THEGAYUK

Day: 26 January 2018

  • 6 Facts You Should Know About Gonorrhoea

    Gonorrhoea is one of the most common STIs in the UK – but many people are still misinformed about how the infection is contracted and what the symptoms are. The team at the STI Clinic gave us six key facts about gonorrhoea we should all know.

    6 Facts You Should Know About Gonorrhoea

    5 percent of men will have the infection and show no symptoms.

    Around 95 percent of men will develop the symptoms of gonorrhoea within 2-7 days. It can take up to 30 days for symptoms to appear, but it is unusual for the infection to take this long to show. Five percent of men do not show any symptoms at all when infected with gonorrhoea.

    There are many different symptoms

    Symptoms of gonorrhoea vary hugely – and some people don’t develop any symptoms at all. Men who are infected can have some or all of these symptoms, depending on which area of the body contains the infection:

    • Conjunctivitis
    • Sore throat
    • White, yellow or green discharge from the penis
    • Inflammation of the foreskin
    • Swollen testicles
    • Discharge from the urethra
    • Pain during urination
    • A burning sensation in the urethra.

    Gonorrhoea can infect the genitals, eyes, throat and rectum

    The genitals are the most common area to be infected – but it’s not the only place that the disease can be found. The infection can also reach your eyes, throat and anus. Some of the symptoms of these areas will include discharge and itching, a sore throat, or red and painful eyes.

    Gonorrhoea is spread through genital, oral and anal sex

    The gonorrhoea bacteria can grow in the urethra, mouth, throat and anus. It cannot be spread through normal contact, contrary to popular belief. The bacteria cannot live outside the body for very long – so it can’t be contracted through toilet seats, sharing eating utensils or swimming pools.

    It can be treated

    The usual treatment for gonorrhoea is an intramuscular injection of Cefraxone accompanied by a single oral 1000mg dose of Azithromycin. If an intramuscular injection is not possible, then an oral medication can be prescribed.

    If you find out that you are infected, any sexual partners should be treated at the same time and any past sexual partners should be notified. If you are avoiding doing this because you don’t want to have an awkward conversation with a past sexual partner – remember that many clinics have a service that can let you notify your past partners anonymously.

    A drug-resistant strain of “super gonorrhoea,” has emerged

    The number of cases of this rare, new strain of gonorrhoea is slowly increasing. This is very alarming, and doctors are concerned that this new strain might soon become untreatable. This new strain is resistant to antibiotics and drugs, which is why if you are infected it’s important to finish your course of prescribed drugs, get tested again 2 weeks after treatment, and avoid sex for at least 7 days after treatment.

    If you are in doubt as to whether you have gonorrhoea – visit a GP or GUM clinic to get tested. Alternatively, if you are busy and want to avoid having to go anywhere to get tested, it is now possible to be sent out a test package discreetly in the mail. Simply supply a sample and send it back to get quick and easy results – it’s never been easier to ensure you are STI free.

    Advice by Ajay Jadhav from The STI Clinic.

  • ‘Gay Tests’ for Refugees in Europe Should Be Banned: EU

    A top European court has rejected a decision to reject an African asylum seeker after he failed a test designed to prove whether he was gay. The Nigerian, whose name has not been disclosed, applied for refugee status in Hungary during the 2015 migrant crisis, when hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants made their way to Europe from the Middle East and Africa. (more…)

  • Six things we loved about Oranges and Elephants, Hoxton Hall

    ★★★★☆ | Oranges And Elephants

    An all-female musical has opened in London, Oranges and Elephants

    1) The story. Set in Victorian London and there’s a turf war between two all-female rival groups, the Oranges and the Elephants, led by two fierce women and their battle to reign supreme. Plot: Get two sparring gangs, in a Victorian setting, throw in a newbie (a brilliant Sinead Long (Mary)) to the city, a quick lesbian romp, dressed it all up in drag king goodness conclude with an ending even Shakespeare would be proud of and you’re close to why Orange And Elephants is the most exciting musical to open in London in an age.

    2) The lack of men.  This show simply doesn’t need us menfolk. We’re not missed. At all.  So yeah, f*ck the patriarchy. The cast’s observation of masculinity and, well, frail masculinity at that, is superb. A special mention to Rebecca Bainbridge, whose gangster, Ada (Oranges), is frankly beyond scary and you won’t find a more vicious matriarch than Liz Kitchen’s Annie, leader of the Elephants.

    3) A new musical… At last a new musical that isn’t a jukebox musical. All new music and perfectly suited to the piece. It is ballad heavy but there are a few rousing gems from Jo Collins’ score. The entire cast gets involved with playing the instruments and acting without it feeling forced, and there’s also audience participation, expertly carried through by our narrator. Oh, and BTW, it’s funny. Very funny.

    4) Costumes. Some of the best costumery (Sara Perks) we’ve seen in a long time and while we’re at it, a special mention to the set design. Simple but incredibly effective. You won’t look at an A to Z in the same way again… (for those who just asked, what’s an A to Z, think Google Maps but on paper).

