A Whisper of Beauty in Denmark

By Richard Ammon
GlobalGayz

Around the world are countless breathtaking photo-ops that get swamped with tourist cameras, including mine--the Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, the Christus statue above Rio, China's Great Wall, and so on.

Then again, there are also countless small moments where unexpected images of beauty suddenly appear at unforeseen times and places. Sometimes they are intimate and quiet and whisper a message of subtle appeal.

Here is one such still-life moment from Helsingor, Denmark that I especially like. It's stillness, its stark yet colorful 'sound', it speaks of peace and ground, mankind and nature...



Another view of the same place:



Visit Denmark website

Gay Namibia Re-awakens From a Failed Past

Intro: a long drive around this seemingly endless and empty country reveals much natural beauty and on closer inspection a modest LGBT population struggling to re-invent itself and advocate for recognition and rights. They are spirited, courageous and determined to bring justice for LGBT citizens and education for the whole country.

By Richard Ammon
GlobalGayz.com
March 2011

For most travelers the country of Namibia in southern Africa seems inaccessible and remote, hardly worth the effort to go that far, and for gay and lesbian (LGBT) travelers the place might seem to be a cipher, a vacuum.

But don't be fooled. In this huge country, the size of western Europe, the landscapes are stunning, the cities modern and clean, the main roads well paved and along the way an entertaining mix of wild animals: untamed horses, ostriches, gemsbok, springbok, zebras, lots of very dumb donkeys, exotic birds, flamingos... (see Namibia Tourism website)

One might expect such places and critters but a visitor will be surprised to find there is a modest flourishing LGBT community with no less than three national organizations. This is not just surprising; it's a victory for gay pride, identity and community over adversity and failure.

Last year saw the collapse of the country's only LGBT organization, The Rainbow Project, and for a while it looked as if gay rights, advocacy and participation in HIV education were finished. The situation and its remnants are complex and tangled.

However, to the delight and surprise of many nearly all gay citizens in Namibia, two 'phoenix' organizations have risen from the ashes to join a long-standing third to create the strongest LGBT presence Namiba has ever seen.

The new organizations are Out-Right Namibia, an activist association (logo photo left), and LGBT Network Namibia, a social group with human rights tendencies; both emerged in late 2010 and early 2011. They join the long-standing pro-gay feminist organization called Sister Namibia that has been around for 25 years. Together they represent a renaissance of gay pride in Namibia unlike anything before.

You can read about this inspiring reawakening on the GlobalGayz website.
Also see Gay Namibia News & Reports and Photo Galleries

Male Circumcision and HIV--No Correlation

By Richard Ammon
GlobalGayz.com
March 23, 2011

In 2009 I wrote a blog about male circumcision and HIV in which I doubted the usefulness of removing the male foreskin to prevent or reduce HIV infection. I noted that virtually all Danish men are not circumcised (as I personally observed during the 2nd OutGames in Copenhagen) and yet the HIV incidence rate is very low. (view enlarged map of circumcision prevalence by country)

But African officials in 2008 and 2009 decided differently and urged men to get circumcised to reduce risk of HIV. I said I thought this was a bogus misreading of research and a useless (and painful) procedure that could lead to increased risky sexual behavior (men falsely thinking they were 'protected' from HIV).

Today, the following report came out based on more recent research revealing there is no correlation between circumcision and HIV infection:

From: International AIDS Society
http://journals.lww.com/aidsonline/Abstract/2011/02200/Male_circumcision_and_risk_of_HIV_acquisition.14.aspx
20 February 2011
Volume 25 - Issue 4 - p 519–523doi: 10.1097/QAD.0b013e328340fd81
By: Sánchez, Jorgea,c; Sal y Rosas, Victor Gb; Hughes, James Pb; Baeten, Jared Mc; Fuchs, Jonathane; Buchbinder, Susan Pe; Koblin, Beryl Af; Casapia, Martíng; Ortiz, Abnerh; Celum, Connie, et.al.

Circumcision does not have a significant protective effect against HIV

Abstract:

Objectives:
To assess the association between male circumcision, insertive anal sex practices, and HIV acquisition in a cohort of MSM.

Methods:
Data were from 1824 HSV-2-seropositive, HIV-seronegative MSM, 1362 (75%) from Peru and 462 (25%) from the US, who participated in a randomized placebo-controlled trial of HSV-2 suppression for HIV prevention (HPTN 039). Circumcision status was determined by examination at enrollment. HIV testing was done every 3 months for up to 18 months. Partner-specific sexual behavior for up to the last three partners during the previous 3 months was analyzed.

Results:
There was no significant association between male circumcision and HIV acquisition in univariate analysis [relative risk (RR) = 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.50–1.42]. In a prespecified multivariate analysis that assumed a linear relationship between the proportion of insertive acts and effect of circumcision on HIV acquisition, the interaction between circumcision and proportion of insertive acts was not significant (P = 0.11). In an exploratory analysis that categorized behavior with recent partners by proportion of insertive acts, circumcision was associated with a nonstatistically significant 69% reduction in the risk of HIV acquisition (RR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.06–1.51) among men who reported at least 60% of insertive acts with recent male partners.

Conclusion:
Circumcision does not have a significant protective effect against HIV acquisition among MSM from Peru and US, although there may be reduced risk for men who are primarily insertive with their male partners. This association needs to be investigated across diverse cohorts of MSM.