Health

Teeth

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I recently blogged (see I’m so vain) about wanting to have my teeth whitened. It is something I have been self concious of for years. My teeth have really strong roots (when I had to have some removed for my brace the dentist was well impressed) and I’ve never had a filling. However they are cosmetically discoloured. So I went to a Style Smile Clinic. Here are the results:

Before

After

They look a lot better. Especially in low light. However they did cost more than advertised as the dentist recommended the stronger treatment. Part of my teeth are one shade and part of my teeth are another apparently which is why they are not completely white. I also have some after care stuff to keep them white for longer and make them lighter.

Blog soon,

Antony

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An update on Men

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Recently I posted about the Men in my life right now (see Men). Well everyone the plot thickens, so here’s a quick update:

1. The date? – He canceled as was unwell. He did sound ill when he rang me to be honest and I didn’t want to particularly catch what ever it was he had. However he’s been quiet on the text. I have even texted him asking him if he would like to rearrange our brunch date. No response. Guess he has lost his bottle or his interest in me or both.

2. The friendly ex – I have had to reinforce my I-just-want-friendship feelings to him recently. He is going a way on Hols soon, I hope he has a really good time.

3. David – I guess my recent blog post entitled Control didn’t help in terms of him wanting to talk to me. He’s still not answering my calls. It’s worse than before as he doesn’t just let his phone ring off he actually presses the ignore button after which the automated womans voice says “The user is busy. Please try again later.” Don’t you just hate that?

4. A friend with benefits – A new comer on the man front. He is an old friend who used to be a friend with benefits (I think that clearly explains it?) from well before I met David. I always wanted to date him and perhaps if dating worked out start a proper relationship. But he didn’t. He’s apparently seen my status on Facebook and decided to get in touch. I have arranged a meal with him on a date next week, so I’ll keep you informed.

In other news – I am not at all well. I have not slept well and when I have I have disturbing nightmares, I’m feeling tired all the time, by blood sugars are messed up and I’m sure I’ve got some infection or other. My nose is like a tap and I have a terrible cough, sore throat – basically I’m falling to pieces.

Blog when feeling better,

Antony

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I’m so vain

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This all started when talking to a friend of a friend. “So go on then…how old do you think I am? I asked.
“Twenty eight?” My face visabley dropped. And I decided it was time to get vain.

So here’s what I don’t like about myself and what I intend to do about it:

1. Teeth – They have been discoloured since I was a teenager. Yet they are healthy, not a single filling in my life and good strong roots on them. The discolouration has always bothered me. So I have decided next month to have them lazer whitened at Style Smile. (If they are any good and effective, I’ll let you know!).

2. Hair – It’s getting a bit long and frizzy again, I have to admit. For a gay man sometimes I let my hair get a bit messy. So it’s a new hair style with regular visits to the hair dresser to main tain it. I just don’t know what style to have, ideas anyone?

3. Clothes – I’ve got some nice clothes, but as a gay man, can you ever have enough? Plus my style maybe needs to have a slight make over? I always go for the safe options. I need to take a few risks with my style. Maybe they’ll pay off?

4. Under Eyes – Sometimes I have massive scary looking bags under my eyes. I was considering extreme actions to get rid or reduce them but someone suggested buying some consealer. So I shall buy some consealer and let you know how I get on.

Blog vainly soon,

Antony

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The blood debate continues

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I recently read this Pink News article entitled “Government defends ban on gay men giving blood”.

Ms Primarolo, the Minister of State for Public Health, said:

“Current policy excludes men who have ever had sex with men, whatever their sexual orientation, from blood donation.

“The United Kingdom adopts a highly precautionary approach to blood safety.

“The guiding principle is that if the best available evidence shows that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a course of action will improve the safety of the blood, this action should be taken.

“The Department is committed to regularly reviewing this evidence, and has asked its expert advisory committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs to do this in 2009.”
(from: Pink News Last accessed: 12th February 09)

So let’s look at the debate For & Against

For

  • The National Blood Service (NBS) test the blood for HIV and other infections anyway.
  • There have been massive HIV education and safe sex initiatives nationally aimed at the gay community generally as well as specific ones aimed at men who have sex with men. (This is easily visable if you walk in to any gay bar – all will have condoms.)
  • The evidence base that the National Blood Service (NBS) use to justify the ban is out of date. (If you email them – they will send you the related evidence.) In addition to this you can use evidence base to prove almost anything by selecting the evidence that demonstrates what you wish it too.
  • Recently HIV rates have increased and continue to do so in hetrosexuals (see Hetrosexual HIV Cases Show An Increase). Despite this they have not banned Hetrosexuals. This point justifies my next:
  • Hetrosexuals can be as sexually risky as men whom have sex with men.
  • Why a life time ban? What if you are a man that’s had sex with a man but had a HIV (and other STI’s tests) that have all come back negative. These men are still unable to give blood, even though they have been screened as negative (and may not have had sex since).
  • Equality. The Goods and Services Legislation (2007) state that people should not be excluded from services because of their sexual orintation. The NBS is a service and is excluding men that have sex with men (of which a large proporation identify as gay or bisexual) because of the very fact of their sexual orintation.
  • The final reason relates to the fact that there is a storage of blood donors and blood. The NBS is excluding a whole community of people when there is a shortage of both donors and blood. This doesn’t make sense to me. I mean they test the blood (and/or it’s components) anyway.

    • Against

  • The safety of the blood. Men who have sex with men are at a higher risk of HIV infection.
  • Men who have sex with men are a minority group. A much smaller community than the mainstream community. Therefore the HIV transmittion is likely to spread through a smaller community quicker as men are more likely to come in to contact with a HIV positive person.

    • Thinking about it I think the NBS are hiding behind the “safety of the blood” statement. They refuse to recognise that as men who have sex with men are a smaller group and as such their rates of HIV transmittion are always going to be higher than that of a much larger community.

    Interesting linka:
    Facts missing in HIV-blood debate
    NBS – Position Statement
    PETER TATCHELL says the ban on gay blood donors is based on homophobic myths that stereotype and demonise gay men.
    NUS – LGBT Donation not discrimination
    My Telegraph – Mike Rouse

    The last link My Telegraph – Mike Rouse, relates to a online petition to the Prime Ministers No. 10 site that I signed (see No. 10 Petitions). A total of 5,234 signatures signed the petition at the time. But I think we didn’t have a massive response as many people in the hetrosexual world are totally unaware of this ban.

    This post demonstrates that there aren’t many reasons against why men who have sex with men giving blood, yet there are many reasons for men who have sex with men to give blood.

    Just food for thought,

    Antony

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