About Staying Negative

Staying Negative aims to emotionally engage, inspire and facilitate imagination in sexual health practices. The campaign profiles the real life stories of gay, bisexual and trans men who have sex with men (MSM). Men talk about all aspects of their life from coming out, relationships, sexuality and a broad range of other topics. While HIV and safe sex is an important part of all stories, it is not the exclusive focus.

Prior HIV prevention campaigns have traditionally focused on providing gay men with information that will encourage them to adopt safe sex behaviours. In reality, safe sex practices are influenced by a whole range of environmental and cultural factors. The campaign also provides an opportunity for HIV positive men to talk about their lives and discuss how their strategies to staying HIV negative were not successful. We understand that there is more than one way practice safe sex and adopt healthcare seeking behaviours, so let's be creative about it!

There are no real criteria for participants other than that they are MSM and happy to have their stories appear as part of the campaign. In addition to the personal stories, the website provides information on HIV/AIDS, sexual health, relationships and broad of the other relevant topics including domestic violence, drugs and alcohol and depression.

Rimming

Rimming is the act of licking or tonguing someone’s arse and areas around the arse. It is probably called rimming because of the tongue action involved where you tongue the ‘rim’ of his arse in small circular motions. It can be a pretty daunting thing to get used to at first as we are taught from a young age that arses are dirty. The taste and smell can take a little getting used to, because after all you are sticking your tongue into someone else’s arse. It’s normal for some guys to only enjoy giving and not receiving, or vice versa. Don’t feel pressured to do anything you don’t enjoy or you don’t want to.

Your arse is one of the most private, intimate parts of your body with several nerve endings. Once you get used to the idea, the feeling of a moist tongue around one of your most sensitive areas can be very pleasurable. Do whatever you enjoy, or what your partner enjoys as each guy is different. You can lick around the outside of his arse, nip his arse cheeks with your teeth or slowly move your tongue in and out of his arse. This is a good form or foreplay and helps to relax your sphincter muscles before fucking.

It is possible to catch STIs from rimming so if you are doing this with a casual partner, always try to use dental dams. Even if you are doing this with a regular partner, be sure to go for regular check ups as you can catch other diseases such as salmonella or E. Coli if some of their shit gets into your mouth. Don’t forget that just because you can’t see the shit, it doesn’t mean there aren’t small particles hanging around containing bacteria.

Tell us your story

Tell us your story

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Come and tell us your story! We would love to hear from you! If you want to find out a little more about how it all works, give Jessie a call at VAC on (03) 9865 6700, or email staying.negative@vac.org.au