Sex is different from drugs; we can't tell them just to say no and leave it at that. Sexuality isn't something they can opt out of."

Ariel Levy– Female Chauvinist Pigs and the Rise of Raunch Culture

Sexual Health Awareness Week; EVENT

Choices in Contraception Hypothetical: This will be a great event to attend.

15 year old Bella faces a panel with her questions on contraception:
The panel members are:

• parents
• peers
• school counsellor
• doctor
• pharmacist

For more information go here or call 83005317 to book a place

In support of young men

I just thought I'd share an experience I recently had with 7 young men.

Not long ago myself and another worker were asked to work with some young men that had been identified by a rural school as being able to benifit from some work around racism, mysogeny, homophobia ( as they were considered perpetrators of these isms, eny's and ias). As it turns out these young men were awesome. They understood the issues of oppression that were all around them. They understood that school is a difficult place to survive in. They WANTED to be given space to explore these issues. They wanted to be able to speak out about SO MANY THINGS.

As it turns out these young men reinforced the belief that it is up to US as workers to find a way to reach the young people we work with. If we can do work together, be creative and be flexible - so much is possible. Thanks so much to the highschool for providing the flexibility and opportunity for this to occur.

Here is a picture that these young men put together. Can you figure it out?

Petals: great resource for young women

This is a fantastic resource for young women. Petals is a picture book and dvd showing lots of different vuvlas. If you work with young women they often have serious esteem issues around thier vulvas and thier own self imagry. This resource enables you to show them the incredible diversity around vulvas and helps them normalise thier own bodies. Go to this website to have a look. SHineSA has a copy of the book and dvd in its library if you want to see them.

Sexual Health Courses for 2011

SHineSA FRESH course dates are set for 2011. This course is for people who work with young people and want to find out how to address the sexual health needs of thier client group. In this course you will cover such topics as:

• realtionships


• gender


• stis


• contraception choices


• sexual health and values


• homophobia


• unplanned pregnancy


• violence and abuse

• the sexual response cycle


• adolescent anatomy and physiology


• and more

On completion of the FRESH course, you will have: an increased level of confidence working with clients in this area of sexual health a language that enables effective communication skills to address clients’ sexual health needs through assessment, program development, delivery and evaluation developed a toolkit of resources that can be used with clients a better understanding of your own biases in this area of work and how they can be minimised in order to provide quality services.

If you want to find out more, or enroll go HERE for all the information you may need. But places are filling very quickly for the first course starting in march.

Young men fake orgasms

Its sort of a standing joke when my friends and I speak about orgasms that many women have faked an orgasm. Rarely is it mentioned that young men ALSO fake orgasms. According to research published in the November issue of 'The Journal of Sex research' 25% of men also fake orgasm. Go here to read more.

.

university for one sex:transgender??

This is a great post from 15 year old Sex etc blogger Leo Johnson:

Imagine it. You’ve been attending the college of your dreams for three years. But there’s a problem: you’re at a men’s college, but you’ve come to identify as a woman. Or maybe you’re a woman at a women’s college, and you’ve come to identify as a man. Even if you were at a co-ed college, transitioning between genders is difficult, and it can complicate everything from choosing which bathroom you use at a restaurant to your photo ID.
So, what do you do when you’ve been attending a single-sex college, and you finally gained the confidence to start transitioning to a different gender? The coming out process isn’t instantaneous. Your friends may know when your family doesn’t, and people you have personal relationships with will almost certainly know before college administration. Should single-sex colleges demand that all trans people leave the instant they start to transition? That seems a tad unreasonable. If trans people aren’t being kicked out immediately, when should they have to leave, if at all?
Trans students have paid tuition, attended classes and done work the same as any other students. They may no longer fulfill a school’s gender or sex requirement for admission, but they’ve already been admitted. Kicking them out could easily be seen as punishing them for being a transgender person.
This isn’t a question with an easy answer. And as long as we only define people as either male or female, there will always be problems with this system, in every imaginable place.
Comment and tell us what you think about this issue.
—Leo Johnson, 15, Contributor

A Life Free of Violence is Our Right

Free SHAW resources

SHAW is a SHine SA initiative that runs from 14-21 February every year and targets young adults between 18 and 30 years.

Sex is something that is not often publicly discussed, although it is a part of our everyday lives; on television, in magazines, on billboards, on the Web. The images we see promote sexuality, but don’t teach us how to be responsible for our sexual health. Sexual health awareness is not just about preventing diseases, it’s also about open communication and acceptance of individual differences, resulting in realistic expectations and an understanding of sexuality and relationships.

