The Reading List for July 15, 2014

– On Friday, the World Health Organization put out a press release stating that it “strongly recommends men who have sex with men consider taking antiretroviral medicines as an additional method of preventing HIV infection (pre-exposure prophylaxis) alongside the use of condoms.” This statement was then arguably “bungled” by the media, taken as a good thing by some or seen as another example of pathologizing gay men’s sexual health.

However, the WHO then sent out a correction, stating that “PrEP should be considered as an additional choice for preventing HIV infection alongside and together with the use of condoms and other prevention options.” BuzzFeed wrote about the debacle.

A few months ago, it was announced that James Franco will be starring as the titular character in a new biopic entitled Michael, telling the story of Michael Glatze, a former gay youth activist who went on to become an anti-gay pastor. It was recently announced that Zachary Quinto will be joining the cast. (Full disclosure: I knew Glatze and worked with him at YGA, a gay youth magazine he helped create.)

Good reads: a first-person account of a debate between Bob Kuhn, president of Trinity Western, a university that requires students to “uphold the definition of traditional marriage” amongst other things, and Ted Flett, the chairperson of OUTlaw, the University of New Brunswick law school’s LGBT student society.

Another Xtra story and good read: Queer does not mean consent.

And finally, a little music to lift your spirits. Almost six years after she released Rabbit Fur Coat, Jenny Lewis is putting out fresh solo material. We are grateful for that, as well as this fun video featuring Lewis and a few of her friends.

(*Note: I know it’s wrong, but every time I see Lewis, all I can do is remember this scene from the 1990 Nintendo-shilling movie The Wizard.)

 

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