David Khalili: Sexing Education

Parisian Health Clinic Review

Posted by David Khalili Fri, 07 Nov 2008 04:47:00 GMT

Image from: www.plateforme-elsa.org

In another addition to my (hopefully) ongoing series of Clinic Reviews, we are graced by a review by my senior Parisian Clinic Expert, "Frenchy McFrenchfry." Obviously her name has been changed to protect her identity, but I am incredibly excited to post her review of what seems to be a fantastic and revolutionary, if not at times unethical, sexual health clinic in Paris. Please to be enjoy.

I am a fairly straight female, and I went to a clinic in Paris, France. It's a clinic run by the Mouvement Français de Planning Familial (French Movement for Family Planning), or MFPF. I waited maybe an hour to get in and see the doctor, but not because they were very busy. A woman came into the waiting room where I was discussing politics with a new waiting-room buddy and welcomed us into a kind of conference room next door. Once the room was sufficiently filled with nervous-looking French girls, two counselors came in and started asking us what we knew about contraception, and then they corrected our misconceptions and answered our questions. To my utter astonishment, I learned stuff. For instance, I had no idea that abortions, if correctly performed, are almost completely harmless to your body, even after your third or fourth. This is a well-kept secret in the US, apparently. In fact, all the workers at the MFPF were fascinated to hear how all this stuff works in the Barbarous States of America.

Then came something utterly shocking to me as an Amuhrikan: one of the counselors asked us to disclose private medical information! And many of the girls complied! Totally illegal back home, if I'm not mistaken, but kind of cool nonetheless because it creates an open environment. What was not as cool was the actual exam. The doctor was very nice, he would come into the conference every now and then to answer rather private questions in front of everyone else and to call in the next girl (they weren't exactly strict about appointments, they were like "who was here first?" and I was like "me," and other girls were like "I have class, can I go first?" and I was like "uh, sure..."). But once I got in to see him, he seemed to be pretending not to understand my (practically fluent) French, which made giving him the necessary information very difficult. He was just going to give me my birth control prescription (which I am admittedly dubious about because he seemed unsure about which French brand to give me) but I had something I wanted him to check out, so he made me undress in a practically open corner of the room, which I found awkward, and then proceeded to poke and prod without letting me know what he was doing or why. Then he handed me my pap smear in an envelope and told me to go mail it with a check for 17 euro.

The whole business cost me 22 euro, plus the 17 euro check for the lab, plus the 88 centimes to mail my own pap smear, plus 22.40 for three months' worth of birth control pills. Hopefully my school insurance will reimburse me. But not shabby, really, even if the experience was a bit of a culture shock. But here I have to say that the MFPF is pretty amazing, very feminist, very pro contraception, pro giving out correct information instead of scaring girls into being careful, and anti forced marriage (which is actually a huge problem here). Actually, a few weeks ago I unwittingly met one of MFPF's founders, and he was very nice.

I'd give this experience a 7 out of 10 for sheer novelty. MFPF is fantastic about contraception, but you should really go to a private practice if you want anything else done (or are American).

REMINDER: If you would like to write a review of your local sexual health clinic from your perspective, please email me for more information.

Posted in Info, Sexual Health, Pharmo, Doing It, HPV, Desire, Pleasure, HIV, Safe Sex, STD, STI, AIDS, Clinic Review | 1 comment

How Are Your STDs?

Posted by David Khalili Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:47:00 GMT

As you may have read, two weeks ago I visited the fine San Francisco City Clinic and chronicled my experience (read here). My main point with that post was to work against the stigma of going and getting tested. Also to point out that you shouldn't wait until you see that bump or that goo coming out of your junk to get tested, but to do your best at going for regular testing. Particularly if you are not in a monogamous relationship but that is another post all together.

I might as well post my results in interest of self disclosure...I'm clean bitches! I had no worry, but just like for many other people, getting tested can cause you to have moments of self-doubt.

However, if you find yourself with not so happy results from your recent STD testing and are concerned about openly telling your past partners, you may consider using an e-card service like inSPOT. inSPOT is a website that allows you to send anonymous e-cards to your past sexual partners to let them know that you have an STD and that they might want to get tested as well. While I prefer honesty, this is better than nothing. Thankfully this site also offers a list of places that you can get tested based on where you live.

The image above is my favorite, if not only due to its absurd abrasiveness.

Note: I've decided to visit other clinics in San Francisco to review the experience and will post them at a later date. If you are female, FTM, MTF and/or live outside of San Francisco and would like to write a review of your experience at your local clinic please contact me, I'd like to post your experience for others to read. You can contact me at david@omniphilia.com with "Clinic Review" in the subject line.