Sexual Health Awareness Week aims to broaden people's understanding of sexual health and relationships, raising awareness of sexual health issues in South Australia.
The focus for 2011 is choices in contraception with the theme of Your Life. Your Contraception. Your Choice. 50 years ago the Pill revolutionised contraception. Now there are many different options. It’s your choice. Choose what is right for you.

Orders will be processed in early February to ensure that you have them for Sexual Health Awareness Week

To access an order form contact the shine website here

Breath and sex

Have you ever wondered what breathing has to do with sex? No? well have a read of the below blurb from my favourite blog sexuality.about.com. There is a discussion about how important breathing is for healthy satisfying sex, but also about breathing, sex and people with chronic pulmonary disease. Very interesting.

November is COPD Awareness Month. In case you are like about half the people who could be diagnosed with COPD, which is to say, unaware of it, COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease which is an umbrella term that describes a range of lung disorders, all of which lead to narrowing or blockage of the airways in your lungs.
One of my favorite sex educators, and author of Urban Tantra, Barbara Carrellas often says that sex travels on the breath. Certainly without breath there is no sex. But this doesn't mean one has to breath a certain way, or even breathe on their own, to have breath and to have sex. The relationship between breath and sex is intense, and also complex.

GO HERE TO READ MORE

Before you send

Before You Hit Send was written by Sex, Etc. teen staff and health experts from ETR Associates. This video helps teens balance the problems and benefits of texting, chatting and social networking and discusses pressures teens might feel about sexting and other issues. Go here to have a look.

This is a small video about texting: Check it and pothers made by young people for young people at this website

Pregnancy Advisory Centre

Do you work with young women that might be in need of support around her pregnancy options. The Pregnancy advisory centre is a fantastic service here in Adelaide, read there blurb below and have a look at their website here

The Pregnancy Advisory Centre provides women in South Australia with information about pregnancy options and a safe, high quality, abortion service.
Within a supportive environment of comfort, privacy, convenience and safety,

the Centre provides:

Pregnancy testing and ultrasound scan;
Abortion services up to approx. 22 weeks;
Counselling;
Emergency Contraception Pill (ECP) or the morning after pill;
Contraceptive advice and provision;
Sexual health care and information; and
Community education and training.

The Centre is accredited by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards.
Counsellors are trained social workers and provide unbiased, woman centered counselling.

Abortions are provided by qualified, non-judgmental medical staff. Counselling and abortion services are FREE, provided at no cost to clients. Contraception is provided at minimal cost.
The Centre is open Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 4.00 pm.

Even Glee

Beware the media. The following is an article from http://community.feministing.com discussing Glee of all things as part of the sexualisation of young people.


“Glee” Girls Gone Wild – Why GQ’s Pictorial Has Me Seeing Red

By Womens Voices Published: November 8, 2010

Written by Alexandra MacAaron, originally posted on Women’s Voices for Change.

The sexification of schoolgirls is nothing new.

From Humbert Humbert’s masturbatory musings on nymphets to Britney Spears’ pouty parochial school student in “Hit Me Baby One More Time,” apparently there’s something about a short pleated skirt and pigtails that drives men wild.

So why are so many people upset by the pictorial in the current issue of GQ?

Because of “Glee.” Those half-naked schoolgirls with the come hither eyes aren’t just any models. They’re the girls of “Glee.”

I’m a Gleek, I admit it. In fact, I was an early adopter, faithfully following the scrappy show choir at McKinley High before it became so fashionable. My tween daughter and I curl up together to watch it every week. We even made a pilgrimage down to Radio City Music Hall to catch them in concert (which I wrote about for Women’s Voices for Change). The show has always pushed the envelope, but has also dealt with a lot of difficult topics — teen homosexuality, teen pregnancy, racism, kids with physical and mental disabilities — and done so with candor, understanding, and affection.

IF YOU WANT TO READ MORE GO HERE

Lovely Non Coming out story

I don’t have a coming out story. I’ve always felt a bit deprived because of that, which is of course wrong because the reason I don’t have a coming out story is that everyone in my life that should know about my sexuality is wonderfully open minded. That being said, my grandma doesn’t know and probably never will. But she doesn’t really need to know granddaughter’s sex life. I suppose the other reason I don’t have a coming out story is because I’m not entirely gay. Coming out as pansexual (or bisexual) is always thought of as a half-arsed sort of revelation compared to absolute homosexuality, which is the epitome of sexuality disclosures. Pansexuality, however, almost always needs to be explained or is followed by a knowing nod then an immediate wikipedia search of the unknown term. It is defined as the attraction to people completely regardless of gender. Unlike bisexual, it does not identify two binary genders, but instead includes transgender, gender neutral etc into it’s attraction. I was unaware of the actual term myself until probably about a year ago. I was, and probably always have been pansexual but I didn’t know the name for it.

