Long Description for CHECK UPS, CHECKING IN & CHECKING OUT

CHECK UPS, CHECKING IN & CHECKING OUT

KISS: SMOOCH!
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GUY 2: HEY HOT STUFF.
HOW IS YOUR DAY GOING?

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GUY 1: OH, I HAD THAT CLINIC APPOINTMENT TODAY. JUST HAPPY THAT IS OVER WITH.

GUY 3: RIGHT, GOTTA LOVE A DAY FULL OF SWABS AND PRICKS

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GUY 2: TO BE HONEST, I DON’T MIND TOO MUCH, IT’S JUST THAT ONE TEST ... YOU KNOW, THE ONE WHERE THEY STICK THAT Q-TIP UP YOUR ASS.

NOT MY TOP CHOICE OF THINGS I WANT TO BOTTOM FOR - YA KNOW?

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GUY 1: WHAT IS THAT TEST FOR? I DON’T THINK I’VE EVER HAD THAT ONE.

GUY 2: OH REALLY? IT’S A PRETTY STANDARD ONE FOR CHLAMYDIA AND
GONORRHEA. I’M TOLD TO GET IT EVERY TIME ‘CAUSE I’M VERS, AND I LIKE TO KEEP THE PLUMBING HEALTHY.

GUY 1: UGH.
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GUY 3: SHIT. THAT’S SO FUCKING FRUSTRATING.
YOU KNOW I HAD A HARD TIME CONVINCING THEM TO GIVE ME THE FULL RUN OF TESTS ... I HAD TO ACTUALLY LOOK UP THE LIST OF THINGS THAT GAY GUYS GET SCREENED FOR AND GIVE IT TO THE CLINIC AND REALLY PUSH FOR THEM TO DO ALL OF THEM. IT’S NOT LIKE GAY TRANS GUYS ARE A NEW THING, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT STILL DEPENDS ON WHO YOU SEE WHEN IT COMES TO PROPER CARE.

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GUY 2: WAIT, WHY WOULDN’T THEY GIVE YOU THE SAME TESTS I GET?

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GUY 1: THE FOLKS AT THE CLINIC DON’T SEE US AS “MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN”. WE’RE NOT “GAY MEN” ACCORDING TO THEM.

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GUY 2: WHAAAAA ... JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE TRANS? THAT’S FUCKED UP. I HAD NO IDEA. I MEAN, YOU’RE, LIKE, THE GAYEST PERSON I KNOW!

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GUY3: YUP. IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE. IF YOU’RE HAVING ANAL WITH OTH-ER DUDES YOU GOTTA GET THE SAME TESTS, END OF DISCUSSION.

GUY 1: IT’S HARD ENOUGH JUST BEING THERE AND GETTING ALL THE TESTS, NEVER MIND CONSTANTLY HAVING TO PROVE YOU DESERVE THE SAME TREATMENT AND CARE. MOST OF THE TIME I DON’T HAVE THE ENERGY FOR IT. IT’S TOTALLY EXHAUSTING.

GUY 2 & 3: FOR REAL.

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GUY 1: HEY LUCAS, DO YOU THINK YOU COULD SHARE THAT LIST OF TESTS WITH ME SO I CAN BRING IT IN WHEN I GO BACK TO THE CLINIC?

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GUY3: ABSOLUTELY!

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GUY 1: NOW, CAN WE PLEASE GET BACK TO THE REAL REASON WE’RE ALL HERE ... CHECK OUT THAT PINK HAIRED CUTIE COMING OUR WAY!

GUY 2 ; WELL HELLO THERE MR. MOTORCYCLE HELMET.

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GUY 3: HAVE I MENTIONED THAT I LIKE EVERYTHING ON TODAY’S MENU?

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GUY 2: SPEAKING OF MENUS, I’M WORKING UP AN APPETITE HERE. LET’S OR-DER SOME LUNCH - MY TREAT!

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HIV & STI TESTING CAN BE TRICKY FOR TRANS GUYS. IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT YOU’RE GETTING THE TESTS YOU SHOULD BE, AND IF YOUR EXPERIENCES ARE CHALLENGING, CONSIDER GETTING SUPPORT FROM AN AIDS SERVICE ORGANIZATION OR PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU TRUST.