Interview René
René (32) from Frankfurt does voluntary HIV prevention work with the Love Rebels, the Frankfurt on-site prevention team. As a result, he discovered his career aspirations in passing.
How did you come up with the idea of volunteering?
In the beginning, it was for personal reasons. When my boyfriend at the time and I had been together for about four months, we decided to skip the condom. I trusted him and assumed that we were in a monogamous relationship. That was a mistake. In any case, he didn't. And then I also heard that he was at sex parties and doing it without a condom. I then quickly took an HIV test. Fortunately, it was negative. Nevertheless, that was the key experience for me. From then on, I wanted to get involved in the scene and educate people about HIV and protection.
You go to bars and clubs with your team, hand out condoms and talk to the men. How are you received there?
Always positive, actually. Of course, when there's a party, people don't want to talk so much. Then I just hand them a condom, maybe a brochure. That's it then. It's different in pubs. You quickly strike up a conversation, chat and get told a lot. That's sometimes very exciting. And I just love getting to know new people and their stories. It also enriches me because I get to know people that I might never meet in this way. Sometimes you also get something for free. Of course, that's not bad either (laughs).
You also provide people with advice and support. What are the most common topics you are asked about?
These are clearly sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Most people know quite a lot about HIV. But STIs are a perennial favourite. It's mainly about transmission routes and so on. Many people are then really surprised that you can actually get an STI quite easily and that there don't always have to be symptoms with an infection. So you can have one and not even know it. That's why STI tests are so important. However, it's also often about blow jobs: is it bad if I've swallowed semen? How high is the risk of contracting HIV, etc.? The classic question.
But isn't it boring if you are often asked the same thing and talk about the same topics?
No, not at all. Because there are always other people with new stories. And there are men in front of you who really want to know something about you. They have questions for you and you can help them a little. Even if that sounds selfish: But it really does give me a lot. To see that I am helping another person in a conversation, taking their questions seriously and that they might go home with an answer. That's a great feeling.
That's a good point. Can you describe to someone else what your voluntary work gives you personally?
It's always exciting: Who will I meet tonight? What stories will I hear? You learn a lot about yourself in the process. You learn to listen, to take questions and problems seriously. Yes, you also learn to reduce your fear of contact and become more tolerant, even if you don't always like what someone is saying. And it just gives me a good feeling when I realise I've been able to help someone. Whether it's just with a condom at the right time or with a conversation. This voluntary work has simply changed a lot for me.
Is there anything specific?
Yes, my career aspirations have changed completely. I'm going to study again: Social work. I want to continue to be involved in the scene and I think the degree will help me with that. I don't know where I would be now without the voluntary work. But to be honest, I definitely wouldn't be any better off than I am now.
