Castro District, Castro San Francisco guide and voice of the gay and lesbian community!

Posted on www.advocate.com
February 23, 2011
By Advocate.com Editors

Are you familiar with the following man Castro San Francisco? If you do not, you will after this article. HIV-positive porn actor Mason Wyler recently filmed two condom-free scenes with two other HIV-positive performers — mostly because he wanted to. Wyler talked to The Advocate about his decision and the role of safe sex in porn.

One of the most controversial figures in the porn industry, 27-year-old Mason Wyler shook things up again when the HIV-positive performer announced this month that he was appearing in two bareback scenes with Owen Hawk and Brandon Hawk — porn stars and boyfriends who are also HIV-positive. Castro district residents wonders if Wyler is sending mixed messages about sexual activities being an HIV positive individual. The reason for Wyler's decision was that he simply wanted to have sex with the pair and that working with HIV-negative actors, bareback or not, often incites fear in them. His announcement on his blog (NSFW link here) was articulate, but was it sensible? Reviews of the article bring both support and criticism from Castro San Francisco. Speaking from his home in Houston, Wyler elaborated his thoughts on the matter and the state of safe sex in porn.

The Advocate: What has reaction been to your post?
Mason Wyler: I wouldn't say it's been universally positive — everyone has an opinion — it's a wide gamut of responses. For the most part it's been positive. Obviously, most people who would go to WylerNation are fans.

Isn't there danger involved in HIV-positive people having unprotected sex together?
I'm sure there is. I think right now the focus on HIV is safe sex [in regard to preventing HIV]; that's where most of the resources in terms of education goes. So there hasn't been that much education or information out there in terms of what the possibilities are for HIV-positive people having unprotected sex with one another. I think the last thing I really heard was the super HIV strain where a handful of guys in New York City progressed from HIV to AIDS very rapidly. But from what I read, it wasn't entirely conclusive that they got multiple strains and that it accelerated the progression. From what I heard, those people were also involved in heavy drug use, and that obviously takes a toll on your immune system.

So was reinfection of another HIV strain a concern to you?
It was a slight concern. Not really. I mean, if it was a major concern, I wouldn't have done it.

You wrote that part of the reason you filmed with the Hawks was that filming with people who are HIV-negative is uncomfortable. Can you elaborate?
I actually haven't had the experience of working with someone who I knew for sure was HIV-negative and they knew for sure I was HIV-positive. As soon as I tested positive, I stopped filming. The studio that my website is under pretty much just immediately transferred me over to Web cam shows only — solos only. My experience with [filming with HIV-negative people] is just from chatting with other models who are negative and have kind of hinted that they wouldn't be too comfortable working with me. So, obviously, if they're not comfortable, I'm not going to be comfortable. That's where it kind of started, and it set in that there is a chance that I could spread it to someone who's negative. I wouldn't want to cause someone direct harm or be at fault. I wouldn't want to pose that risk on somebody — even though condoms are 99% foolproof, there's still a chance.

Posted on www.365gay.com
February 24, 2011
By Annie Rooney

Lady Gags fights on for us in the Castro San Francisco! Lady Gaga said she would release an exclusive edition of her "Born This Way" album to Target stores if the company makes efforts to support the gay community. The new edition includes remixes and three extra studio songs.

Target previously gave a donation to anti-gay Minnesota politician Tom Emmer. Castro District residents wonder why they would give such a donation. Gaga met with company executives for a conversation where she stressed how supporting the gay community was important to her, her fans, and their partnership. Castro San Francisco loves their continued support from Lady Gaga.

"Part of my deal with Target is that they have to start affiliating themselves with LGBT charity groups and begin to reform and make amends for the mistakes they've made in the past," Gaga told Billboard . "Our relationship is hinged upon their reform in the company to support the gay community and to redeem the mistakes they've made supporting those groups." Here at My Castro we applaud such forward and direct approaches!

Target's vice president of communications, Dustee Jenkins said she appreciated the meeting with Gaga and her team. Jenkins told Billboard that Target is now committed to being more "thoughtful" with their political donations and has made policy changes to include a "policy committee," responsible for overseeing company donations. Supporters of Gaga like us in the Castro District are pleased with Gaga's to the point assault on anti-gay supporters.

Target revised their giving policy before the meeting with Lady Gaga.

Posted on Advocate.com June 22, 2010
By Michelle Garcia

Gareth Thomas — one of the top scorers in the history of rugby and one of the most successful athletes in Wales — tells HBO's Real Sports in an episode airing Tuesday night that he would go to church regularly to pray that one day he would turn straight.

Thomas is the only out gay male athlete playing in professional sports.

"You gotta be strong, you gotta be muscle, and you know, you gotta be straight," he tells reporter Bernard Goldberg about the sport of rugby. He says he used his built-up anger and frustration over the years against his opponents on the field prior to coming out. He also talks about his constant battle with establishing his masculinity in the press, in the locker room, and to himself. It didn't prevent him from cheating on his wife with men.

"I hated what I did, and I hated myself for doing it," he tells interviewers.

The episode also features Dallas Braden, a pitcher for the Oakland A's who pitched a perfect game; the issue of racism in soccer; and the city of Brownsville, Texas, which is turning out an arsenal of young chess champions.

Posted on www.advocate.com June 1,2010
By Advocate.com Editors

True Blood star Ryan Kwanten may not have any burning desire to strip for Playgirl, but he doesn't mind offering up a couple of his male costars for a tandem spread in the magazine.

Kwanten told E! Online stripping for Playgirl a la Levi Johnston isn't his thing, but said he thinks it would be hot if his costars "Stephen [Moyer] and Alex [Skarsgård] ... do a little tandem."

The oft-shirtless actor also told E! he's heard the rumblings that True Blood's new gay vampire, Talbot (Theo Alexander), may cheat on his husband with Kwanten's character, but he can't confirm if the rumors are true.

As for whether his Jason Stackhouse would ever go gay? "The great thing about our show is that it's completely unpredictable."

Posted on LATimes.com May 22, 2010
By Mark Milian

Now she tells us.

Laura Bush may not have been very vocal about how she felt on gay marriage or abortion when her husband was president, but the former first lady is talking now. (Probably not) coincidentally, it's just in time to promote her new book!

In an interview on "Larry King Live" Tuesday night, Bush said she disagrees with her husband on two key issues that continually popped up during George W. Bush's eight years in office.

On gay marriage, she told CNN show host Larry King: "When couples are committed to each other and love each other, then they ought to have, I think, the same sort of rights that everyone has."

"I think we could" accept gay marriage, she continued. "I also think it's a generational thing.... That will come."

"I understand totally what George thinks and what other people think about marriage being between a man and a woman," she said. "I guess that would be an area that we disagree" on.

Laura Bush also recalled a flurry of questions shortly after her husband took office about overturning Roe vs. Wade.

"I think it's important that it remain legal," she said about abortion. "Because I think it's important for people -- for medical reasons and for other reasons."

Later in the interview, she admitted to "not really" being vocal about these issues during President Bush's tenure. But the feelings were there.

"I understand his viewpoint," she said, "and he understands mine."