Posted in Info, Sexual Health, Doing It, Sex, HPV, Desire, HIV, Safe Sex, STD, STI, AIDS | no comments

Personal Experience: SF City Clinic

Posted by David Khalili Sat, 11 Oct 2008 07:39:00 GMT

This is a long post, scroll to bottom for summary

It was time for my routine STD check. After calling a variety of possible clinics I decided upon SF City Clinic simply because it opened at 8am, perfectly early enough before work starts. Waking up way to early, I arrived 15 min before the opening. Fuck, there is already 10 people waiting in line. 10 people as diverse as you can get. Old, young, Black, Latino, Asian, all socio-economic statuses except the uber-wealthy (they have std checks at home). Right at 8am they let us all file in. Manning the counter is a middle-aged black woman with blonde highlights that match the yellow speckles on her blouse. As we form a line before the red stripe that "ensures" privacy she calmly says "next," quietly waits for you to walk up and confess to whatever sins you've made. Without a flinch or change in intonation she asks, "do you have any symptoms? Is this your first time here?" then gives you a number or letter. However, when I approach I say, "I'm here for a routine check up," without asking if I had been here before she simply gives me number and informational sheet and gives me that look that tells me to walk away. At this point I'm not sure if it was "better" that I got a number or letter.

We all sit in a DMV-like setting. Some more nervous than others. Some more "anonymous" than others. Number 36 is a tall, skinny, blonde man, he was the "lucky one," lucky in that he was first in line. They called his number from the front of the room and he follows, only to return moments later. Five minutes pass, "number 36" is called and he walks back to the front hallway. Again, he returns moments later. Another five minutes and a door open behind us all, an older black woman in a lab coat soothingly breaks the silence, "good morning, number 36?" I'm reminded of a weird mash-up between the films Brazil, Hitchhikers Guide, and the opening scene to Joe vs the Volcano. If only Abe Vigoda was here to offer me orange soda as a gift, if only.

It's difficult to figure out if the jittery guy sitting next to me is nervous because he's symptomatic, had a risky sexual experience that he regrets or just doesn't like waiting. He lifts the newspaper to his face over and over, stands up, paces, and sits down until his letter his called.

As an unspoken rule, eye contact is forbidden. I tested this theory with a few people. Yep, verbotten.

I try to get figure out similarities between those who got numbers, nothing visible. I guess the letters are reserved for those who are symptomatic.

To the side of the waiting area there's a poorly painted mural of what seems to be a tropical jungle. At the top is a painted flowing banner which reads "if it's magic why can't it be everlasting?" this can be construed in a multitude of ways, some more encouraging than other.

After waiting 50 min I'm called for the first time. The first time they call your number is to obtain your general information to an older Asian woman who boarders on sassy and maternal. She tells you to create a password so that you can confidentially check your results online within a week. At the end she asks if I'd like to make a $10 donation. In my own way I figure this is a way to grease their palms and bump me up the list, getting me seen earlier. I oblige.

On one of the cubicle walls facing the waiting room is perhaps the most bizarre public health ad campaign posters I've seen. It reads "dogsaretalking.com -- get tested for syphilis" with a paw print where the o's should be. Accompanied by a picture of a frenchie, dachshund, lab and bulldog, all of puppy age.

A heavy set clinician pops her head out of a door, glasses hanging down her nose. She calls out "42." no answer. "number 42," no answer. She sighs, "four-two." yep, this reminds me of the mash-up film I mentioned earlier.

30 min after I was first checked in, a doctor calls my number. An incredibly personable physician, with sensitivity, care and a non-chalant attitude she took my sexual and drug history. Who I've slept with, what sexual acts, how many people, what kind of drugs I've taken and how often. At which point she would get excited (but not sexually) about a drug I had taken or sexual experience I'd had. She did an incredibly good job at making me feel like I was talking to a long-time friend about my personal history. She didn't seem too worried by my history and made a few jokes that weren't canned, but sincere. Handing me a cup and brown bag, she asked me to fill the cup with my pee-pee as she finished her side of the paper work. As I walked to the restroom, the same heavy set spectacled physician could be heard sighing "fourTY two!?" I come back and give my doctor my pee cup, she checks my hands for syphilis sores (none), chest for rashes (none), and my diiiiick for abnormalities (none).

I then wait again, this time for 10 min to get my blood test, not a bad waiting period. My blood was taken by a Puerto Rican version of one of my sweetest aunts. As she withdrew my blood she spoke to me in a thick accent rattling on about life, giving me tips, telling me to save money and travel. With ease she finished up her phlebotomist task and accented it with minorly complaining about working for the city.

In Summary

Overall time: 2 hours.

I had an overall positive experience at the San Francisco City Clinic. However, I came in knowing that I would be spending a lot of time waiting. The employees ranged from disgruntled city workers to sincere physicians who were excited to work with "the community." Bring a book and expect to deal with the basic beauracracy. If you are able to go to Magnet, Planned Parenthood or any other clinic during the middle of the day, I'm sure it would be worth while. If you have decent insurance, you might as well take advantage of that and get tested there. However, overall SF City Clinic was not bad at all. They also have certain hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays if you currently have symptoms.

