September 20, 2009
Two years ago I embarked upon creating a new community for HIV positive gay men on the Snappville network (http://www.pozqueers.snappville.com ). After years of being on several HIV positive gay men Yahoo groups and other HIV positive gay men networks that were very limiting in scope of features, sometimes poorly moderated and designed, seeing the same old tired attention grabbing posts, faceless empty profiles who always wanted to IM chat (and ask for photos), constantly being bombarded with sales pitches, receiving countless spam messages into my email box, and asked for money or donations to upgrade or to help “offset operating costs“ for a site that was already full of advertising (or ad supported), I said to myself that if I was frustrated, others probably were too.
I wanted more substance and quality, more fun, and a homepage that would allow me to express more of myself through music, video, images and customized boxes. A network of faces and profiles primarily for hiv positive gay men with profiling designed to connect me with others who shared similar interests, and maybe somewhere in the future, a partner.
That was back during the summer of 2007, right after I left Texas for Georgia, fresh off the dialysis machine, no longer able to ride motorcycles – still in recovery from bad health – and accepting the realization at that point in my Life I probably might not find my soul mate. About the same time I received a notice from Yahoo, telling me that after October 2007, Yahoo Web Hosting would no longer host personal sites that had any adult content. After years of paying Yahoo money to host my personal website, which at that time had very little adult content, I suddenly found myself in a position where I had to scramble and find a new web hosting service for my personal site. I did not know the first thing about html css and always used Yahoo’s WYSIWYG website creator.
Rather than just “laying it all down and doing nothing,” something I have always refused to do, I quickly found a new web host and discovered how cheap web hosting really was – Yahoo charges three times more than anyone else does! By September 2007 I had my personal website moved to a new host.
“My inner strength is powered by friends, extended family, others I have met and will meet, the beauty of Life around us. These are just a few photos celebrating a few people I know and my travels. I have an extensive collection of photos and my run maps on my old personal web archives at www.thedingoman.com – dingo”
About the same time I started looking into how to create a social network. I looked at several networks that allowed people to create communities but the two that caught my attention were NING and me.com. NING seemed to be easier to use but I had a bad gut feeling about NING (a year later NING shut down communities that allowed ANY adult content regardless of what it consisted of).
I discovered me.com when I joined “thinkpoz,” another community with HIV positive gay men. It’s a cool community but open to anyone over the age of 13 and it’s mixed with both men and women. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against mixed sites – I belong to several and just recently launched a 2nd site that includes men and women. As a man who identifies as being queer and BI, I also recognize that there are guys like me who want to share things about ourselves that we may not feel comfortable in sharing with everyone else, just as I know that there are het men and women out there who really don’t care to see some of things we love to see. When I joined “thinkpoz” I saw the many interactive features, the freedom of being fully able to create customized profiles, lots of things most social networks didn’t have at the time (and still don’t have).
With that in mind, I started POZQUEERS on the me.com network, aka SNAPP Networks, in the month of October 2007. Snapp was still in the Beta stage. The profiling, groups, forums and themes were built from the ground up by myself, designed on what I felt was lacking from other communties, with the exception being for poz.com and thebody.com - those are still two of the best sites for up to date information. poz.com still has the best personals site and there's also a huge number of people who blog on those sites!
Anyway, soon after starting this community the domain name me.com was sold to Apple Mac, and Snapp became snappville.com. Naturally what followed was a transition of the old me.com communities into the new Snappville web domain. Many of our original members went through that long transition stage. There were times things didn’t work, skins disappeared, the way we posted comments onto blogs, photos and into forums changed, and so forth. Our video players went “white” but then we discovered that was due to software changes YouTube started doing. Some of our videos lost their sound but that was due to the battle between YouTube and Warner Music Group. Myfabrik became Joggle and all our old audio players went too.