Lovely story and well described: To read more go this new website called bite back

Youth Infonet Resources

Youth InfoNet is a one-stop electronic source for new publications and information on youth reproductive health and HIV prevention, presented in two parts:
Part I. Program Resources. Summaries of tools, curricula, program reports, unpublished research findings, and other items that may be useful for youth programming. Most items are available online and links to those are included with the summaries.
Part II: Research Articles. Summaries of peer-reviewed research papers published in the last month on developing country research.
Beginning with No. 28, Youth InfoNet has been published on behalf of the Interagency Youth Working Group (IYWG), formed in 2006 as part of the USAID Global Leadership Priority on Youth. FHI continues to produce this publication series.

If you want access to lots of information on youth sexual health issues from around the world this is a great website to visit. Click here to have a look around.

Hetero lack of condom use and anal sex

In sexual health and education programs lots of information is passes on that encourages young people to use condoms for ALL unsafe practices. Unfortunately research is indicating that only 25% of women who engage in anal sex use condoms for this, while over 60% of men that have sex with men and engage in anal sex use condoms. ( I dont have statistics for women that have sex with women).
Is this because we as educators dont spend enough time talking about anal sex? Is it because young people dont see anal sex as 'sex'? Could it be that people are being coerced into unprotected anal sex?? Could it be that the workers who should be giving the safer sex message are to afraid to mention anal sex. Whatever the reason we need to ensure that the safer sex message is getting out there for ALL forms of unsafe practices.
Go here to read the article where these statistics came from.

SEPT 4 is world sexual health day

The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) is pleased to announce the inauguration of what will become an annual event. The purpose of World Sexual Health Day is to encourage open and respectful discussion on sexual matters. Factual information leads to healthy sexuality and encourages positive relationships. WAS promotes sexual health and sexual rights and encourages the participation of all people, without discrimination or prejudice. The theme for this year is Let’s talk about it.... an intergenerational discussion WAS is organising activities in 27 countries representing 5 continents, celebrating happy, healthy sexuality and presenting positive messages. Community involvement is encouraged. Find out what is hapening in your area looking at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/World-Association-for-Sexual-Health/141089732594768 and http://www.diamundialsaludsexual.org/ .

On the WAS page is a cool map that you can click on to find out what people are doing. NEXT YEAR LETS MAKE THIS A BIG BIG EVENT

Can women really ever say Yes.

A posting from the Kinsey confidential blog might be interesting. It is a discussion regarding the age old " women are taught to say no because that is virtuous -and if a woman says yes she is called a slut".

Go here to read more or join in the conversation.

PAP smear: Not enough young women have them

New research suggests embarrassment is stopping many younger women from taking the screening tests for cervical cancer that could save their lives.

Only 50 per cent of Australian women aged in their 20s are having pap tests regularly

Go here to see the full picture AND lets keep educating our young women

World Youth Conference

http://www.youth2010.org/

Have you had a look at the world youth conference: Here is a look at one of thier facebook posts:

Tuesday 24. Margarita Zavala, director of DIF, participated in the conference addressing gender and human rights for young people. She stated that women have more scope to advance further than their mothers and grandmothers ever dreamed; however, there discrimination is still an obstacle.

She considers migration to be an element that develops towns, but when it is seen as a threat it closes opportunities for the young.

Faiza Benhadid, coordinator of the Center for Arab Women Training and Research(CAWTAR), expressed that the subject of gender should matter to young people who live at the mercy of a global society. It would seem that conforming to norms is the only way to achieve autonomy. Adolescence is a time during which autonomy is acquired, but sometimes it arrived belatedly because of the manner in which values were instilled. Maturity varies depending on the culture and on the social norms known in adulthood.

She added that from a human right´s perspective a breach has formed between gender and culture. In this session moderated by Inés Alberdi, executive director of UNIFEM, it was agreed that the subject of gender of of global importance and that discrimination is one of the biggest dilemmas facing young people, as well as the absence of programs which provide skills needed to face today´s problems. The eradication of child labor is necessary because it lends itself to exploitation.

Go have a look: Hurrah for the worlds young people..

Gendered Violence

A quote that I like from Donna Macnamara (1986)

"Sexual violence is not an isolated event that happens to a few random individuals in a random unpredictable way. It is a logical extension of a firmly entrenched misogynist world view, either willingly adopted or imposed upon millions of people over thousands of years."