SF City Clinic
www.dph.sf.ca.us
356 7th St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 487-5500

Posted in Sexual Health, Pharmo, Doing It, Sex, HPV, HIV, Safe Sex, romance and relationships, STD, STI, AIDS | no comments

LGBT rights in Egypt

Posted by David Khalili Tue, 03 Jun 2008 05:53:00 GMT

Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently came out with a press release on the five convictions of men for being HIV positive. In total, nine men have been convicted on "debauchery" charges. These men were interrogated, asked to give names of other men, and medically examined for receptive anal sex. The HRW has documented that such "medical examinations" constitute torture.

For more information please see the HRW's press release here.

Tonight I went to a talk hosted by the LGBT Center in San Francisco and HRW on the recent convictions as well as the nature of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) rights in Egypt. The panelists included Maher Sabry a film maker and activist, Mazen who was amongst the men arrested in the infamous Queen Boat Case in Egypt in 2001, and Scott Long, Director of the LGBT rights program of HRW.

During the talk there was discussion of the recent cases of arrests of HIV-positive men in Egypt, but more so on the Queen Boat case. Not only was Mazen one of the men arrested in the Queen Boat case, but Maher was the first to break the news internationally by contacting Scott Long. Recently Maher has just finished his film "All My Life," a narrative based on the Queen Boat case (which is going to be played at the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco). Mazen is in the soon to be released documentary "A Jihad for Love", which is also playing at Frameline.

The night that the men were arrested for being at the Queen Boat, a gay disco in Cairo, Maher began emailing Human Rights organizations around the world. His only response was by Scott Long, who then persuaded the local Human Rights organizations in Cairo to assist Maher in helping the men arrested. Mazen was arrested outside of the Queen Boat, he was brought to the local police station and asked to sign a paper that stated that he was Gay and a bottom (receptive partner in male-male anal sex), when he declined to sign the paper he was beaten. He and the other arrested men were sent to three locations, including the much dreaded State facility, before their trial. At the third facility they were beaten every day and were never referred to by their name but as "Faggot #1," "Faggot #2," and so on. Although Mazen was sentenced to 2 years in prison, he was able to flee to Paris before serving time. You can hear more about his story by seeing the documentary "A Jihad for Love."

It was a pleasure to hear from these men, but I wish that their voices didn't need to be heard because of the atrocities they faced. What Mazen and Maher are doing shows what is most certainly needed today, a breaking of the silence of what occurs. Not just in countries in the Middle East and not just towards LGBT individuals.

Side note: I spoke with Scott Long of the HRW and he informed me that a full report will be released on Iranian LGBT issues within the coming weeks.

Posted in Interesting Articles Elsewhere, Cross-Cultural, Politics, HIV, Human Rights, Current-Events, current events, current affairs, AIDS | no comments

New French AIDS Awareness Ad

Posted by David Khalili Sat, 26 Jan 2008 22:26:00 GMT

First off, yea yea, I know, it's been a long time since I've posted. But hey, I'm a working man and I'm busy studying the ways of Sexuality via SF State. I've been focusing on my thesis, hoping to finish it by May.

I have also been writing for Deviant Nation, where recently I interviewed the spectacular Crispin Glover as well as co-wrote an article on Sex Drive with the lovely Aradia, model extraordinaire of Deviant Nation and all-knowing in the field of biological and physiological aspects of sexuality.

So read up my lovelies.

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As I've posted before, the French are pretty adept at making striking, cute, poignant or intense AIDS awareness advertisements.

For a look at their animated ads Click Here

I wanted to share with you their latest ad entitled "Le Poison." Unfortunately I cannot embed it in this blog. The ad starts with multiple seductive shots of gorgeous bodies writhing and undulating against each other, but as the camera pulls back it reveals something else that comes with sex.

Click here to watch.

Is this effective? What sort of emotions come up for you as you watch this? Is this sex-positive or sex-nagative? Is it just realistic (sans hourglass)? Is it a clever reference to American soap opera Days of Our Lives?

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I'd like to thank the great Slam Johnson for fixing the woes of the server that were afflicting this blog.

Posted in Life, Education, Sexual Health, Cross-Cultural, Doing It, Sex, Desire, Pleasure, Art Rat Tar, HIV, Safe Sex, romance and relationships, STD, STI, AIDS | 2 comments | no trackbacks

Animated French AIDS Advertisements

Posted by David Khalili Wed, 16 May 2007 12:40:46 GMT

Below are two animated advertisements from France promoting AIDS awareness. The first is the straight version and the second is the gay version. The sex scenes are...well, epic, I must say.

The French have always had a pretty unique/awesome approach at HIV/AIDS awareness.