FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Singapore's leading gay portal spearheads bilingual 'self-help' campaign against HIV/AIDS
Singapore - 6 June 2006 - In response to the latest HIV incidence data released by Singapore's health ministry which reported that transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM) accounted for 25% of the new infections in 2005, Singapore's most visited gay portal SGBOY.COM spearheads a community-initiated bilingual campaign with the tagline 'Protect Him, Protect Yourself' and a Mandarin seminar on 20 and 29 June to get MSM to take personal responsibility for their own sexual health.
The collateral depicts a dagger wrapped in a condom dangled over an open palm, reflecting the danger of playing with a 'dangerous weapon'. The campaign appeals to the collective identity of MSM, and to persuade them to think of how HIV/AIDS affects them and other MSM they come in contact with. A non-prescriptive 'self-help' approach taken by fellow members of the MSM community is expected to be more receptive andless likely to be rejected as an intervention into their personal lives.
SGBOY.COM has enlisted the participation of several voluntary groups and gay-friendly merchants in the distribution of posters and flyers. To ensure that Mandarin speakers in the MSM community are not missed out, all printed collaterals will be bilingual and for the first time an MSM Mandarin seminar will be held on 20 and 29 June 2006 in collaboration with counselling support group Oogachaga.
"HIV transmission through sexual contact is not an individual activity. Therefore we believe that for any HIV/AIDS campaign to be effective, it requires a responsible collective action within the community to protect each other," said SGBOY Director Salmon Lee. "The tagline reflects the positive message that when you lookout for the safety of your partner, you are protecting yourself in the process."
SGBOY.COM, the most visited gay portal in Singapore, is no stranger to community efforts at combating HIV/AIDS. In November 2004, it became one of the first community portals in the world to provide `live tips' on HIV/AIDS with online volunteers at its popular forums and chat room.
AIDS Awareness Mandarin Seminar will be held on 20 and 29 June 2006 at Xpose Cafe and Bar located at South Bridge Road. To sign up, please visit www.sgboy.com/mseminar.php.
For more information, please contact:
Mirantz Tan
Coordinator
Email: mirantz@sgboy.com
About SGBOY (http://www.sgboy.com)
Established since March 1999, SGBOY is the preferred online media of gay Singaporeans and provides a highly targeted platform for companies intending to reach out to a market of a high spending double-income-no-kids audience aged between 25 and 40. With its popular communication tools, entertainment and lifestyle contents, SGBOY is the most visited gay portal in Singapore as ranked by Nielsen//Netratings. It registered some 54% more visitors than its nearest competitor at its peak.
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