How did you do it?

How did you know you were gay? How did you tell your parents and friends? How did you meet your first boyfriend?

If you are happy to talk about these things, we want to hear from you! Staying Negative is an online campaign that relies on people like you sharing your experiences.

These stories are featured on our website where other same-sex attracted men read how you have navigated through life.

It doesn’t matter if you haven’t come out, or haven’t had a boyfriend. People frequently seem concerned that their story isn’t interesting enough to be on the site, but fortunately this is not the case.

Not everyone will have had a relationship, had sex, or even fully come out. If this sounds like it might be you, think about how many other people might have the same thoughts.

Your story might help others who feel the same way, or have had the same experiences.

Another question people ask is “How does my story help?” The site covers a range of topics that change depending on the experiences of the individuals.

I recently went to a conference where it was demonstrated that more and more people look online as their first port of call for information, particularly relating to health.

By contributing your story to a site dedicated to sexual health, you are helping others get reliable information in an engaging way.

I hope by now we have established that your story is relevant and helps people get health information. I’m guessing your next question is, “How do I go about telling my story?”

The process is fairly simple. You can either call or email me via the contact details below and we can chat about how you can be involved and any concerns you have.

If you are happy to proceed, we set up a time to do an interview. The interview is transcribed and sent to you to edit and approve.

Once this is done, your story will appear on the Staying Negative website with a photo of you. If at any point you wish to stop the process or wish to have your story removed from the site, a simple email to me will achieve that.

Staying Negative is always looking for volunteers to join more than 60 other men who have shared their stories on the site. Visit www.stayingnegative.net.au to read the stories.

By Ilan Werbeloff

info: Email [email protected] or call 03 9865 6700 Twitter: @StayingNegtve