The internet I would say, if I now go and look for things I would imagine the internet is a form that I use, its not necessarily… and I would say the Department of Health’s Site is quite good actually, the NHS Direct sort of site where you can look up things is quite a good and informative site, but a lot of the stuff on there is rubbish and you have to be very careful and selective where you choose. Not from that website, but from the internet in general.

Can you tell me what do you find useful about the website from the Department of Health?

Well it’s factual, its got a search facility, you can search through and I think because it’s the Department of Health, the information should be pretty much accurate and up to date whereas some of the sources on the net are anecdotal and you have to differentiate between, on other websites things are anecdotal, whereas this one you can be pretty confident it comes form a doctor or nurse or something who’s qualified to actually talk about it.

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And how did you find out about the youth group?

It was a friend of a friend told me about it and he was like ‘I went, I didn’t really like it but you know, but it might be good for you,’ sort of thing, I was like ‘OK. So he told me, he told me the name of the group. He didn’t have the number so I found the number and gave them a call.

I see. And how was the youth group different from the the club?

It was sort of activity based where you do things, it wasn’t just like sitting and talking to people and making conversation. It wasn’t based on that and also you’d do things like the very first group I went to, they were talking about stereotypes and it was getting into wee groups of people and draw a stereotype gay woman, draw a stereotype bi woman, draw a stereotype straight woman, and a stereotype transgender woman. So that, that was interesting, that was quite fun. And then you’d like build a life around that person’ so what would this person do and what would that person do.

It wasn’t, I didn’t enjoy it, I was pretty much scared doing it but when I left I felt good about having been there. So I thought I’ll just keep going back and made friends.

So could you tell me a bit about where you got this information and what you think of it?

Aye. At youth group they do, they do evenings for, sexual health evenings where you have to do funny things. Like there was one time we did, we was, all the STDs were put in a hat and we had to pick an STD out and then go and research it and then dress yourself up as it like, like a fancy dress box. That was quite weird

That sounds challenging for some of them! – can I ask which, which one did you get, as it were?

I got thrush!

Oh right.

So I had a clowns wig on, a red clowns wig, that was the itchiness, and a yellow scarf, that was discharge. And, I can’t remember what else I had but we had to dress up as the symptoms.

Since I’ve been working for the youth organization, I’ve been working for a lesbian, gay, bisexual project before in [town], and that’s when I started to find out about STds properly. You know I heard a bit at school but it wasn’t nothing that stuck in my mind until I actually worked for this organization. And I found that out, and found out quite a bit about STds, which are now called STI’s.

When I was doing voluntary work, when I started doing voluntary work, I was finding out a bit more about STI’s and stuff like that. And it was quite, quite shocking actually how you can get STI’s and stuff like that. And then reading up some information on stuff, and that’s when I got my knowledge, from them.

Definitely at risk.

Why because you have had unprotected sex?

Yeah, in being a gay male I think you are more at risk if you have, if you have casual partners as well and you don’t know where other people have been, if they have gone cruising in parks or, you never know what you’re gonna pick up, so the best way I suppose is to use protection to, to be safe.

So why do you think gay people are more at risk?

Because a lot of people are frightened of coming out, or having relationships, or a lot of gay people are, that are not out, have wives and kids and then they go to toilets or parks to have sex with different partners. And they do it, some people do it every day, some people do it, you know, twice a week, three times a week and have sex with their wife as well, so the different sexual partners they have, you could catch anything, you know, crabs, all sorts.

It might seem horrible and weird the first time putting on a condom, you lose interest and stuff, but it’s for your protection so, you know, it’s the best way.