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The internet discussion list for gay men who are HIV+

GayPoz is an internet discussion list for GAY MEN WHO ARE HIV POSITIVE to share emotional support, medical information, and their everyday life experiences while living with HIV/AIDS.

Humble Beginnings to Worldwide Membership

GayPoz developed as a logical offshoot of HIV-Support. HIV-Support is a discussion list begun by Michael Davon and Amittai F. Aviram to provide a forum for all HIV Positive individuals, whatever their sexual orientation or gender, to share emotional support and medical information.

Following on the success of HIV-Support, Professor Aviram recognized the need for a mailing list that could offer Gay men a comfortable environment to talk about issues that are uniquely their own. During discussions with Mr. Davon over the summer of 1995, the foundations were laid, and GayPoz came into existence on August 18, 1995.

Beginning with just a handful of men, GayPoz now has almost 500 members. Every continent except Antarctica is represented. Many members have been subscribers from the very first week that GayPoz came online.

GayPoz is an unmoderated list, but List Administrators screen potential new subscribers to insure that they meet the membership criteria. They can also intervene when further discussion of a topic would be counterproductive. List Administrators work to insure that all messages posted to the list are consistent with the GayPoz Guidelines.

Any topic is open for discussion with one exception. The premise that HIV is the cause of AIDS is not debatable. The list's first Administrator believed that there were other and more appropriate venues for the consideration of such theories. Each time the membership has been polled, the consensus has been to keep this guideline intact.