Scarlett Johansson felt she needed to speak out about unsafe media portrayal of body image.
"I'm a petite person to begin with, so the idea of my losing this amount of weight is utter lunacy. If I were to lose 14 pounds, I'd have to part with both arms. And a foot. I'm frustrated with the irresponsibility of tabloid media who sell the public ideas about what we should look like and how we should get there."
"The press should be held accountable for the false ideals they sell to their readers regarding body image — that's the real weight of the issue.
Go here to read her full article
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Pleasure Project
Just thought I would re-bring this to the attention of readers.
The Pleasure project
The Pleasure Project is an educational, advocacy and research initiative that promotes safer sex that feels good.
While most safer sex and HIV prevention programmes are negative and disease-focused, The Pleasure Project is different: we take a positive, liberating and sexy approach to safer sex. Think of it as sex education ... with the emphasis on 'sex'. We aim to make sex safer by addressing one of the major reasons people have sex: the pursuit of pleasure.
Go here to have a look at the site:
You can find information about work happening in India, The UK, and all over. You will read about the vaginal wall exhibition and the global mapping of pleasure. Go in and have a look
The Pleasure project
The Pleasure Project is an educational, advocacy and research initiative that promotes safer sex that feels good.
While most safer sex and HIV prevention programmes are negative and disease-focused, The Pleasure Project is different: we take a positive, liberating and sexy approach to safer sex. Think of it as sex education ... with the emphasis on 'sex'. We aim to make sex safer by addressing one of the major reasons people have sex: the pursuit of pleasure.
Go here to have a look at the site:
You can find information about work happening in India, The UK, and all over. You will read about the vaginal wall exhibition and the global mapping of pleasure. Go in and have a look
Men Engage -Boys and Men for Gender Equality
I really like this website. It is a proactice place that you could use when working with young men OR to give yourself some more information:
Friday, March 27, 2009
Even your therapist might be homophobic
Even the occupations that you might think would be more accepting of the diversity in our world are often discriminatory.
LONDON - A sixth of British therapists said they had tried to help gay, bisexual and lesbian patients become heterosexual, even though evidence suggests such therapies can be harmful, according to a survey released on Thursday.
Michael King of University College London, who published his findings in the journal BMC Pyschiatry, said the number of therapists who said they had tried to help a person change their sexual orientation was surprising.
Go here to read more
LONDON - A sixth of British therapists said they had tried to help gay, bisexual and lesbian patients become heterosexual, even though evidence suggests such therapies can be harmful, according to a survey released on Thursday.
Michael King of University College London, who published his findings in the journal BMC Pyschiatry, said the number of therapists who said they had tried to help a person change their sexual orientation was surprising.
Go here to read more
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Innovative measures slash STIs Bangladeshi camps
Very intertesting ideas and innovations are occuring in many mnaqy places. Here is one. ( taken from UNHCR) I received this link through the Lancet journal )
NAYAPARA REFUGEE CAMP, Bangladesh, January 14 (UNHCR) – Zafor Ullah has been a community health worker for his fellow Rohingya refugees for eight years. When his duties expanded nearly two years ago to include condom distribution, he became an immensely popular man.
"The people in my community like to come to my house to get condoms as they can catch me [there] all the time," the 22-year-old refugee from Myanmar explains. "They might have to wait at the clinic and explain the purpose of their visit. So, to avoid all the hassle, they prefer to visit my house."
Using community health workers to distribute condoms out of their houses to both male and female refugees in the two camps in Bangladesh was the breakthrough move in a series of measures taken by UNHCR that have dramatically reduced the incidence of sexually-transmitted infections (STI) among the refugees, says Zahid Jamal Khattak, UNHCR's medical coordinator in Cox's Bazar.
Since the end of 2005, the average STI incidence per month has dropped 67 percent in the Nayapara and Kutupalong Camps, near Cox's Bazar, together home to 28,000 Muslim Rohingya refugees from Myanmar's northern Rakhine state. The actual drop among registered refugees has been greater, Dr. Jamal explains, but the numbers are kept higher by unregistered Rohingya living on the outskirts of Kutupalong who are treated in the camp on a humanitarian basis.
