Freedom in Speech

Written by Courtesy of Pink News Monday, 13 August 2012 12:01

HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust has launched an online guide instructing gay men in condom use.

The guide has been launched as part of a new HIV prevention campaign for gay and bisexual men in London.

Thirty years on from the beginning of the HIV epidemic, THT advises that condoms remain the best way to guard against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. They launched The Gay Man’s Guide To Condoms (Everything they didn’t teach you in school), with the aim of ensuring gay and bisexual men are properly equipped to protect themselves and their partners from infection.

Cary James, Head of Programmes at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “Condoms are the bedrock of HIV prevention, but with sex and relationships education patchy at best, too many men are being sent into the world with inadequate advice on how to use them. We know most gay men use condoms most of the time, but they may not realise that certain things – like storing condoms in a warm place or using spit as lube – can still cause the condom to break. This new guide aims to help men avoid condom mishaps and enjoy better, safer sex lives.”

The Gay Man’s Guide To Condoms can be found atwww.tht.org.uk/summerloving. As well as guidance and tips on the best way to use condoms, the guide also contains links to a special offer on the NHS Freedoms website, offering packs of 24 condoms for the price of £5 for the three month duration of the Summer Lovin’ campaign.

he Summer Lovin’ campaign, funded by the Pan-London HIV Prevention Programme, will provide information via adverts in gay media and posters in gay venues. Terrence Higgins Trust will also be distributing 5,000 Summer Lovin’ condom packs in clubs and bars across the London gay scene.