Project CRYSP and LifeLube.org sponsored a sexuality forum at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, entitled “We’re Taking Pleasure Back!”
Held on Nov. 11, the event was one of a series with a focus on building conversations around issues related to gay men’s sexuality like previous events “Tunnel of Love,” “Risky Business” and “Sex on the Superhighway.” The talk-show-style forum was hosted by Fausto Fernos and Marc Felion of the Feast of Fun podcast, and included panelists Dr. Gary Harper from DePaul University; activist and spoken-word artist Keith Green (also Project PrEP director) ; and Samuel R. Galloway, a sex educator from Tulip Toy Gallery (also from the University of Chicago). Each were asked to “creatively” talk about gay men’s sexuality without including the spectrum of disease and risk.
One of the topics the panelists discussed was that, since the AIDS epidemic in 1982, many gays live in fear of getting the disease and find it difficult to embrace their sexuality as something good. Fernos explained, “Why not talk about all the fantastic sex we have? What about our friendships and our community. Being gay is not a disease.”
The panelists also talked about body image, societal expectations and labels. A podcast version of the event is available at www.FeastofFun.com; see more information on Project CRYSP at www.LifeLube.org.