2008 SE&X course

The dates have just been released for the 2008 SE&X course:

So if you (or someone you know) would benefit from learning about the sexual health issues facing our young people (things like prevelence and transmissions of STIs - effects of racism on sexual health, power and gender, AND how to teach young people about these things) then PLEASE go here (http://www.shinesa.org.au/go/courses-and-workshops/youth-worker-courses/course-details)

to find out more or to download an enrollment form. Frances and I hope to see you there.

Lud

OPENING DOORS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE 4 KEYS

This is a fantastic resource and provides lots of information applicable to those of us working with young people. Have a look HERE after reading the extract from the executive summary below.

The case for investing in young people now is more than clear. Almost 1.5 billion people in the world today are between 10 and 25 years old. More than half of all youth--about 525 million people--survive on less than $2 a day. More than 100 million adolescents do not
attend school. Fifteen million adolescent girls become mothers every year. Among mothers under age 20, infant mortality rates average 100 deaths per 1,000 live births; among mothers aged 20-29 and 30-39, the rate is 72-74 deaths per 1,000 live births. Six thousand
young people are infected with HIV everyday; most of them are girls in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia1. Ratios of new female-to-male infections among young people between ages 15-24 run as high as 8:1 in South Africa. These are not just numbers. These are the realities of
young people at the crossroads. The gap between the MDG targets and the current state of affairs for young people leaves no time for questions. It is time for action.

RESPONDING TO EVERY DAY BIGOTRY

I was sent this link via email. If you havent looked at this site it is quite good

RESPONDING TO EVERYDAY BIGOTRY

Your brother routinely makes anti-Semitic comments. Your neighbor uses the N-word in casual conversation. Your co-worker ribs you about your Italian surname, asking if you’re in the mafia. Your classmate insults something by saying, "That’s so gay."
And you stand there, in silence, thinking, "What can I say in response to that?" Or you laugh along, uncomfortably. Or, frustrated or angry, you walk away without saying anything, thinking later, "I should have said something."
No agency or organization counts or tracks these moments. They don’t qualify as hate crimes, and they rarely make news. That’s part of their insidious nature; they happen so often we simply accept them as part of life. Left unchecked, like litter or weeds, they blight the landscape.
In the making of this book, the Southern Poverty Law Center gathered hundreds of stories of everyday bigotry from people across the United States. They told their stories through email, personal interviews and at roundtable discussions in four cities: Baltimore, Md.; Columbia, S.C.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Vancouver, Wash.
People spoke about encounters in stores and restaurants, on streets and in schools. They spoke about family, friends, classmates and co-workers. They told us what they did or didn’t say — and what they wished they did or didn’t say.
We present the stories here anecdotally, organized by the following categories: among family; among friends and neighbors; at work; at school; and in public. Yet no matter the location or relationship, the stories echo each other.
When a Native American man at one roundtable discussion spoke of feeling ostracized at work, a Jewish woman nodded in support. When an African American woman told of daily indignities of racism at school, a white man leaned forward and asked what he could do to help. When an elderly lesbian spoke of finally feeling brave enough to wear a rainbow pin in public, those around the table applauded her courage.

Website update girl2girl

Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT has recently updated the safer sex website,
girl2girl.info.
http://www.girl2girl.info/ is developed for and by women who have sex with women and provides accurate and accessible information, including:
What is safer sex and why bother having it?
Staying safe emotionally before,during and after sex;
Relevant STI and risk reduction info;
Frequently asked questions;And much more!

girl2girl is proudly produced by Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT Inc with the assistance of the Australian Lesbian Medical Association/ACON Grants Scheme.

