How's Everyone Feeling Right Meow?

[Regina]

This is one of the things I worry about with my son, so if either of you two could give me help in how to talk to my son about being careful, I sure would be grateful.

I'm really bad with this since I'm not a parent and my own parents never really spoke about it with me as a teen, but one sentiment I've seen with some gay kids is that they feel they're being singled out if you show a lot of (legitimate) concern over HIV. In response to that, I think it's important to tell them what the risks are and why that gets you so concerned. I suppose in terms of what you'd tell him it's just the really basic predictable stuff; the effectiveness of condoms and where to get them, where and how to get checked for STDs, potential medicines and injections that might help (PrEP, hepatitis injections, although these aren't very affordable it can at least get his awareness of what they treat up), how alcohol and drugs can lead to risky sex. I'd honestly really struggle advising how to open these conversations up though, but there's some good info here;

http://www.tusla.ie/parenting-24-seven/6...ual-health

Also there is still a stigma attached to having HIV among gay men and he needs to know that. Unfortunately there are people around who will have casual sex and "forget" to divulge that they have STDs, and so it spreads.

One great thing you could do is point him towards LGBT-oriented online communities or LGBT-specific sexual health clinics. That can create a more open and "normal" environment where he can see other LGBT people discussing these things, and get a support network around him. Even now I prefer LGBT-specific clinics because I feel both that security in being in a safe space and solidarity around other people like me. That can also help resolve the issue of him feeling awkward discussing these things with everyday people in his life if he is the only gay person he knows. I think that's so important for gay teens, I never had it as a teenager and that's part of the reason it took me so long to find and accept myself.

I hope this helps. I feel like it's not that great but hopefully it's something