PLAGUE!

[vianegativa]

Is it me or did IBR spawn some sort of Stephen King-esque Captain Trips plague that is knocking Beardom as a whole on its ass?

Yesterday a furry-type fellow told me that as a gay man he saw the Bear culture as "riddled with disease".

That is true this week, I think.

Comments

[polardemonwolf.livejournal.com]

j00 all have d4 flu!

[kj.livejournal.com]

Hell, I was out of the country during IBR, and don't even think I've seen anyone that went to it, and I've got Death Flu 2006. Meh.

[vianegativa.livejournal.com]

Actually, just a sinus infection. Nothing more dreadful.

[vianegativa.livejournal.com]

Well, it is easy to assume...

[vianegativa.livejournal.com]

No, but the person I spoke with assumes that bears are all HIV positive barebacking petri dishes without morality or accountability.

Nice, huh?

[backrubbear.livejournal.com]

It'd shock me if such things weren't also common at circuit parties.

I'm often boggled that people aren't better about not sharing their diseases. If you have a cold, stay home!

If you have something else communicable, don't share it!

Trouble is, if you can't control something that should be as obvious as crabs, how the hell do you think you'll control something like a viral or bacterial STD?

[goofybearz.livejournal.com]

Two days before I go to any event I pretreat myself. That way the chances of bring them home with you are reduced.

[backrubbear.livejournal.com]

I can almost see that - once. Once you've had them, even the itching from dry skin from plane travel is enough to give you the creeps and reach for the permethrin.

It's oft been joked about that bear runs should start and stop with a communal shower of RID. :-)

[vianegativa.livejournal.com]

More like plain out prejudice. He hates bears.

[polomex.livejournal.com]

Sounds like my ex.

[analog-guy.livejournal.com]

I know you're talking about the illustrious "kennel cough", but there was an interesting article a while back in some gay rag that said, essentially, after Bear Pride in Chicago there's about a 300% jump in STD's.

I guess nothing says "You're hawt" like oozing pus scabs.

[vianegativa.livejournal.com]

I suppose that doesn't also correlate to the fact that International Mr. Leather occurs at the same time, does it?

Even so, id there any real data on this or is this some gay rag speculating about it? I mean, I doubt they'd have any real epidemiology numbers about it since they're not a hard news source.

This sounds a bit hyperbolic to me.

[analog-guy.livejournal.com]

No, I think it was actual data that was collected from both Chicago and from some of the major cities that were demographically represented at BP.

I did forget that IML is that weekend, too, so it would make sense. Can't blame EVERYTHING on the bears!

I think the 300% jump represented a whole month following the event. To put that into actual data, they're suggesting what would normally be around 40 cases would be 120 after BP/IML. I think that's within the realm of logic. Kennel cough goes at least that fast and far!

[mcbearcub.livejournal.com]

I dont think that the bear comunity is any more "riddled with disease" any more than any other segment of the gay community, although ive actually heard this statement "well hes a big guy so he must be healthy"

*shudders*