Shine SA 'LOVE' photo competetion

In support of Adelaide's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Transgender, Intersex, Queer communities, SHine SA is running a digital photograph competition during this year's FEAST celebrations. We are looking for all those budding amateur photographers out there. Send in your favourite photograph(s) that fit under the theme of 'LOVE'. This might be a picture of you and a partner, you and a friend, family member, or something completely different - whatever love means to you. Whatever you choose, we want to see it.What's in it for you?? Exposure for your art, celebrating love and you may even win the prize of $250. This competition runs for a period of one month from 10 October until 10 November 2007 and will be judged by the SHine SA Feast committee made up of Youth Advisory Team members and staff members.(The competetion is only available to South Australian Residents) Every week during the competition all submitted photographs will be displayed on a flickr site. The photograph MUST be taken by yourself. By entering a photograph you are acknowledging that the photograph was taken by yourself, and is not from a copyrighted source. You also agree to let SHine SA use the photograph in any future publicity such as brochures, annual reports, on our website etc.

To download a brochure and registration form go here.

Vicarious trauma

Have you ever felt really down from the things you hear or see at your work?? This is a really good link to describe 'vicarious trauma' This is one of the things that really works insiduously on workers in the human services. It is also often something that organisations dont deal with very well. For me stories of abuse/assault/violence trigger strong responses and I have been known to be really traumatised by the stories that people have told me. If you are interested read on!!

Vicarious trauma is related to concepts such as 'emotional exhaustion', 'burnout', 'compassion fatigue', 'secondary traumatisation' and 'counter-transference', but some key differences exist between some of these concepts (see Dunkley and Whelan, 2006). It can also be expressed as 'feeling heavy', or when the work (or an aspect of the work) 'gets inside you'. Click here to read more.

A short movie of domestic violence.

This movie was made by students in Buffalo New York, USA. Does anyone know of something like this made in South Australia?

Does anyone see this as being useful??

Whats happening with male contraceptive?

Want to know the latest in male contraceptive?

For decades, pundits have predicted new contraceptives for men within the next 5 to10 years. Are we really getting any closer? Judging from work presented at the second "Future of Male Contraception" conference, the answer may finally be yes.

Have a look here to read more

Latest SE&Xers

Here is a photo of the latest bunch of workers from around South Australia to comlete the SE&X course. What a good bunch it is too.

Designer Vagina??ACOG is concerned with ethical issues associated with the marketing and national franchising of cosmetic vaginal procedures.

Its a bit worrying that more and more young girls and women are not happy with thier looks. Even so much so that cosmetic vaginal surgery is seen as a solution for some. This article in 'medical news today' has something to say.

"So-called "vaginal rejuvenation," "designer vaginoplasty," "revirgination," and "G-spot amplification" procedures are not medically indicated, nor is there documentation of their safety and effectiveness, said The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in a new Committee Opinion published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Moreover, it is deceptive to give the impression that any of these procedures are accepted and routine surgical practices, according to ACOG. ACOG recommends that women considering cosmetic vaginal procedures should be informed about the lack of data supporting the effectiveness of these procedures as well as their potential complications, including infection, altered sensation, dyspareunia (pain), adhesions, and scarring. "(click on above link to read more)

If anyone is interested in a book with lots of photographs showing the natural difference in physical appearance of external genitals in women -The SHine resource centre has a great book called 'FEMALIA'

Here is one review (by Penelope Orcha) of the book taken from the Amazon website

" I have used Femalia in a variety of workshops I present for women, many of whom previously didn't even have words for their sexual parts beyond "down there." And I've found that looking at and talking about these photos often enables women to talk about sexual issues, trauma, abuse or sexual joy, often feeling safe to do so for the first time in their lives. Now that I've begun reading about the horrible new plastic surgery they call "labial beautification," I wish more women had access to a book like Femalia to see how diverse and wonderful women's bodies are. It's intriguing to me that many of the reader reviews posted here by by men who complain that the photos didn't do a thing for them. I don't think these were intended to be sexual turn-ons. And those who've complained that these photos are merely gynecological are missing the point. Unlike men, women can't easily see their own sexual parts. It's important and helpful that these show--in a very realsitic fashion--just how we are made. Bottom line--if you'll forgive the pun--is that I find Femalia to be an incredibly empowering book for the women who've seen it and one of the best teaching tools available as far as female sexuality is concerned."