10
GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE November 26, 2004
• v2
Q: Are you afraid of the dentist? A: 216-226-3800 It's normal! We can help! We're absolutely dedicated to providing your dental care as comfortably as is modernly possible. We welcome cowards.
Q: Are you afraid of the cost?
A: 216-226-3800 Our various payment options take the fear out of dental expense. We welcome most insurances and gladly accept VISA, MasterCard and Discover. We also have interest-free financing packages available.
Q: Afraid to take the time?
A: 216-226-3800 Our early morning, evening and Saturday office hours will take the worry out of interfering with your busy schedule.
We Love New Patients!
Serving the Lakewood Community with Care and Compassion Since 1995
We welcome cowards.
Comfort Dental Group
David M. Raiffe, D.D.S. & Asociates 15901 Hilliard Road Lakewood, Ohio 44107 (Corner of Hilliard & Madison)
216-226-3800
New Patient Consutation
Includes All Necessary X-Rays
$49
Mention the Gay People's Chronicle for a 10% Discount on future Services
Lesbians are not immune
From HIV education material created by the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center.
Are lesbians at risk for contracting HIV from each other?
Yes! There have cases reported since the mid 1980s which indicate that women are transmitting HIV to each other. Despite these reports, the federal government's Center for Disease Control does not include female to female transmission in its AIDS reports. Many lesbians mistakenly believe that they are not at risk. HIV is transmitted when blood, vaginal fluids, breastmilk or semen from an HIV infected person enters your blood stream.
Lesbians can be infected with HIV through having unsafe sex (with women or men), donor insemination, sharing injectable drug works, piercing, tattooing and blood transfusions.
Because we know how HIV is transmitted, we can define some guidelines for safer sex and explain which sexual behaviors can be risky.
Whether a sexual behavior is safe or unsafe depends on the chances of your partner's bodily fluids coming in contact with your blood.
Wet kissing is safer unless either partner has a sore or cut in her mouth or bleeding gums. After you brush your teeth or floss, wait a half an hour before kissing.
Touching your lover's breast, massage, masturbation and body to body rubbing are safer-as long as there is no blood or breast milk exchanged. Sores or cuts on the fingers, mouth, anus or vagina of either partner can increase risk during vaginal and anal contact. Using a glove can prevent a way for the virus to get into your blood stream.
Unprotected oral sex is risky, especially when your partner has her period or a vaginal infection. To make it safer, cover her vulva with a latex dam (also known as a dental dam) or you can cut open acondom to make a barrier. Ifa woman is infected, hermenstrual blood, vaginal secretions and ejaculate will have the virus in it. HIV has been found in these fluids.
Sex toys are safer when used by yourself, but should not be shared without a new condom being put on them.
S&Mor rough sex is safer if there is no blood involved. If you are piercing each other clean the needle with bleach. In shaving use separate
razors.
Not risky
Massage
Hugging
Fantasy
Voyeurism
Exhibitionism
Masturbation (touching yourself) Vibrators or other sex toys (not shared) Dry kissing
Body to body rubbing or "tribadism" when fluids are not involved
Possibly risky
Wet (French) kissing
Shared hand and genital contact with a barrier such as a finger cot, glove, or latex dam (a square piece of latex)
Cunnilingus (oral-genital contact) using a
barrier
Fisting using a barrier
Probably risky
Shared hand, finger and genital contact with cuts or sores
Cunnilingus (oral or tongue to genital contact) without a barrier
Very risky
Cunnilingus without a barrier during men-
struation
Female or male ejaculate in the mouth, vagina or anus
Rimming without a barrier
Fisting without a barrier such as a glove Sharing sex toys without a barrier Sharing needles of any kind, to shoot drugs, pierce or tattoo the skin.
If you believe you have been exposed to HIV, get tested. Early detection leads to early treatment, which slows down the progression of the virus. To be sure of your results, wait 3 to 6 months after your last risk before retaking the test. It is understandable to be scared if you think you might have been exposed to HIV. Take a calm and realistic look at the risks you might have taken. Regardless of your HIV status you should practice safer sex now to protect yourself and your partner form HIV and STDs.