Did you know that:

• Rape is now considered a weapon of war.
• Rome was founded on the rape of Sabine women
• During the sack of Troy, women were raped by the victors
• In 1453, when Constantinople fell the women were raped by the Ottoman troops
• In 1864 at the Sand Creek massacre in the USA the women were raped and sexually mutilated by the white troops
• In 1937 when Nanking fell to Japanese troops the women of the city were raped
• In the Vietnam war ( Vietnamese call this the American war) there are many documented cases of Vietnamese women being raped by the western troops
• From conflicts in Bosnia to Peru to Rwanda girls and women have been singled out for rape
• Rape has been documented in all rescent armed conflicts including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Cyprus, Haiti, Liberia, SOmalia, Uganda, Iraq and Afganistan

The rape of women is so prevelent in conflict areas that the UN security council created the senior post on 'Women in armed conflict' in 2009 with specific mandate to address sexual violence.

COME ON MEN: STAND UP: SAY NO TO VIOLENCE

SHineSA is on Facebook

Have you visited SHineSA's FB site yet. If not here it is.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Sexual-Health-Information-Networking-and-Education-Inc-SHine-SA/110530312326043

or Here

Are you working around relationship violence

Here is a good youtube clip if ytou are working with young people around relationship violence issues.

Help SHineSA Plan SHAW

Sex is something that is not often publicly discussed, although it is a part of our everyday lives; on television, in magazines, on billboards, on the Web. The images we see promote sexuality, but don’t teach us how to be responsible for our sexual health. Sexual health awareness is not just about preventing diseases, it’s also about open communication and acceptance of individual differences, resulting in realistic expectations .


Sexual Health Awareness Week (SHAW) aims to broaden people's understanding of sexual health and relationships, raising awareness of sexual health issues in South Australia.

SHAW preparations

for2011are about

to begin and we need your

voice!

You are invited to an initial SHAW brainstorming session!

September 2

2 – 4pm

SHine SA

Woodville Seminar Room

64c Woodville Road (parking

off of Bower Street)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The purpose of this meeting will be to:

- define the audience of SHAW 2011 (young adults aged 18 – 30 years)

o Who are they? Where and how do they spend their time? What is important to them? What catches their attention? What makes them take action?

- determine how this year’s theme ’50 years of the Contraceptive Pill’ relates to our target audience

- identify who SHine SA needs to work with to reach our target audience

- brainstorm slogans and images of the 2011 campaign

The ideas and information generated in this meeting will then be distilled and formalized into a strategy by the SHAW 2011 Committee.

Please RSVP to Jo Brown at jo.brown@health.sa.gov.au by Friday Aug 27

Thank you!

Ejaculation without orgasm??

Many people would believe the myth myth that says 'Men always orgasm and you can tell because they ejaculate'

Well.... Men can ejaculate without experiencing pleasureable feelings and orgasm. If someone discloses that this happens to them - believe them. To hear more about this go to the Kinsey confidential podcast here.

Damage

Thanks to feministing.com for this entry

The violence so dominant in this society could find any number of apologists if personal willpower and motivation alone would undo the damage done. Someone could say, for example, The battered girlfriend can always heal herself psychologically with enough exertion and devotion to getting better. They might point to the ways in which physical therapy can do wonders for people with physical injuries, implying that mental therapy can and will accomplish the same. However, this is a fatuous comparison that insists a victim ought to be the sole person who is obligated to pick up the pieces. In this scenario, not only should this not have to be her responsibility, sometimes violence is so destructive that one never fully recovers from it.

Go here to read more

Jackson Katz

I love this guy: Jacskon Katz. A star in the sky working on gendered violence prevention particularly with young men and boys. Here is his website. He is the author of one of my favourite books ' The macho paradox - Why some men hurt women and how all men can help'

Have a look at his site. You can go here to hear him speak.

Sexual Health Podcasts

I just came across this cool site. Lots of podcasts about sexuality, sexual health etc etc.

Go here to check it out.

You will find podcasts on issues like:

• Alcohol teen brains and sex
• So sexy so soon
• What do you wish people would have taught you about sex
• and lots lots more

SHineSA comes to Drug Action Week

Drug Action week is upon us and ShineSA southern team has responded to a request from the Southern Fleureau Drug Action Network to attend a series of expos organised in schools for this event.

If you would like to find out more contact emily on:

sciyouth@iinet.net.au

Young women: Have your say

A GREAT opportunity to for young women ( all women) to be involved in some consultations: Below is a small blurb. Go to this website to see more. One of the special groups to have thier own forum is young women

Consultations 2010
Women in South Australia - Thinking about a Better Future
The Premier's Council for Women wants your views on the issues that affect women - employment and money, family, health, safety, well-being - whatever issues are important to you.

Your participation in this consultation process will contribute to the update of South Australia's Strategic Plan. Hearing your views will also help us continue to provide independent advice on issues of importance to women and advocate for improved opportunities, well-being and services for all women in South Australia.

