The HIVe

The HIVe was created almost two years ago to provide safe environments in which HIV gay men could socialize in NYC without disclosure of HIV status being a major issue. Several guys got together over the course of many weeks to brainstorm, and then approached Body Positive for help in launching our first event at the landmark Stonewall Bar on Christopher Street in Manhattan. The HIVe, standing for "HIV entertainment," maintains close contact with Body Positive, as we are both serving the positive community. But the HIVe is its own independent organization, run strictly by volunteers, who constantly hone our mission as we go along.

Over one year into the HIVe's existence, we formed a Web site (www.hivenyc.com). The initial purpose was to provide notification of upcoming events in the bars/clubs that volunteered to host us. In two years we have been to Stonewall, The Monster, and Chi Chiz in the Village, as well as The Eagle, Heaven, The Hole, and Escuelita, meeting in some venues more than once.

We have found that most people coming to our Website checked out three pages in particular: the calendar of monthly positive events, the links page, and the personals section. As awareness about the HIVe grows, we have had personal ads posted from as far away as D.C., Virginia, and Florida, and we have been contacted by organizations as far away as South Africa.

Our most successful events have been in the Village, so we are looking for a semi-permanent home in that neighborhood at which the HIVe could meet on a regular basis, such as first or last Friday of each month. In addition to these monthly events, we hope our Web site will become a clearinghouse for all HIV-positive social events in NYC. As we expand, so will our mission, which will always be to provide entertainment, education, and social support to our community. And, of course, we welcome your suggestions -- just click on "Buzz Us" on the first page of the Web site, then click on the bee to e-mail us your comments. You can also call the HIVe event hotline at 212-591-1719 to hear a recorded listing of NYC events.