Those who were with us on the old Snappville site from the early days will remember those days. And once we thought things worked they continued to change. We simply have learned to keep up with it all and accept the fact that things don’t always work they way they should, or the way we think they should. Last year gay.com caught up with the times and changed its software and look. Yahoo has done the same – Yahoo 360 and Yahoo profiles are a prime example of changes and glitches. I can remember the number of people who shouted “keep it the old way.” The technology continues to change and as it changes we can expect glitches within any social network and ISP. Prior to his retirement Bill Gates said that as the technology changes “people are going to have to work harder to keep up.” When personal computers were originally introduced to us we all can remember the old cliché – “computers will make life easier.” In many ways they have but growth and learning never stops.
The community, still somewhat new and small in size, continues to grow slowly. It took a year for us to climb up in the search engines, I continue to promote the site throughout the Internet and new people find us from my efforts, and the efforts of a small number of existing members.
Our network has evolved during the past two and half years and continues to evolve on varying levels. A few of our members have contributed to making this happen. What you have shared has helped others and keeps the “dingo wheel” spinning.
Recently I received a private message from a new member that echoes similar messages received over the past two years:
“Hello! My name is ***** and I have been poz for more than 20 years. I have taken the time tonight to look at your profile and have read some of the poems and I have to say that I am touched and just wanted to say thank you for inviting me to join this site. What you wrote about pissing is something that has been in the past something that would be a turn on but, the cleansing aspect that you speak of gets me down deep, just because I never felt that I fit in or that I can be accepted as a lover to someone or a lifetime partner. I feel like I could learn a lot from you and would be more than honored to have you guys as my friend. Anyway, thanks again.”
“….since joining the group ,it has helped open my eyes , my heart and my soul, once again to the outside world, it has given me hope, that there are other men out there, like me into the rural life.”
My personal reply to them and others varied (this reply is from a blog I created):
“You are not alone - there are just as many of us out here and we are all UNIQUE - that's the beauty of our creation and WHO WE ARE - many of us felt that way at one time and there are just as many still out there who feel they do not fit in - my wish for you is that you find your soulmate - enjoy the journey along the way of that path.......DINGO”
“Our youth has a great deal to do with our perceptions of ourselves. Some of us accepted what we were taught, some questioned it, and some may have rejected it altogether. The choices we have made over the years reinforced our initial perceptions until we were faced with a circumstance that causes us to question it. We either reinforce those walls at these times, or some of us begin to chip away at them. My advice is to chip and build until you are comfortable with you and can celebrate who you are. Only then can you truly let go and let someone else in. If you don't some portion of those walls will keep them out, and keep you from finding happiness. No one has to Fit into anything to be happy. Just be you.” (Keith)
As we cruise into our 3rd year, I wish to express my appreciation to you all for making it happen as you continue getting to know others and share more of yourselves in your own unique ways. Bonding, Loving Life and Loving Others. Have fun!
Jim Thurman
Loving and Living Life without Fear – always!
the dingo
Somebody once sent an email to me asking me to explain to him before he joined what is so “unique and different” about our community compared to gay.com. (Uh Huh!) I was somewhat bemused and amused by that question so I put it up for someone else to answer:
“When Dingo asked me to write about “what is unique and different” about pozqueers, I was caught off guard, because who would know better than the Dingo Man himself? But then, if we as users do not see it as unique and different, then maybe we are missing something. And by the way, he asked me to be objective and not write it as his partner, so I will. Even though Dingo can be very demanding, wants things his own way, would probably withhold sex and blow smoke in my face if he does not like it, I will be honest. After all, two can play that game.
Of course, there are many technological reasons that make it unique – heaven knows it is probably the most complex to learn all of its features than other systems – but once we learn how to use it, the complex technology adds to its uniqueness. For example, how many places can you attach a video in PQ? On your profile page, you can add as many media boxes as you want (the catch is waiting for them all to load) so you can view the page. Comments, messages, forums, and blogs are other places one can use this feature. You can customize your own page with your own art work if you so desire, not encumbered by preset artwork choices and structure. I could go on, but you get the point.