STI Myths ( they say STD)

Great little youtube video that dispels some myths around STIs. Well worth a watch. Thanks to SEXETC for this..

There is no privileged access to truth????

Yet again some people try to stop our young people getting the information essential for them to survive and make sense of the world we live in. I got the following post from Sexetc. A website for sex education by teens and for teens. You can have a look at thier website here.

Book Banned From New Jersey High School Library

Eighteen people recently complained about three books in a New Jersey high school library. What were they complaining about? How the books dealt with teen sexuality.

The books are Revolutionary Voices: A Multicultural Queer Youth Anthology, Love and Sex: 10 Stories of Truth and The Full Spectrum: A New Generation of Writing About Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Other Identities.

Go here to read more

even on mainstream morning shows

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Great school activity

UNIFEM and Soweto schools and CBOs say NO to trafficking in women.

More than 400 representatives from schools and community based organizations in Soweto (Johannesburg) shared the “SAY NO TO TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN. SAY YES TO WOMEN’s RIGHTS” message during a soccer tournament organized by UNIFEM on 9 April in the context of UNIFEM’s actions to counteract trafficking in women in 2010.
The event, which counted on the participation of official girls soccer teams from Soweto, is part of a number of activities implemented by UNIFEM Southern Africa -in partnership with Johannesburg Child Welfare (JCW)- to support the Red Light Campaign 2010, a regional civil society initiative aimed to prevent trafficking in women and children during the World Cup 2010. Participants to the event came from a large number of schools and community based organizations in Soweto, to actively participate in the soccer tournament and parallel activities organized, and to get information on effective measures to prevent trafficking in women and girls in their communities. UNIFEM Regional Director opened the agenda with a welcome speech that outlined UNIFEM’s actions towards Ending Violence against Women and presented the Africa Wide Campaign to end Violence against Women and Girls, as the frame for UNIFEM’s work around trafficking.

Go HERE to read more:

Be great to see something like this at state tournaments here in Adelaide!!!

FINALLY THE NEW COURSE IS HERE

Hello everyone. Finally the new SHineSA sexual health course for workers is ready to kick off. If you have been waiting for some training in how to work with young people around the issues of sexual health - here is your chance. Starting dates are July 21/22/23

The FRESH course

SHine SA’s new sexual health course for workers

SHine SA offers a nationally recognised course for workers in the Community Services and Health sectors working in the areas of disability, youth, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander men’s and women’s health, and Culturally & Linguistically Diverse communities. The course aims to provide workers with an increased level of confidence when working with clients in the area of sexual and reproductive health and relationships. Participants will enhance their skills in addressing clients’ needs through assessment, program development, delivery and evaluation. The FRESH course has a flexible design which enables participants from the same occupational groups to share time together exploring client issues and community needs. Participants can complete the core modules, then may choose electives and assessment pathways based on individual preference.

What you will learn:

Core

Intro to sexual health

Gender &Diversity

Community Focus

ELECTIVES

Anatomy and Physiology

Sexual Violence

Pleasure Positive

Contraception & Pregnancy Options

STIs and Safer Sex

ASSESSMENT

CHCCED311A- Program Planning & Delivery

CHCCED511A - Advanced Program Planning & Delivery

For a Course Information & Enrolment Handbook contact:

Tel: 8300 5317 or Email: SHineSACourses@health.sa.gov.au

Great downloadable resource

Relationship things:

Go here to get The Relationship Things Resource Kit This is for professionals working with young people, providing a comprehensive range of activities to engage young people and support them to expect and build safe and respectful relationships.

Parents don't think thier kids are having sex

Many parents don't think their kids are interested in sex, but believe that everyone else's kids are, a new study reveals.

"Parents I interviewed had a very hard time thinking about their own teen children as sexually desiring subjects," said study researcher Sinikka Elliott, an assistant professor of sociology at North Carolina State University. "At the same time, parents view their teens' peers as highly sexual, even sexually predatory." Parents consistently characterized their children as young, immature and naïve.

Go here to read more

labiaplasty

Why is it that some women feel the need to have thier labia altered? What is our mainstream media doing to create this need? Why aren't people satisfied with who they are?? Go here to watch a facinating interview and film from Hungry Beast

VIEWER WARNING: This story is rated M for nudity, sexual references and strong scenes of Labiaplasty surgery that may disturb some viewers?
We need to warn you straight up that this story contains footage of genital surgical operations that some may find confronting.
There’s one part of the female body that most of us have seen more in pictures than in real life. But has censorship skewed our idea of what a normal vagina looks like? And could it be contributing to a new trend in cosmetic surgery

sleep with the right people.

