It’s now time to introduce to one of our illustrious research affiliates and editorial board members of the Journal of Positive Sexuality, Professor Dave Holmes ,RN, PhD. Dave is an energetic and thought provoking researcher who joined our editorial board last year when the Journal first launched.
Dave and our Research Director and Journal co-creator Dr. DJ Williams met as colleagues on a PhD committee at University of Ottawa back last winter. Dave recalls being wow’d by DJ as he talked about the research he was focused on. When DJ asked him to join our editorial board Dave said yes instantly and felt it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. He sees both the Center and the Journal as a part of the unsung organizations resisting the trends to keep sex hidden. In his eyes, groups like ours are creating the space for sexual freedom and acceptance and giving people the opportunity to speak and be heard.
Dave first started in nursing with an emphasis on public health & forensic psychiatry. Since 2004 he’s studied sex practices and risk behaviors of many groups he’s encountered as a street nurse working with sex workers & drug users. Often his work lead him to be critical of how public health was lacking critical research on how to effectively support these groups.
Luckily, Dave resides in Ottawa, Canada where the government is interested in what’s going on the streets. Most of his research studies are funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the equivalent to the National Institutes of Health in the US. The government recognizes a critical perspective is necessary in improving treatment for various groups of patients. Four studies he’s conducted were fully funded by the government of Canada; these research are on Barebacking (anal intercourse without condom with anonymous partners), Risky Sexual Practices at Gay Bathhouses, Swingers and finally, Grindr and Public Sex. He also recently (2015) conducted a research related to BDSM Practices and Risk Taking Behaviors fully funded by the University (of Ottawa) Medical Research Fund.
Dave admits his research has definitely affected him. He sincerely has tremendous respect for participants willing to be honest about their choices and sexual practices. He recalled after finishing his study on BDSM feeling as if he had missed something sexually wise! He recognized BDSM didn’t appeal to him, however the participants were so open sexually and respectful with their partners that he was simply fascinated. Dave strongly believes we can learn so much from BDSM & LGBTQ communities about respect and consent. After spending years working in nursing, he agrees that generally healthcare professionals aren’t open to radical sexual practices which causes patients in alternative lifestyles to shy away from health care services. He hopes his work helps limit judgement and opens the minds of healthcare professionals who are here to serve the public… all of us!
Dave is not only a full professor at the University of Ottawa but he hold a University Research Chair in Forensic Nursing. Dave is also Editor-in-Chief of APORIA – a bilingual nursing journal! It’s unique in that APORIA publishes critical pieces which are often radical. Authors keep the copyrights to have the opportunity to publish the work elsewhere. APORIA is not afraid to publish controversial papers, similar to the Journal of Positive Sexuality.
We look forward to the work we’ll be doing with Professor Holmes with the Journal and hope to publish his current research project on Gay Sex Parties (to be conducted this summer) exploring both private and public events and risk taking behaviors of gay/bi/straight/queer men.
To learn more about Dave Holmes visit http://health.uottawa.ca/people/holmes-dave
To read one of his more recent research studies go to https://uottawa.academia.edu/DAVEHOLMES
Visit APORIA – The Nursing Journal at: http://www.aporiajournal.com