Justin B. Terry-Smith has been involved in LGBTQ and HIV Activism since 1999. He is an Air Force 9/11 Disabled Vet. Raised in Silver Spring, MD, he now lives in Albuequerque, New Meixco with his husband Phil. He writes an HIV/STI Advice Column for A&U Magazine, is a Contributing writer for thebody.com, a Life Coach and an Adjunct Professor. He has earned his Doctorate in Public Health with a concentration in Infectious Disease and his Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Monday, July 29, 2013
Justin's HIV Journal Recognized as one of The 16 Best HIV/STD Health Blogs of 2013
Monday, July 22, 2013
Justin's HIV Journal: Justin B Terry-Smith speaks on LGBT Youth Suicide
Justin B Terry-Smith speaks on LGBT Youth Suicide. Justin B. Terry-Smith remembers what it was like to come out to his family as a gay black man. This is episode #3 of Sources- A Suicide Prevention initiative produced by Still Eye Rise Films through a partnership with the DC Department of Mental Health. Special Thanks to Yasmin Shiraz!!
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Advocate & Author #JustinBTerrySmith on #polyamory and negotiating Safer s3x in the latest Advice Column #JustinTime from A&U: America's AIDS Magazine!!
Just*in Time: July 2013
Just*in Time by Justin B. Terry-Smith
Justin—
We actually know each other on Facebook and throughout the community, but I wanted to write you this letter in confidence.
My partner and I moved away to work on our relationship and now we are considering moving back to the area. After many discussions my partner is finally opening up to the idea of polyamory. I’ve been a polyamorist for a long time and my partner didn’t like the idea of a third person in our relationship, but, now, since we have talked, he is open to the idea. Well, we have found a third, but there is a slight problem. He likes to bareback. Since we are all trying to keep each other HIV-negative, my boyfriend and I refuse to have unprotected sex with him. Let me say, he agreed that he will not have unprotected sex with me or my boyfriend because he doesn’t want to hurt us in any way. He is HIV-negative and only has bareback sex with guys who tell him that they are undetectable, and he gets tested every six months. I understand that may lower the risk of HIV transmission, but I’m still feeling kind of funny about it.What should I do? Any advice is greatly appreciated. —PC
As a polyamorist myself, I feel first we need to describe what polyamory is to our readers. Polyamory is the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved. Okay, so are we all on the same page? Great!! Now back to you, Mac—I mean, PC. The fact that you and your partner are agreeing to this makes me feel happy because it means that the lines of communication are open. A lot of couples go through this and suffer permanent damage from either party not being able to convey the kind of love they want. Okay, he is having unprotected sex with guys who tell him they are undetectable. So, you know they could be lying just to have sex, right? I would advise him of that and make sure he gets tested every three months and not six months; to me, early detection of any health issue is key to survival.I suggest having a sit-down talk with him, your boyfriend, and yourself. This will give you the opportunity to talk things through with all parties represented. Communicate your fears and concerns with the issue; after all, HIV isn’t the only STI you would have to worry about. Now, if you can deal with him having unprotected sex outside of your relationship, okay, but, if you are still feeling funny about it, then there could be a molehill that could have the potential to be a mountain of a problem. Remember: Polyamory is a serious relationship among individuals who must honor each other with perfect love and perfect trust. My husband and I are polyamorist and protect each other and other people. We have been open and honest with each other from the very beginning about what and who we want. There are others (who shall remain nameless) who are not as honest, but we are always continuing to explore different avenues of love. Judging others because they are getting the love they want will not get us anywhere. Having an open dialogue will let us learn and teach us how to protect ourselves from HIV and other STDs, no matter what kind of relationship we are in. Being polyamorist does not spread HIV. Having an honest relationship will allow that polyamorist relationship to remain strong and defend itself against STI/STDs—but only if all parties are honest. We need that strength because we still live in a society that looks down upon polyamory in some respects. Let me know what happens! Justin B. Terry-Smith has been fighting the good fight since 1999. He’s garnered recognition and awards for his work, but he’s more concerned about looking for new ways to transform society for the better than resting on his laurels. He started up in gay rights and HIV activism in 2005, published an HIV-themed children’s book, I Have A Secret (Creative House Press) in 2011, and created his own award-winning video blog called, “Justin’s HIV Journal”: justinshivjournal.blogspot.com. Now, with this column, Justin has found a way to give voice to the issues that people write to him about. Visit his main Web site at www.justinbsmith.com. He welcomes your questions at jsmithco98@hotmail.com.
Just*in Time by Justin B. Terry-Smith
Justin—
We actually know each other on Facebook and throughout the community, but I wanted to write you this letter in confidence.
