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Increased connections with sexual health services and LGBTQI communities may facilitate more effective HIV prevention strategies. ConclusionsĪsian-born gbMSM newly-arrived to Australia may have limited knowledge of HIV prevention strategies aside from condom use. Sexual health counselling and connections with LGBTQI community groups appeared to facilitate PrEP and consistent condom use. Many indicated interest in PrEP but described it as too expensive given they do not have access to government-subsidized healthcare. Seven men were on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) all but one started PrEP after coming to Australia. Most relied on condoms to stay HIV negative however their consistency of use varied. Although participants reported basic knowledge of HIV transmission and treatment, exposure to sexual identity and HIV-related stigma in their countries of birth meant they imagined a HIV diagnosis would be devastating. Men reported little knowledge of HIV prevention strategies outside of condom use prior to coming to Australia. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Men were excluded if they were living with HIV. Twenty-four gbMSM aged 20–30 years attending Melbourne Sexual Health Centre who were born in Asia and arrived in Australia in the preceding four years, participated in semi-structured face-to-face interviews from 8th May 2019 and 23rd December 2019. Our aim was to explore experiences of Asian-born gbMSM newly arrived in Australia and attending a sexual health centre with regards to their knowledge of and preference for HIV prevention strategies. My experience in Gambia was much more interesting than the Big penis tale but a look at that photograph on facebook took my mind back to that Gambia visit in 2008 and I ask again if the folk in that photograph are Mandinka warriors.Asian-born gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) newly arrived in Australia are more than four times as likely than their Australian-born counterparts to be diagnosed with incident HIV. A question that didn’t get an answer anyway.Īt this point I remembered Kunta Kinta, the mandinka warrior sold into slavery according to Alex Haley’s book, Roots. I told my son and I’m sure he has told his son. “Well, my father told me that and I’m sure his father told him that too. “But are the Mandinka penises the biggest in the world? How do you know it is? There were really lots of British women in the Gambia hanging around with males who could well be their grandsons so he could have been on to something, but I wasn’t one to just up and walk away that easily so I asked again. “It is common knowledge that ours is the biggest in the world and these British women have probably heard tales about its size come all the way down here to enjoy it.” He saw my confusion and tried to help out. I didn’t know what to make of that, if to laugh like it was a joke or take it serious. *pointing at his you know what* in the world?” “You mean you do not know we, the Mandinka people have the biggest. The old man laughed long and hard then said. I have seen a lot of Gambian males dating and even marrying much older British women. I asked an elderly Gambian male who was a security man close to the hotel I stayed in and the conversation went thus. Then I noticed another trend and it was that young Gambian males, aged between eighteen and twenty five were often seen dating, strolling hand in hand, kissing on the streets, elderly European women aged as much as 55 in some instances. The Mandinka people, or men are said to have the biggest penises in the world at least that is what the men from that part of the world tell themselves and others who care to listen.įirst thing I noticed on arrival in Gambia was the fact that there were lots of Europeans holidaying in there. It however reminded me of a people in Gambia I met on my visit there in 2008. It was probably even photoshopped how do I know or care. I got it off the internet, I think face book and of course we all used it to make jokes. Truth be told, I have no idea where that picture comes from and I have not in any way bothered to find out.