The most striking difference of uniqueness from other sites, is that it encourages individual expression. Because of the moderation, it is the norm to express your internal self, meaning we feel safe to talk about what we do, express our opinions, criticize other’s opinions, and give advice. Other sites that lack the moderation usually degenerate (in my opinion) to pictures and poses and sexual preferences mainly because it is what everyone does in search of a hook up. Don’t get me wrong, I am guilty of a few hook ups in my past, and I like looking at the beauty of the male body in all of its parts, but if we are really serious about forming relationships and friendships, we have to see beyond or through the cock and ass to get there. At PQ, there are places for the C&A shots, but the profile is geared more to OUR uniqueness as individuals, not OUR sameness or differences of human form and sexual action. In other words, we are not different when it comes to the exterior other than size, but we are very different when it comes to our personalities and interests in terms of what we do with our time and our minds.
AND THAT IS VERY WORTH SHARING WITHOUT FEELING LIKE AN OUTCAST OR BEING OPPRESSED FROM THE MAJORITY. If I put that out there on Manhunt or Men4SexNow, I would be totally ignored! I just had to hope that when I hooked up, the person would talk a little after the sex, which did not always happen. Dingo, PQ makes us feel safe to express our unique selves, and BRAVO our sameness as well.
Through PQ, I have found a place to be free with my self expression as long as it is non attacking or not cruel to another. We have such wide varieties of ways to express ourselves that I have learned much about others on the site who choose to express themselves. And I find the video reduxes and the artwork and photos shared by members very…stimulating. And I will leave it at that.” (keysman)
PQ3
Uploaded by thedingoman. - Explore videos for gay and lesbian community.
About PozVille PozQueers
POZQUEERS - AN ONLINE SOCIAL COMMUNITY
FOR HIV positive POZ GAY MEN HIV POZ BI MEN
Loving Ourselves Loving Others Loving Life
Celebrating & sharing our lives with visual audio text expressions thru blogs, homepages, groups, photos & forums.
LOOKING FOR CHANGE & SOMETHING NEW - WELCOME TO POZVILLE!
PozVille aka PlanetDingo is a private not for profit alternative social network created specifically for HIV positive gay men, including HIV negative gay men who are poz friendly. HIV positive het (and BI) men and women who are not blinded by others' race, sexual orientation, lifestyle, gender, nationality, opinions, age, physical appearance, beliefs - and who live or are accepting of alternative lifestyles, are also welcomed.
We started out as a small affinity network for HIV positive gay men on Snappville, originally we were known as PozQueers. An affinity network is a group of people who share specific interest(s) or ideals, know each others strengths and weaknesses, and support each other. As we have gotten to know each other, we have evolved into a small online family. What you will discover here are some really cool poz gay men freely expressing what they feel and who they are.
Our goals are to share, connect and empower ourselves with other HIV positive gay men and women who are seeking new friends, experiences, peer support and community. There is a little something for just about everyone in our site. You’ll find a few essential basics on HIV, wellness, updates and other info that might help you deal with issues related to living with HIV. We’re not just focused on living with HIV – it’s also about talking and sharing all the other things in Life that affects us – and having fun as well. Visual arts, spirituality, our pets, video, music, scifi, fantasy, sex, erotica, photos, humor, literature, national issues and politics are just a few of the spokes in the spinning wheels of our community.
We’re totally independent and do not use freemium social networking platforms. We own a lifetime license to use the software, the community is hosted on a private dedicated server, and the expenses are generously funded by Jim and Keith, aka Dingo and KeysMan. We do not charge or ask anyone for donations and fees, nor do we operate this network for any profit. If you like what we’re doing and want to help offset the hosting fees please use our Amazon affiliate link, only one banner ad appears on each page of the site. There are no other banner and no pop up ads.
PozVille is also a cyber extension of our home and our personal website (PlanetDingo). A few members and some staff are people we personally know from the physical world - buddies, friends, associates and extended family - others we have met and befriended online.
To help us maintain a safe and pleasant Internet environment where HIV positive gay men and women can openly interact and have fun, we emphasize that you should always treat other members as if they were a guest in your home or as someone you might work with. Although we have rarely had any problems, it needs to be said that harassment (sexual and non sexual), intimidation, trolling, predatory and abusive behavior towards others, privately and publicly, will not be tolerated.