Photo by Don Harris © Don Harris Photographics, LLC. All rights reserved
As a polyamorist myself, I feel first we need to describe what polyamory is to our readers. Polyamory is the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved. Okay, so are we all on the same page? Great!! Now back to you, Mac—I mean, PC. The fact that you and your partner are agreeing to this makes me feel happy because it means that the lines of communication are open. A lot of couples go through this and suffer permanent damage from either party not being able to convey the kind of love they want. Okay, he is having unprotected sex with guys who tell him they are undetectable. So, you know they could be lying just to have sex, right? I would advise him of that and make sure he gets tested every three months and not six months; to me, early detection of any health issue is key to survival.I suggest having a sit-down talk with him, your boyfriend, and yourself. This will give you the opportunity to talk things through with all parties represented. Communicate your fears and concerns with the issue; after all, HIV isn’t the only STI you would have to worry about. Now, if you can deal with him having unprotected sex outside of your relationship, okay, but, if you are still feeling funny about it, then there could be a molehill that could have the potential to be a mountain of a problem. Remember: Polyamory is a serious relationship among individuals who must honor each other with perfect love and perfect trust. My husband and I are polyamorist and protect each other and other people. We have been open and honest with each other from the very beginning about what and who we want. There are others (who shall remain nameless) who are not as honest, but we are always continuing to explore different avenues of love. Judging others because they are getting the love they want will not get us anywhere. Having an open dialogue will let us learn and teach us how to protect ourselves from HIV and other STDs, no matter what kind of relationship we are in. Being polyamorist does not spread HIV. Having an honest relationship will allow that polyamorist relationship to remain strong and defend itself against STI/STDs—but only if all parties are honest. We need that strength because we still live in a society that looks down upon polyamory in some respects. Let me know what happens! Justin B. Terry-Smith has been fighting the good fight since 1999. He’s garnered recognition and awards for his work, but he’s more concerned about looking for new ways to transform society for the better than resting on his laurels. He started up in gay rights and HIV activism in 2005, published an HIV-themed children’s book, I Have A Secret (Creative House Press) in 2011, and created his own award-winning video blog called, “Justin’s HIV Journal”: justinshivjournal.blogspot.com. Now, with this column, Justin has found a way to give voice to the issues that people write to him about. Visit his main Web site at www.justinbsmith.com. He welcomes your questions at jsmithco98@hotmail.com.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Justin's HIV Journal: Paula Deen & The "N-word" YOU KNOW I HAD TO
YES YES YES I did it. jesus ohh so what I thought it was funny. OKAY OKAY Paula Deen racist or non-racist. Okay so she admitted to using the N Word okay yeah I see that.
I mean I don't condone it at all but lets look at this. She is a Old White Woman from the South (NOT SAYING that all Old White Woman from the South do this) I would not be surprised if she did use the N word in her life. AGAIN not condoning at all. Okay so there are plenty of people that we as black people know that use the n word but we do not even know they do. We as black people think it's okay if we use it so why do we get so mad that others still do? I almost give people an excuse to use the N-word because when they see its being used by other who are black they think it's exceptable to use the word themselves.
Paula of course has used the N-word DUHHHHH. But that doesn't make it right. She was just a dumb@$$ for a couple seconds. I mean that was very stupid of her to admit that she had used the N-word on TV.
BYE BYE TV Show and BYE BYE Sponsorships and Endorsements. STUPID MOVE GIRL REAL STUPID.
She has now lost millions of dollars BUT her book is selling like hot cakes now that she has done this.
She cracked another joke about her black assistant being too dark to see because the background to the place they were in was really dark. People who heard her say this live laughed. So by doing this your giving her permission that these jokes are okay to say.
In the words of the HodgeTwins "Good Luck B1tch"
WHAT SAY YOU?????? Please comment below
DEPOSTION SYNOPSIS
"Ok so this is going to be long: the woman, who is white, is suing for hostile racist work environment in the restaurant that she and her brother owned. Ms. Jackson was sexually harassed, assaulted and battered. Paula then made the woman hire black men for her brother's wedding. She told her she wanted "a bunch of little nggers to wear long white shirts, black short and bow ties like they did in the Shirley temple days, something about tap dancing. At the restaurant black employees were made to use the back entrance. Prohibited from using the front for anything, unlike the white employees. Black employees were forced to work in the back when hired for the front (hostesses). The brother made racially offensive slurs all the time, like saying send the Ns back to Africa, he assaulted kitchen staff, and them if they wanted to rub the black off themselves and be white like him. Even used the n word at a fundraising function too which the event coordinator (not an employee of the restaurant) mentioned to the woman that she found it offensive. She was subjected to his violent temper on more than on occasion. She complained at all levels of management and ownership and was ignored for 5 years. Complaints were registered to Paula, the COO, CPA, and attorney of operations. She even asked to be transferred and the response was that Paula would never let her leave the restaurant..... They told her they were going to hire a human resource manager to help with these situations but then turn around and decided that a manual by an evangelical Christian author about the subservience of woman would be better, all in front of an outside vendor. Who challenged it? Undue work hardship of the lady having to work 6 or 7 positions because the brother was using the money earmarked for hiring. So basically harassment, abuse, and hostile work environment, and the unwillingness of management (including Paula) to remedy the situations. The woman suffered medical conditions that made her stay away from work. When she finally quit she could not find work in her small town because she was black listed I guess"--Erin Mariah
Deposition Link
http://savannahnow.com/view-281-page-deposition-and-court-documents-filed-suit-against-paula-deen
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