Six-time gold medallist Don Barclay (53) and diver Simon Latimer (24), who head to Chicago this month to represent New Zealand in the seventh international Gay Games, are appearing on posters, lightboxes and condom packs under the heading: “My Health Is My Greatest Asset”.
“Many gay men spend time watching what they eat and going to the gym, something especially important for athletes,” says Douglas Jenkin, Gay Men’s Health Team Co-ordinator. “What these guys are saying is that making sure you remain HIV-negative should also play a part in taking care of your overall health and wellbeing. The easiest way of doing this, of course, is to use condoms for anal sex.”
The message is particularly important for older gay and bisexual men, who continue to make up a disproportionate number of new HIV infections in New Zealand. “I keep hearing my late grandfathers words: ‘If you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything’,” says Don Barclay. “We have only one shot at life so to enhance that life we have to try and keep our level of risks in all facets to a minimum. Having safe sex is a prime example.”
With HIV infections among gay and bisexual men in New Zealand reaching all time high levels in 2005, it’s important for HIV-negative gay role models to be visible. “If you want to maintain a stress-free lifestyle, no matter what your age, then it’s far easier to use condoms for anal sex with everybody, rather than thinking you can re-assess the risk with each new sexual partner,” says Douglas Jenkin.