A BIT MORE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY FOR HIV POSITIVE GAY MEN
"queer: historically, the word "queer" has been used as a derogatory term, a word that demeaned and disrespected the GLBTQ community. More recently, GLBTQ academics and activists have sought to reclaim the word and "reoccupy" its meaning, turning it into a vehicle of pride, resistance, and coalition-building. So phrases like "queer studies," "queer community," and "queer theory" are common parlance. But "queer" hasn't entirely lost its derogatory power, so it should be used with care and sensitivity." Quoted from OTTERBEIN UNIVERSITY GLBTQ DEFINITIONS.
The name pozqueers was reclaimed for our Pride. We refuse to be disempowered by those who continue to foster & harbor prejudice towards HIV positive gay men. There is no shame in being HIV positive.
We embrace all HIV positive men who identify as being gay, BI, queer, m4m or transgendered. HIV positive hetero men and HIV positive women who are gay friendly are welcomed. HIV NEG gay men who are not blinded by ignorance, been partnered or openly dated HIV positive gay men, or wish to have a better understanding of HIV positive gay men and want to bridge the existing gaps between poz and neg, are also welcomed into our community.
PozQueers was started in October 2007, on the Snapp Network, for HIV positive gay men who were looking for a totally different online experience. Our primary goal was to connect HIV positive gay men who wanted to make new friends, share information and possibly connect those who were looking for someone special. During the first two years, with the help and input from several members, the community evolved to what it has become today.
Technology and social networking has changed quickly. The software became outdated on Snappville and in February 2010, it was time to move. Our network has some erotic adult content, which is not permitted on most free ad supported social networking services. I decided to move the community onto a privately hosted dedicated server, which we do not share with anyone else. In short this allows us to have complete freedom, something that isn’t allowed for communities hosted on Ning, Tribes, MySpace, Facebook and other free social networking platforms.
The decision to change the name to PozVille was based upon a poll from the old site, the votes were almost evenly split between PozVille and PozQueers. The new site uses the moniker PlanetDinfo because it is also a cyber extension of the community founder’s home and personal websites, thedingoman.com (pre 2005) and planetdingo.com (after 2005).
"The best part of any journey are the people we meet along the way."
Our community is made up of varying colors and lifestyles. I come from the old guard, respecting others rights to their opinions, freedom of expression & beliefs providing they are causing no deliberate harm to others. Doing so I believe serves to bond and empower us, bringing us all to a better understanding and acceptance of others.
The golden rules here are simple. Treat everyone as if they were a guest in your home or as if they were someone you might work with. And remember, while we may not always agree with each other, we should agree that it's OK to disagree. Within this community respect the rights of others to have their opinions freedom of expressions and beliefs. If something offends you just do not view it again.
COMMUNITY
We are all longing to go home to some place we have never been, a place half remembered and half envisioned we can only catch glimpses of from time to time. Community. Somewhere, there are people to whom we can speak with passion without having the words catch in our throats. Somewhere a circle of hands will open to receive us, eyes will light up as we enter, voices will celebrate with us whenever we come into our own power. Community means strength that joins our strength to do the work that needs to be done. Arms to hold us when we falter. A circle of healing. A circle of friends. Someplace where we can be free. --- Starhawke
There were several reasons I embarked upon starting a community for HIV positive gay men. At the top of the list was the lack of quality sites for HIV positive gay men who wanted something more than a place for hook ups. Although there are a few good sites for HIV positive gay men most are limiting in their features and scope. Others are nothing more than a clever way of getting you to sign up so they can make money off of you by pitching products or selling your email address to marketing firms. HIV positive gay men have become a commodity for many out there.
PozVille was also conceived as an alternative for those who got tired of being hit up and solicited from HIV positive gay men with faceless & informationless profiles on other HIV positive gay men networks and groups. We also got tired of dealing with the other frustrations that we experienced on the mixed networks. The rejection due to our HIV status, non conformity, speaking out, thinking differently, and those insensitive “DDF, healthy UB2” posts. The indifference, ugliness and hostilities doled out towards HIV positive gay men is still out there and it hasn’t changed in 20 years, despite our best attempts to educate others.
