In an open letter, Mr Gay NZ producer Matt Fistonich said the organisation would continue to support Tredway as the 2017 Mr Gay New Zealand winner and his advocacy role for the community and HIV stigma and awareness. LGBT Rights in New Zealand: homosexuality, gay marriage, gay adoption, serving in the military, sexual orientation discrimination protection, changing legal. The NZAF says it is legal to have sex without condoms if a person has disclosed their HIV status. The State party notes that, while various States parties have instituted forms of registration for homosexual couples, none currently permit homosexual marriage. In addition to condoms, undetectable viral loads and Pre-exposure prophylaxis were also viable options to prevent HIV transmission.
'And so, while in the good old days condoms are the only way to prevent the onwards transmission of HIV we are now in a space in 2017 where there are a number of tools that are equally as useful.' New Zealand Aids Foundation executive director Jason Myers said HIV prevention science had moved rapidly in the past two years and had shown that people with HIV and on treatment could reach an undetectable viral load which rendered them virtually non-infectious. The online backlash was 'difficult to take', but also validated his reasons for entering Mr Gay NZ, he said.
