"Salvation came in the form of art. I had always loved painting and my parents were proud and supportive. Inspired by fashion magazines, I drew androgynous women in sultry outfits and souped up stances. As I honed my skills, the art fizzed with a fantastical, psychedelic exuberance. I was a repressed gay teenager, and these images - and the act of creating them - helped me to externalize my dreams and desires without fearing denunciation."
Black African MSM appear twice as likely to contract HIV as other ethnic groups
(Sigma Research, 2011)
BAME MSM make up 0.1% of the total population in the UK, but 13% of MSM diagnosed with HIV.
(Nastal-3, PHE, 2013)
Black MSM are also twice as likely to report homophobic attacks in their local area compared to the white population - 13% compared to 6% respectively
(Stonewall, 2013)