Here is an email I just received. ANY thoughts??
Lud
Dear friends,
We've done the research and it's a landslide. A GetUp-commissioned Galaxy poll last weekend reveals a whopping 71 per cent of Australians, including 63 per cent of Coalition voters, believe same s-x* couples should have the same rights as heteros-xual couples in de facto relationships.
These results should make all Australians proud. Yet on Friday, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission released its year-long inquiry into same s-x discrimination which reveals that discrimination remains ingrained in 58 pieces of federal legislation. From superannuation and workers' compensation to Medicare, tax and pensions, Australians are treated like second-class citizens purely on the basis of their s-xual orientation.Right now our politicians are deciding how to respond to these damning findings.
This is our urgent opportunity to tell them it's time to wipe this discrimination off th e books forever by giving legal equality to same s-x couples.www.getup.org.au/campaign/EqualBeforetheLaw Australians want their friends, family and colleagues in same s-x relationships to have the same rights as other citizens. One piece of legislation, redefining de facto legal status, can start us firmly on the path towards greater equality. Sometimes change can only happen when the people lead. And we will.
GetUp's poll found majority support for equal rights extends across every demographic, across every region, across every political party in the nation. Tell the politicians it's time they caught up to the people that voted them in. Put your name to the petition calling for equality now - and please share this campaign w ith all your friends. You can be sure that at least 70 per cent of them will thank you for it! You can also support this campaign by donating here.www.getup.org.au/campaign/EqualBeforetheLaw
Thanks for being part of this,The GetUp teamPS: By following the link to this campaign, you'll get a sneak peek at our new website! It's still under construction, and so all pages of the site may not be fully functioning, but stay tuned for the new site's official launch next week!*Please note - the "e" in this word has been removed to avoid spam email filters
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
NEW HPV VACCINE FAQ
There has been lots of discussion about the new HPV vaccine recently. Here are some FAQ that Family Planning Western Australia has put out. If you have any other questions please post them in the 'comments' section below and I will try and have them answered.
Lud
Gardasil Q&As (HPV vaccine)
Where can I get the vaccine and is it available now?
Gardasil, the cervical cancer vaccine, is going to be available free from July 1st for females aged 12-26 years, mainly through GPs (details here if your state will be providing – FPWA is).
How is the vaccine given?
Gardasil is administered via a series of three injections into the arm over a six month period.
If I get my daughter vaccinated does this mean she'll start having sex earlier? Young people are already vaccinated against rubella, and the same concerns were raised when rubella vaccination was first introduced. Young people rarely consider long-term health issues in their decisions to have sex; their concerns are often related to their peer group, close relationships and self-image.
Do I still need to have Pap smears once I've been vaccinated? Yes, as the vaccine only protects against certain types of HPV. All females, whether or not they have been vaccinated, should have regular Pap smears, which detect abnormal changes to cells in the cervix so treatment can start before cancer develops.
If I'm already sexually active should I still get vaccinated? Yes. The vaccine protects against four of the most common wart viruses. Even if you have already been exposed to one sort, you can still get benefit against the others.
I'm over 26 - can I still get the vaccine? Yes, but as the benefit is likely to be less the older that people are, the community can only afford to pay for those who will get the most benefit. You can get a prescription from your doctor for the vaccine, and a course of three injections costs about $450.
What's the link between HPV and cervical cancer? There are about 30 types of human wart virus that affect the genital area. Of these, about eight have been connected to the development of cancer in several parts of the body. Only a couple of these viruses are common in Australia, and protection against them is included in the vaccine. Most people are infected with these common viruses at some point in their lives, and the large majority get rid of the virus themselves over 1-2 years. The small number of people whose immune system finds it difficult to clear the virus may be at risk of developing cancer over the next 10-15 years. It is these people who will benefit from the vaccine.
Is it worth paying for my son to get vaccinated? Boys will benefit from vaccination because they are at risk of developing genital warts and of passing on the cancer-causing warts to sex partners. Boys who go on to include receptive anal sex in their activities are also at increased risk of anal cancer. Again, the community at this point would find it hard to afford to vaccinate boys, but hopefully this will happen in the future.