Sexual health is much broader than gen itals. It includes health for ALL people. Sexual health even has a place in worker politics.

futuristic male contraception

Maybe in the future While a man drops his electric car off for a quick charge, he also pops into the doctor's office for a recharge of his own: 15 minutes of ultrasound treatment, for 6 months of contraception.

Have a look here to read more

homophobia

Thanks to Kirsty Degabrielle for this great posting:

Hey All,

In a society where many laws, churches, schools, media sources, etc, often discriminate against same sex attracted (SSA) people and send homophobic messages, it is only natural that most individuals (including SSA people) have some level of homophobic thoughts &/or attitudes. The real achievement is in acknowledging this & working towards increasing your own awareness, the awareness of those around you, & challenging homophobia in all its many forms (see IDAHO- Part 1 of 2 email).

Below are listed 4 homophobic levels of attitude and 4 positive levels of attitudes towards lesbian and gay relationships/people. They were developed by Dr. Dorothy Riddle, (a psychologist from Tucson, Arizona).


WHERE DO YOU SIT ON THE SCALE? DO YOU HAVE ROOM TO MOVE?


HOMOPHOBIC LEVELS OF ATTITUDE

1. Repulsion: Homosexuality or bisexuality is seen as a "crime against nature". Same sex attracted people are sick, crazy, immoral, sinful, wicked, etc. and anything is justified to change them (for example, prison, hospitalisation, negative behaviour therapy, electroshock therapy).

▼
2. Pity: Heterosexuality is more mature and certainly to be preferred. Any possibility of "becoming straight" should be reinforced and those who seem to be born "that way" should be pitied, "the poor dears".

▼
3. Tolerance: Homosexuality is just a phase of adolescent development that many people go through and most people "grow out of". Thus, same sex attracted individuals are less mature than heterosexuals and should be treated with the protectiveness and indulgence one uses with a child.
▼

4. Acceptance: Still implies there is something to accept. Characterised by such statements as "You’re not a lesbian to me, you’re a person!" or "What you do in bed is your own business," or "That’s fine with me as long as you don’t flaunt it". This perspective denies the social and legal realities with which same sex attracted people live, and ignores the pain of invisibility and stress of closet behaviour. "Flaunt" usually means saying or doing anything that makes people aware.
▼


POSITIVE LEVELS OF ATTITUDES

5. Support: Work to safeguard the rights of same sex attracted people. People at this level are aware of the homophobic climate and the unfair treatment that same sex attracted people experience.
▼

6. Admiration: Acknowledges that being same sex attracted in our society takes strength. People at this level are willing to truly examine their homophobic attitudes, values and behaviours.
▼

7. Appreciation: Value the diversity of people and see same sex attracted people as a valid part of that diversity. These people are willing to combat homophobia in themselves and others.
▼

8. Nurturance: Assumes that same sex attracted people are indispensable in our society. They view same sex attracted people with genuine affection and delight, and are willing to be allies and advocates.

No Diet day

This is an email sent to me that I am passing on to you about diet/body image and the harm it can cause.

Hi All,

I just wanted to let you all know it is International No Diet Day on Thursday May 6th.

This is a good time to think about promoting positive body image amongst young people!

One way of marking International No Diet Day is to encourage any young women you work with to complete the YWCA of Adelaide's poll about promoting positive body image. You can find this on their website www.ywca.com.au

They are also launching a t-shirt challenge, a competition providing people with the opportunity to design a t-shirt promoting positive body image! Might be something that could be incorporated into an art class! Food for thought!

Anyway if you want any more info feel free to give me a buzz on 8552 9214 on a Wednesday or Friday!

Have a great week!

Emily :)


Emily Zesers
Youth Wellbeing Program Officer
Southern Fleurieu Health Service
Division
SA Health
Government of South Australia

Tel: (08) 8552 9214
Mobile: 0447 017 078
Email: sciyouth@iinet.net.au

Job Opportunity at SHine

Hey everyone: Another job opportunity has arisen at SHineSA. If you like the idea of working in sexual health this may be your opportunity.

The position is for the Manager of the Northern Primary health Care team: Click here to find out more.

International Day Against Homophobia IDAHO

Dont forget everyone its time to start planning IDAHO is almost here: MAY 17th

It may seem that these days sexual orientation and gender identity is getting less and less of an issue and people who live their gender identity and their sexuality differently from the majority enjoy comfortable and secure social and political spaces to do so.

When you have a closer look though, you will witness that there is increased homophobia and transphobia in a majority of places; and the XXth century was actually one of the most homophobic periods ever in History.

Everywhere homosexuality and gender variance is being discriminated against ; in more that 80 countries in the world, same sex relationships are criminalised and in 7 of them, death penalty can be enforced.