    5) Hoxton Hall. This is a double edge sword for us. On one hand, the music-hall design of the rather stunning venue helps transport you back to the Victorian era – but it has, without a doubt the most uncomfortable seating, so bring a cushion.

    6) A nod to the queer community – as there’s even a little bit of lesbian twist, which sticks two fingers up at the traditional boy meets girls blah blah blah. Bravo!

    A little rough around the edges, but a ruby in the Victorian dust.

    Oranges and Elephants runs at Hoxton Hall until 10 February.

  • Giving up on your resolutions? Ten ways to fight that festive flab

    Giving up on your resolutions? Ten ways to fight that festive flab

    Garry Kerr from British Military Fitness should know a thing or two about getting fit. He shared a few of his top tips to fight the Christmas Pudding bulge.

    how to get fit after Christmas
    CREDIT: curaphotography-bigstock

    Nom, nom, nom…extra eating: During the winter and especially over the festive season we typically eat more than we would normally and exercising is a great way to burn those extra calories and keep yourself in shape so when spring finally arrives you’re in tip-top shape! Here are some tips to help you beat the Christmas flab!

    1. Keep a fitness journal!
    A workout log can help keep your exercise routine on track when you’re struggling to stay motivated because it will show you how far you’ve come since you started, and therefore how worthwhile it is to keep going.

    2. Commit yourself.
    Get moving! Just do it! There is no time like the start of a New Year. You’ve got the indulgences of Christmas behind but it’s important you commit. Why not write all the classes you can attend in your diary so they are viewed as actual appointments and you’re less likely to cancel.

    3. Set short-term goals
    Having something specific to aim for, such as losing a certain amount of weight or entering a race / marathon, for example, the Major Series (www.majorseries.com) in the Spring will help you stick to your training plan. But make sure your goals are achievable. Setting and failing to reach outlandish targets will put you off.

    4. Find the fun in it
    Exercise should not feel like torture. After all, you have made a conscious decision to do it. You can take great pleasure in overcoming challenges and progressing with your fitness alongside other people.
    Does that mean that it will be easy? No. In order to change your body, you need to experience ‘overload’. This means that you need to keep challenging your body in order to increase your fitness levels. You will, however, improve your fitness levels if you rest and recover properly after each workout.

    5. Reward yourself
    Once you’ve hit one of your targets reward yourself. By training and committing to your training you’ve earned the right to spoil yourself. Whether it’s a new item of clothing or fitness-related gadgets or clothing – enjoy your achievements.

    6. Use visualisation
    If you don’t believe that you can do that final burpee or make it through those final reps, you certainly won’t be able to but by picturing yourself doing it before you try it, you’ll create a mental template that can translate into success.

    7. Eating right
    Food is 90% of the health and fitness battle. You can make great changes just by making small adjustments to your eating habits alone. While changing any habits may seem like a daunting task, there is a wealth of resources available to guide you. By eating a regular mix of proteins, fats and carbohydrates you will reap the benefits of your physical training routine. You will have both the energy to perform and the nutritional foundations needed for recovery. This exercise and nutrition relationship will help you to achieve your goals

    8. Be realistic
    Rome wasn’t built in a day. Unfortunately, while over-used, there is some truth in that saying.
    A healthy approach is to aim to improve on yesterday. By repeating this process you will start to feel like you have made great improvements over a course of weeks, months and years. It is also important to consider where you want to be.

    9. There is gain without pain!
    While exercise should be challenging in order to encourage the body to adapt and therefore improve, it should not lead to any injuries.
    Many people, particularly those new to exercise can become over-enthusiastic because of the physical changes that they experience. Our bodies can only truly complete exercises at 100% intensity for a number of seconds. Exercises completed over the course of an hour-long session are performed below maximum intensity. You should, therefore, focus more on your technique and try to work as hard as possible but not push yourself to the point of nausea.

    10. Abandon an all-or-nothing attitude
    Don’t think of exercise with an all-or-nothing approach. If you unexpectedly miss a session, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back on track tomorrow. Remember; exercise and fitness is a way of life, it’s not a destination.

    British Military Fitness (BMF) is the UK’s number one provider of outdoor fitness classes. BMF was the first, it’s the biggest and it’s the best. Come rain, shine or snow, BMF runs over 400 classes a week in over 120 parks and outdoor spaces across the UK. www.britishmilitaryfitness.com

  • FBI now investigating Joel Taylor’s death and drug use on board cruise

    The death of TV star, Joel Taylor has sparked an FBI investigation.

    The 38-year-old TV star, Joel Taylor was found dead in his cabin onboard the cruise ship, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Harmony of the Seas. According to TMZ, Taylor became so “out of it” on the party drug GHB, that he fell unconscious on the ship’s dance floor. He was taken to his cabin to recover.

    When the ship was docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico when his body was discovered. A spokesperson for the cruise confirmed that a body had been discovered.

    The FBI is now investigating his death and who supplied them and how they got onboard.

    TMZ reports that they’ve been told there was a huge amount of drugs onboard the ship, including cocaine, ecstasy and GHB.  The ship’s owners, Royal Caribbean, have a strict zero tolerance on illegal drugs.

    Source told TMZ that several people were arrested when the ship left Fort Lauderdale.