MAX shares Spill the Tea intervention’s success at the 2019 GMSH Symposium

The presentation was part of a panel on initiatives related to party and play in Ontario

MAX Ottawa was invited by the Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance of Ontario (GMSH) to participate at the plenary panel “Party and play: How do we know what we know?” held as part of the 2019 Skills Building Symposium. At the panel, Roberto Ortiz, Executive Director of MAX, presented the process and the success of the Spill the Tea intervention.

“Every aspect to the three Spill the Tea events held was guided by the Safer Partying Advisory Committee. It was always clear to MAX that the intervention needed to be created by and for guys into guys who engage in party and play. They choose the name, and the brand and guided us through every step of the development of Spill the Tea” stated Ortiz.

Spill the Tea is a drag intervention combatting the stigma associated with drug use, sex, and HIV that was implemented in Ottawa between the July 2018 and April 2019. Led by MAX Ottawa, in partnership with ViiV Healthcare, this innovative community event and communications strategy focused on reducing the stigma associated with sexualized substance use. It also provided safer partying materials and HIV/STTBI testing referrals to GBTQ2 men who engage in PnP.

In addition to this panel participation, Joël Xavier, Health and Wellness Coordinator at MAX facilitated two workshops during the Symposium: “Understanding Sexual Health Needs for Trans men, trans masculine, and non-binary individuals” and “Anal Pleasure and Health”.

Approximately 100 service providers, peers and community members from across Ontario attended the 2019 GMSH Skills Building Symposium.

Thank you!

MAX Ottawa thanks the GMSH for planning an engaging, exciting, and jam-packed 2-day event helping to “Strengthening the Core” of guys into guys’ health in Ontario.