Intolerance, prejudice, hate, ignorance and fear still largely prevail in individuals, groups, States, international institutions, etc…
This is why this international day to fight against homophobia and transphobia and for sexual freedom was created.

Go here to find out more and get some ideas on what to do for IDAHO

If you go HERE you can get the IDAHO newsletter emailed direct to you.

Cities ranked by penis size

While this article that ranks average penis size for each of the USA 50 states is quite funny. It just goes to show the fixation we have for genitals and size.

Anyway go here to have a look for a laugh.

Condom Case Competition

Hey EVERYONE This is cool.

As part of the Australian Government’s ongoing National STI Prevention Program: Sexual Health Campaign,
a competition aimed at young people to design limited edition condom tins is now open.

As you know, the campaign aims to raise awareness about the risks of infection and encourage safe sexual behavior, including using condoms and seeing a doctor about testing after unprotected sex.

To encourage condom carrying, we are asking young people to design a condom tin that will appeal to their peer group. This competition will build on the achievements of the campaign to date by encouraging interaction and participation from the target audience and further promotion of campaign messages.

The competition is open for a period of four weeks and entry is via the campaign website www.australia.gov.au/sti. Entrants can use the design tool provided to create and upload their design or they can use their own design software. Visitors to the site can view all of the submitted entries and vote for their favourite design.

Two winning entries will be chosen by our panel of judges including visual and performance artist Ben Frost, Australian rock band Bluejuice and expert on dating, sex and relationships, Samantha Brett. The judges will choose one winner from all of the entries and a second winner from the top ten designs as voted on by the public.

The winners will each receive $1000 and have their design produced on condom tins.
The competition is being promoted directly to universities and design colleges, and to the general public through online advertising, public relations and promotional activities.

We would appreciate your assistance with promoting the competition by embedding the ‘vote/enter widget’ on your homepage, blog or facebook page. This can be found by clicking on ‘enter’ on the white competition box on the website www.australia.gov.au/sti. Once you are in click on ‘Share’ at the top of the page and click on either ‘embed on your blog’ or ‘share with facebook’. The widget is an interactive way to promote the competition and enables people to vote for their favourite designs or enter the competition. Alternatively, you can provide a link to the campaign website www.australia.gov.au/sti.

AFL on homophobia

Stars of the AFL come out in support of gays
SEAMUS BRADLEY
April 11, 2010
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/stars-of-the-afl-come-out-in-support-of-gays-20100410-rzz2.html

Go here to see more pictures

Top footballers are to front a campaign against homophobia.

AFL football may have a reputation for blokiness, but dozens of top players and coaches have launched a campaign to promote tolerance of homosexuality.

The ''inclusion and diversity'' campaign boasts some of the biggest names in football, including Neil Balme, Joel Selwood and Brownlow medallists Jimmy Bartel and Adam Goodes.Almost 30 players and coaches have signed up to the Players' Association project, to be launched officially next month.

The sportsmen and coaches have been photographed holding handwritten signs calling for acceptance and understanding of homosexuals.
Adelaide player Brett Burton is pictured with a placard that says: ''We all have our little differences - celebrate them!'' Geelong football manager Neil Balme's reads: ''Homophobic His-story!'' Bulldogs ruckman Will Minson wrote in ''Nil bastardum carborundum'', which is mock-Latin for ''don't let the bastards grind you down''.

NEW UNDERBELLY

As you prepare to watch this upcoming season of Underbelly you might want to reflect on thia comment from the ASSERTSA newsletter No 3 from July 2009:

Underbelly “Uncut”

By Abby English

I recently took some time out to watch the recent TV programme “Underbelly, Uncut” on DVD. I was curious about all the media hype surrounding the series and the alleged “glorification” of criminal activity in Melbourne’s “underworld”. I would agree that the series was riddled with violence and perhaps glorified to some extent, however, I was more interested in the portrayal of sex throughout the series.

Now, before I go any further, I will add that overall and with an air of suspended disbelief, the series was generally enjoyable. As a TV show to entertain, (loosely) based on real events, it wasn’t too difficult to watch. The use of attractive actors to portray actual people (criminals, most of whom are now dead or in prison) as interesting, colourful, fearless and shameless is enough to maintain interest. However, I found there was another level to my viewing that stemmed from my professional life that had me critiquing the sexual/relationship content of the series.

Many TV shows use sex as a selling point, and let’s face it, sex is a part of life, so sex scenes come as no surprise. But the role of sex in this series grabbed my attention. It seemed that when a gang member had been out either killing or maiming, he (and it was mostly “he”) went to a place where there would be women not only willing but impatiently waiting to be noticed and engaged by “him”, before heading off for energetic long lasting loud and orgasmic sex.