Are there any side effects of the vaccine? Gardasil has been shown to be very safe during large clinical trials, with any side effects being very minor. There have been some reports of increased minor illness/side effects at recent school vaccination sessions, and it is hard to assess whether this is due to a genuine increased likelihood of these side effects, or the powerful psychological effects that can often be seen in similar settings (the nocebo effect, opposite to placebo, where a harmless material gives rise to bad effects).
Lud
Gardasil Q&As (HPV vaccine)
Where can I get the vaccine and is it available now?
Gardasil, the cervical cancer vaccine, is going to be available free from July 1st for females aged 12-26 years, mainly through GPs (details here if your state will be providing – FPWA is).
How is the vaccine given?
Gardasil is administered via a series of three injections into the arm over a six month period.
If I get my daughter vaccinated does this mean she'll start having sex earlier? Young people are already vaccinated against rubella, and the same concerns were raised when rubella vaccination was first introduced. Young people rarely consider long-term health issues in their decisions to have sex; their concerns are often related to their peer group, close relationships and self-image.
Do I still need to have Pap smears once I've been vaccinated? Yes, as the vaccine only protects against certain types of HPV. All females, whether or not they have been vaccinated, should have regular Pap smears, which detect abnormal changes to cells in the cervix so treatment can start before cancer develops.
If I'm already sexually active should I still get vaccinated? Yes. The vaccine protects against four of the most common wart viruses. Even if you have already been exposed to one sort, you can still get benefit against the others.
I'm over 26 - can I still get the vaccine? Yes, but as the benefit is likely to be less the older that people are, the community can only afford to pay for those who will get the most benefit. You can get a prescription from your doctor for the vaccine, and a course of three injections costs about $450.
What's the link between HPV and cervical cancer? There are about 30 types of human wart virus that affect the genital area. Of these, about eight have been connected to the development of cancer in several parts of the body. Only a couple of these viruses are common in Australia, and protection against them is included in the vaccine. Most people are infected with these common viruses at some point in their lives, and the large majority get rid of the virus themselves over 1-2 years. The small number of people whose immune system finds it difficult to clear the virus may be at risk of developing cancer over the next 10-15 years. It is these people who will benefit from the vaccine.
Is it worth paying for my son to get vaccinated? Boys will benefit from vaccination because they are at risk of developing genital warts and of passing on the cancer-causing warts to sex partners. Boys who go on to include receptive anal sex in their activities are also at increased risk of anal cancer. Again, the community at this point would find it hard to afford to vaccinate boys, but hopefully this will happen in the future.
Are there any side effects of the vaccine? Gardasil has been shown to be very safe during large clinical trials, with any side effects being very minor. There have been some reports of increased minor illness/side effects at recent school vaccination sessions, and it is hard to assess whether this is due to a genuine increased likelihood of these side effects, or the powerful psychological effects that can often be seen in similar settings (the nocebo effect, opposite to placebo, where a harmless material gives rise to bad effects).
Monday, June 18, 2007
Myspace/public/private bebo etc
I was reading this article about Social Network Sites: Public, Private, or What? by Danah Boyd. - Danah Boyd is a PhD candidate in the School of Information at University of California, Berkeley and a fellow at the University of Southern California (USC) Annenberg Center for Communications
It really struck a chord with me considering all the moral panic over spaces like 'myspace' and the fact that many of our organisations are blocking these sites from our workplace as if that will stop the 'dangers' that are perceived as being there.
Here is a comment from the article that I really liked:
"When a teen is engaged in risky behaviour online, that is typically a sign that they’re engaged in risky behaviour offline. Troubled teens reveal their troubles online both explicitly and implicitly. It is not the online world that is making them troubled, but it is a fantastic opportunity for intervention. What would it mean to have digital street outreach where people started reaching out to troubled teens, not to punish them, but to help them? We already do street outreach in cities - why not treat the networked world as one large city? Imagine having college students troll the profiles of teens in their area in order to help troubled kids, just as they wander the physical streets. Too often we blame technology for what it reveals, but destroying or regulating the technology will not solve the underlying problems that are made visible through mediated publics like social network sites."
