An online video, produced by GMFA, the gay men’s health charity, is encouraging gay men to think about the assumptions that they make about their sexual partner’s HIV status.

Riffing on a theme that has taken off online over the past couple of months, GMFA produced ‘Sh*t gay guys say about HIV’. Actors in the video articulate some of the contradictory, or plain bizarre, things that some gay men say about HIV.

Matthew Hodson of GMFA, says: “We’ve all heard people come out with statements about HIV that are inaccurate, misinformed or dangerously naïve. GMFA’s website provides frank information about HIV, how it is transmitted and how gay men can protect themselves and their sexual partners. We hope that this video will encourage gay men to think about their own attitudes and behaviour and motivate them to find out more about HIV.”

Viewers of the video are invited to give feedback on the impact that the video had on them. Initial findings suggest that two-thirds of viewers were inspired to think about the assumptions that they make about their sexual partner’s HIV status and a majority of viewers were moved to consider who has the responsibility for safer sex and to think about the likelihood of disclosure of HIV status.

Matthew adds, “HIV is a serious issue. We produced this video to see whether or not we could reach people using viral marketing techniques. We’re keen to see if this video gets seen and shared, to find out what people think about the approach, and whether or not it brings new visitors to our site.”

GMFA’s Sex and Sexual Health website is atwww.gmfa.org.uk/sex.

Health