Sharing of ourselves no doubt helps empower ourselves and other HIV positive gay men and that sharing serves to empower us all in some way, often helping us understand ourselves and those around us. The power of words, images, music and video also is empowering and they can be used as expressions of who we are, what we love.
There still are HIV positive gay men who continue to isolate themselves or feel that they are alone because of all this. Many folks at some point in their lives have needed some type of peer support. I constantly see HIV positive gay men looking for this support, and long term relationships, on several of the Yahoo poz gay men groups I belong to.
A good example is a comment some guy posted some time ago in one of those Yahoo groups and I’ve seen similar posts over the years, “Why is it so hard to find someone in a group of so many men to get to know and maybe have a relationship with and get together. Seems like everyone does not have a good profile or something is wrong in their lives. I am looking and hoping someday.”
My response to that is that we all need a place at times to vent and air frustrations. People do it because they are often looking for peer support. And if your expectations are genuine then you should complete your profile before making remarks that others do not have a good profile (the guy who made that comment did not have a photo or any information in his Yahoo profile).
HIV positive gay men who are serious about a relationship often do find it frustrating when searching the Internet for a mate. A lot of guys out there aren’t always as serious as they claim to be. And most HIV positive gay men do not always take advantage of the new technology that we now have before us. Just putting up a photo with very little profiling or nothing at all and expecting others to respond to you no longer works. The interactive applications and features now available on social networks are tools that can work for you only if you use them and are willing to take a few minutes to complete a profile. If you are looking for a partner, small HIV positive gay men social communities such as this one and others like it are good places to look. Going off the beaten path does has its advantages.
Regardless of where you look you have to put yourself out there by actively participating in local events and causes. On the Internet getting involved in discussions is a good start, it gets the attention of others, allowing people to get to know you. Either way a door opens to a potential possibility of a new friendship or intimate relationship.
Inviting other HIV positive gay men you know who are looking into small niche networks such as this one also helps. When you do that, you’re connecting your friends with others who are looking. Social networking only works when everyone works together. Most community owners and their staff put a lot of time and energy into promoting their networks and often do not receive anything in return. When you invite or tell others, you’re making a difference. It’s good karma.
Those are just a few reasons I started this community for HIV positive gay men. I wanted change in my Life and because of that desire, I found others like me. For myself, making a positive difference by helping other HIV positive gay men who were still living in isolation or shame, or just needed a boost and new perspective on Life, impacted my own Life and health. Along the way I have met some new friends, and although I wasn’t looking, I met my partner, Keith, who has contributed much and been very supportive of these efforts.
Let's get back to knowing each other a bit more – we’ve gotten away from personal communication and embracing each other. For me this is what community is about. With this said I welcome you to join us.
Jim Thurman aka the dingo
Keeping It Free – Spirit of Giving
We hope you are enjoying PozVille. The monthly expenses are generously funded Jim and Keith, aka the Dingo and KeysMan. We also appreciate the time, energy and efforts some of our Staff have given in making this network interesting and fun – namely Denn and Jeff aka BlkDawg and GupsMan. We do this solely in the spirit of camaraderie and giving.
We ask that you take a few moments to consider helping someone else in return. The charities that are very important to Dingo are those that help fight hunger by providing direct services, such as Meals on Wheels and your local food pantries. People who have never needed help from food pantries are showing up at the doors of these places. I have been reading reports that say many food pantries around the country are completely out of canned chicken, ham, tuna and salmon. There's no flour, instant potatoes, jelly, dry milk, oatmeal, grits, canned beans, spaghetti sauce or tomato sauce. Please consider giving something to your local Meals on Wheels chapter or local food pantries.
PozVille is a non commercial not for profit social network. We do not engage in the practice of selling branded merchandise or charge fees for storage, upgrades and use of extra features. We don’t pitch products, sell ads, charge fees, and ask anyone for money or donations. PozVille is hosted on a private dedicated server. We also purchased the software lifetime license used to power this site. Doing so allows us to be totally independent, giving us the freedom of presenting content that's not allowed by SaaS networks such as Ning, Tribes and Social Go.
If you shop Amazon and wish to help offset our monthly hosting expenses please use the Amazon image link below when buying products.