What do you think about this? Are we using the spaces in a way that will help our young people? Are we using the spaces at all?
It really struck a chord with me considering all the moral panic over spaces like 'myspace' and the fact that many of our organisations are blocking these sites from our workplace as if that will stop the 'dangers' that are perceived as being there.
Here is a comment from the article that I really liked:
"When a teen is engaged in risky behaviour online, that is typically a sign that they’re engaged in risky behaviour offline. Troubled teens reveal their troubles online both explicitly and implicitly. It is not the online world that is making them troubled, but it is a fantastic opportunity for intervention. What would it mean to have digital street outreach where people started reaching out to troubled teens, not to punish them, but to help them? We already do street outreach in cities - why not treat the networked world as one large city? Imagine having college students troll the profiles of teens in their area in order to help troubled kids, just as they wander the physical streets. Too often we blame technology for what it reveals, but destroying or regulating the technology will not solve the underlying problems that are made visible through mediated publics like social network sites."
What do you think about this? Are we using the spaces in a way that will help our young people? Are we using the spaces at all?
Memorial
How many times as workers or people in need of services do we take time (or are given time) to reflect and remember the people that we work and provide services for??
In Adelaide this upcoming thursday is a memorial service to remember those people that have died while homeless:
You are invited to attend a Memorial Service to
remember those who have died while homeless
Thursday 21st of June
6pm
At Scots Uniting Church
Cnr of Pulteney St and North Tce, Adelaide
If you are unable to attend, but would
like someone remembered,
please phone
Margo at Shelter SA on 8221 6488 with
their name and a message.
GPO Box 1822
Adelaide SA 5000
Phone: 08 8221 6488
Fax: 08 8221 6292
E-mail: margo.johnson@sheltersa.asn.au
Homelessness in South Australia:
Everyone’s concern
Remember, celebrate, mourn and share the
lives of people of the streets of Adelaide
There will be an opportunity for those who attend to
light a candle of remembrance, and time to reflect,
pray and honour all those who have died while
homeless.
Please join us for soup and bread afterwards
Margo at Shelter SA on 8221 6488 with
their name and a message.
GPO Box 1822
Adelaide SA 5000
Phone: 08 8221 6488
Fax: 08 8221 6292
E-mail: margo.johnson@sheltersa.asn.au
Homelessness in South Australia:
Everyone’s concern
Remember, celebrate, mourn and share the
lives of people of the streets of Adelaide
There will be an opportunity for those who attend to
light a candle of remembrance, and time to reflect,
pray and honour all those who have died while
homeless.
Please join us for soup and bread afterwards
Govt process and RU486
I was reading through the paper the other day and saw this article:
The shortened version is this.......
NON-SURGICAL abortions will soon be more easily accessible for Victorian women, with a new clinic offering medical terminations of pregnancy using a cancer drug.
The clinic, run by Marie Stopes International, has been prompted to turn to the cancer drug methotrexate, after delays in accessing the abortion drug RU486.
It was over a year ago that RU486 was approved for use in Australia. Why is it that finally we get approval to USE it but in practical terms it is not happening? Now clinics are reverting to a drug developed for cancer - not specifically for termination
It seems to me that so much of the support that we could be providing is denied to our groups of interest because of issues beyond us as workers. Do you ever feel this way?
The shortened version is this.......
NON-SURGICAL abortions will soon be more easily accessible for Victorian women, with a new clinic offering medical terminations of pregnancy using a cancer drug.
The clinic, run by Marie Stopes International, has been prompted to turn to the cancer drug methotrexate, after delays in accessing the abortion drug RU486.
It was over a year ago that RU486 was approved for use in Australia. Why is it that finally we get approval to USE it but in practical terms it is not happening? Now clinics are reverting to a drug developed for cancer - not specifically for termination
It seems to me that so much of the support that we could be providing is denied to our groups of interest because of issues beyond us as workers. Do you ever feel this way?
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