IT'S ABOU
IT'S NOT
EQUALITY OVER
IT'S ABOUT EQUALITY
IS ABOU EQUALITY
* P
equality now
rally/protest
Thursday, December 2
4-5:30pm, Market Square Park
(West 25th and Lorain -across from the West Side Market)
December 2 is the day the Ohio Marriage Amendment (Issue 1) is scheduled to take affect.
We will not be silent against this institutionalized homophobia and discrimination.
Join us as we speak up, speak out and march forth toward full equality for all.
Featuring a host of speakers affected by the Ohio Marriage Amendment: Parents of LGBT Children Children of LGBT Parents
LGBT Families
and others
Remember the Voices Against The Silence Dinner 6pm at Windows on the River.
Questions? Call 216.651.LGBT or visit www.outforjustice.org
'LESBIAN GAY
COMMUNITY
GREATER CLEVELAND
OUT
CENTER OF JUSTICE EqualityCoalition
Paid for by the Lesbian/Gay Community Center of Greater Cleveland, Thom Rankin, President. 6600 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44102.
'Let's talk about herpes
by Tee Loretta and Tracy Jones
Tracy Jones: So tell me what it felt like when you first found out that you might have contracted herpes?
Tee Loretta: I was very upset, worried, embarrassed and wondering what my girlfriend was going to think about my having an infection with no cure. I just could not believe that it would ever happen to me. I was only having sex with one person at the time but we were not using protection because I felt we were in a committed relationship
TJ: What did she think about it? TL: To my surprise she was really pretty okay about the whole thing. We talked about it and about how to protect ourselves going forward. It did place some strain on the trust within our relationship.
TJ: So how did you contract herpes? TL: I contracted through unprotected oral sex, I guess but I'm not sure if she gave it to me or if I contracted it from a previous part-
ner.
TJ: How much did you know about the transmission of herpes through oral sex? TL: Hardly anything a little bit about cold sores, but that's all.
TJ: What would you tell people about protecting themselves?
TL: Be careful each time you have sex, including oral sex. This infection is for life and you are at risk if you are having sex at all.
So what do we all need to know? Here are the basics:
Genital herpes is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. There are two types of HSV, and both can cause the symptoms of genital herpes. HSV type 1 most commonly causes sores on the lips (fever blisters or cold sores), but it can cause genital infections as well. HSV type 2 most often causes genital sores, but it can also infect the mouth. How-
ever, many people who are infected with HSV never have symptoms.
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease. Once you're infected, the virus stays in your body for life. Those infected may not have a first episode or "outbreak" of herpes with symptoms, but for those who do have a first outbreak, you will probably have further outbreaks from time to time.
The symptoms of genital herpes vary widely from person to person. Some people have severe symptoms (such as many painful sores), while for others, the symptoms are mild. When symptoms of a first episode of genital herpes occur, they show up two to ten days after having sex with an infected person. These signs can last from two to three weeks, and may include an itching or burning sensation; pain in the legs, buttocks, or genital area.
Besides observing visible sores or lesions, a health care provider may use laboratory tests to diagnose herpes. A sample from a lesion can be tested, and blood tests can also be conducted. However, the tests do not always identify the virus even when present.
There is no cure for genital herpes; once infected, the virus stays in the body and there is a chance for outbreaks. But treatment can shorten and prevent outbreaks.
There are steps to protect one from getting genital herpes in the first place. Using a condom or latex barrier such as a dental dam in each instance of vaginal, anal, or oral sex will substantially reduce risk of infection. Limiting the number of sexual partners helps reduce risk, as does avoiding douching, since it removes some of the normal bacteria that protects from infection.
Finally, learn to talk with your partner about STDs and using condoms, and get regular exams for STDs if you're sexually active. The earlier an STD is found, the easier it is to treat.
Tee Loretta is a 19 year-old lesbian; Tracy Jones is the associate executive director of the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland.