipe fight over who scooped who on an important story, especially when it's a contest between a print publication and a always live website…such snipefests have undermined more than one worth cause, gay OR not, in Seattle. The best of luck to SEAfukits, "Smut and Rut" and any other endeavors designed to lower rates of HIV infection.
Just to clairify a couple of things.
Not snipe fighting – just facts. SGN prints early Friday am. Which allows us to write very timely frontpage news, and, we do just that every week. Save the space, story in progress up to 8pm
every Thr. – on the page in Friday's edition
And yes, I was invited to the assemble packets session – but not as media.
And the invitation was conditioned on a pledge of secrecy. Utter fatigue after three earlier community organizings meeting prevented me from just doing anything more.
I know nothing about any agrements with other media. But I want folks to know SGN was in the loop, activly vowed support, ageeded not to print before the first weekend distribution during leather pride and abided by that word and will now openly write about the program and give it all the support possible.
Hey, SGN has a history of decades of being on the side of action. And, indeed, the time for renewed community based AIDS education action is here.
George B. / SGN
We're a infotainment blog, George, not "The Media". I was there to help out (yes, I stuffed kits) and I took a couple pictures; that's it. And, I wrote about my experiences after getting permission from the organizer.
It's flattering that you feel threatened by us, but I think you can feel comforted by the huge number of paid ads you have in print/online…
Hey M> S> – no online sniping – your words.