Despite being the shortest month of the year, February can be a testy month for many of us. This is because, if you’re single, the 14th of February can seem like a hungry mosquito whose imminent and no doubt aggravating arrival cannot be stopped. Valentine’s Day practically spits glitter into the single gay man’s eye.

To date the function of World AIDS Day and what it signifies has been an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. This year WAD is celebrating its sweet 16, and to me it should be a circumspect celebration of man and life.

I am a 48-year-old gay male (not flamboyant) who recently contracted the hepatitis B virus. This is my story.

In Straightville the acronym PnP is invariably associated with a shopping list and stocking up on fresh fruit and veg or no-name-brand two-ply. However PnP has acquired a more sinister meaning in Gayville; in international gay parlance PnP has become established as an acronym for Party ‘n Play. Simply put, PnP is about bonking while under the influence of recreational drugs.

Most of us can relate to thinking "Damn that I have to keep using condoms !” in spite of our knowing that consistent condom use and reducing our number of sexual partners remain our best defence against STI’s (sexually transmitted infections) and HIV. Traditional condoms can interrupt the natural flow of a spontaneous act, are blamed by some for erectile dysfunction, and tops complain that condoms reduce sensation.