The scenes were many and the women mostly willing. Interestingly enough, the most explicit scenes were mostly with characters portraying sex workers or strippers or other women working in the sex industry, usually with female nudity and/or naked breasts exposed. Male nudity on the other hand, was much more discreet. The men seeking sex with these women were mostly married with children and the scenes portraying intimacy with their wives were more tender, subtle and often ended before intercourse or nudity began.

By the time I was half way through the series, I was getting the impression that the “gangsters” thrived on crime and sex, those who had families and partners still had sex with other women, seemingly without guilt, shame or morality (because of the “type” of women they were having sex with outside their relationships?). The women they had sex with appeared always willing and moaned and screamed and writhed like something out of a pornographic movie.

In one episode, a very attractive female character is picked up by one of the “gangsters” at a Casino, they spend some time there, he takes her back to a hotel room where they kiss passionately, she begins to undress and initiate sex, however, he resists, leaving the hotel room, promising to return later. She goes to bed and goes to sleep. He then goes and kills someone, returning later to have sex with the woman in the hotel room, she demonstrates a willingness that indicates familiarity, knowledge of a person that brings trust and safety rather than a stranger whom she met the night before.

After this episode, the woman does not appear in the series again. I was unsure what her role was, to fill 25 minutes of an episode with sex, to provide an alibi for the gangster? It was never made clear, but the message about women, men and sex subtly came along for the ride, she, always willing, always horny, but only a bit player to be used and cast aside when no longer needed.

By the time I was three quarters of the way through the series I was thinking about the unrealistic portrayal of not only sex, but relationships. I wondered what the Australian public might be thinking about these characters and their lifestyles. Were men asking themselves why they can’t have that kind of sex with their partners? Why weren’t their partners so willing and horny? Or how great the freedom of the portrayed lifestyles would be?

Were women feeling inadequate for not feeling so hot and horny on demand like the women in the series? Or might they be thinking how nice it would be to have men/partners lavish them with diamonds and cars, like some of the female characters in the series? Why can’t their partners be more generous in the gift giving department, then maybe they might feel like that kind of sex?

One female character, after “teasing” and “flirting” but refusing to have sex with a “gangster” boyfriend while being lavished with gifts by him is eventually raped by him, as he “waited long enough” and expected sex in return for the gifts. This female character then ends her relationship with the rapist and takes up with another “gangster”, who again lavishes her with gifts, with the promise of more to come.

Again, this female character didn’t seem to have much more of a role, I was unsure what her role was to the overall series or the purpose of this particular storyline. Was she there as a demonstration of the lifestyle? As an object for gratuitous sex? From memory, I believe it was the only rape scene in the series. Was this the purpose? For the second time, it wasn’t made clear.

I wondered if perhaps the two women and storylines mentioned above are related to real events in Melbourne so were included for this purpose, but there was no clear evidence of this. Or perhaps they were there to support one male character who stated that women are a “life support system for a vagina”. What was most notable was the connection to sex of both characters.

Of course my mental meanderings may well just be speculation and opinion, but there was a definite sense of intrigue and desirability in relation to the sex, if not the lifestyle, (might end up dead, most of the male characters did!) that may have captured and held the attention of many viewers. The way sex, and “horny” sex (you know, the bump and grind, loud, tear up the bedroom kind of sex) is used to draw people’s attention to products, TV shows, movies, etc., it is no wonder people may doubt that what they are doing sexually in their own bedrooms is inadequate. Or perhaps their partner is inadequate. Or perhaps they are inadequate. After all, “those” people on TV are mostly “gorgeous” as well. To quote a line from another well known storyline, viewers might have been thinking “I’ll have what she/he’s having!”

Now, I don’t doubt for a minute that in the “real” world, (when many of Melbourne’s criminal underworld figures were being murdered regularly) that strip clubs, brothels, prostitution and drugs formed a large part of the Melbourne underworld that the series is based on. And I don’t doubt that many of the “gangsters” had lots of sex with women working in these industries and that the women may well have been willing participants as a means to an end, to be the “moll” or the “favourite” of certain gangsters might have had its rewards for such women.

What caught my attention is that sex is instant, orgasmic, needs no intimacy and is always “bang bang bang”, rather than slow, sensual and intimate. And the portrayal indicated that this is how it was and maybe still is. Relationships are minimised in lieu of intercourse type sex, foreplay is non-existent and most of the pleasure activities seem to be focused on male satisfaction. And in a subtle, but always present way, there seems to be the understanding that this is good, real and normal and demonstrates the height of sexual pleasure. I found this sad.

Is it any wonder industries like the Australian Medical Institute are so popular?