G-A-Y and 56 Dean Street have been promoting HIV testing on the gay scene for years. This year on World AIDS Day they continue their efforts to drive the message home that knowing your status could save your life. G-A-Y owner Jeremy Joseph chats to QX…
How did last year’s campaign go for you?
Last year was our second year. In the first year we set a world record, and last year we broke our world record. Since then, a group in South America broke our record, which I guess is a good thing, because yes we created it and they broke our record, but our original activity inspired other countries to do what we did. They tested over 3,000 people in eight hours! From that point of view it’s a really good thing.
What was the initial reaction to this kind of testing in a gay bar?
When we first decided to do this, we took a lot of flack from people for what we were doing. People were missing the point. They thought we were more interested in making a world record, but the purpose of going for the world record was to get people talking about getting tested and creating awareness. But for us it was nothing new because we’ve been holding weekly HIV testing clinics at G-A-Y Bar for years. The tests are conducted discretely. If you are worried about having a positive result, 56 Dean Street will be on standby with all their expertise to help you.
It also indirectly inspired a lot of the events around National HIV Testing Week.
They’ve since added our event into it so it now ends on World AIDS Day 1st December, which I think is important to have that day of remembrance.
What’s happening with this year’s event at G-A-Y Bar?
We decided because there was no way we could break the record and test over 3,000 people in eight hours, we would give people three reasons to get tested with us. First is that everybody who gets tested in G-A-Y Bar will get a number – and it’s not my phone number, so that’s good news! [Laughs] The number will go into a draw and at 10pm somebody will win £1,000. You’ll also be helping charity as G-A-Y will be donating £10 for every person tested to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. But the most important thing by far is about knowing your status!
• Get tested with G-A-Y & 56 Dean Street at G-A-Y Bar (30 Old Compton Street, Soho, W1D 4UR) on Sunday 1st December, 2-9pm
• Taking an HIV test takes less than 1 minute! See Jeremy takes his test with 56 Dean Street on YouTube by searching ‘1 Minute HIV Test’.