The success comes from a three-year UNHCR programme that started by training staff in the camps' out-patient clinics to recognize and properly diagnose STIs, coupled with increased availability of the correct drugs. However, problems arose in tracing partners to treat all affected patients.
Many male refugees who work outside the camp are having extramarital sex and bringing infections back to their wives, but "culturally, giving condoms to women [in the clinic to prevent future infections] was not very well appreciated," Dr. Jamal explains.
The breakthrough came with the distribution of condoms through the 39 community health workers (14 of them women) in the two camps out of their own homes, rather than the clinics. Religious leaders were included in the health workers' training to avoid any problems.
Condom distribution has skyrocketed from a paltry 780 in 2005 to 62,580 last year, and Mahamuda Khatun, a 32-year-old community health worker, says she gets requests from women refugees as well as men. "Unmarried male and female refugees visit my house in order to get condoms," she says. "They say it will help them to prevent disease."
She says one refugee woman told her she gets her husband to use a condom because "he goes out to work frequently and I don't want to catch any disease from him."
Condom use was also spurred by training on HIV prevention and education on family planning for a population that traditionally has many children. It's the kind of knowledge that Mahamuda wishes she had had earlier. "I have four children. If I had had a chance to know the consequences of having more children, I certainly would have limited my family," she says.
Both Zafor and Mahamuda feel they are helping their community. "The remuneration that I get is very little," says Zafor, "but the contribution that I provide to my fellow refugees is very big."
He's even had some pleasant surprises. One refugee man Zafor thought he had failed to persuade, later came back asking for condoms for birth control. "He said if his family becomes bigger, he will not be able to give them proper education and food," Zafor reports. "This gives me a lot of confidence and satisfaction."
And if UNHCR is able to supply more condoms, Zafor wants to be even more active. "Currently I do not go to refugees' houses to motivate them to take condoms," he explains. "When I have more supply, then I will visit refugees' houses and I'll try to motivate them and make more people aware."
By Ikterrudin Mohammed Bayzid in Nayapara Refugee Campand Kitty McKinsey in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
NAYAPARA REFUGEE CAMP, Bangladesh, January 14 (UNHCR) – Zafor Ullah has been a community health worker for his fellow Rohingya refugees for eight years. When his duties expanded nearly two years ago to include condom distribution, he became an immensely popular man.
"The people in my community like to come to my house to get condoms as they can catch me [there] all the time," the 22-year-old refugee from Myanmar explains. "They might have to wait at the clinic and explain the purpose of their visit. So, to avoid all the hassle, they prefer to visit my house."
Using community health workers to distribute condoms out of their houses to both male and female refugees in the two camps in Bangladesh was the breakthrough move in a series of measures taken by UNHCR that have dramatically reduced the incidence of sexually-transmitted infections (STI) among the refugees, says Zahid Jamal Khattak, UNHCR's medical coordinator in Cox's Bazar.
Since the end of 2005, the average STI incidence per month has dropped 67 percent in the Nayapara and Kutupalong Camps, near Cox's Bazar, together home to 28,000 Muslim Rohingya refugees from Myanmar's northern Rakhine state. The actual drop among registered refugees has been greater, Dr. Jamal explains, but the numbers are kept higher by unregistered Rohingya living on the outskirts of Kutupalong who are treated in the camp on a humanitarian basis.
The success comes from a three-year UNHCR programme that started by training staff in the camps' out-patient clinics to recognize and properly diagnose STIs, coupled with increased availability of the correct drugs. However, problems arose in tracing partners to treat all affected patients.
Many male refugees who work outside the camp are having extramarital sex and bringing infections back to their wives, but "culturally, giving condoms to women [in the clinic to prevent future infections] was not very well appreciated," Dr. Jamal explains.
The breakthrough came with the distribution of condoms through the 39 community health workers (14 of them women) in the two camps out of their own homes, rather than the clinics. Religious leaders were included in the health workers' training to avoid any problems.
Condom distribution has skyrocketed from a paltry 780 in 2005 to 62,580 last year, and Mahamuda Khatun, a 32-year-old community health worker, says she gets requests from women refugees as well as men. "Unmarried male and female refugees visit my house in order to get condoms," she says. "They say it will help them to prevent disease."
She says one refugee woman told her she gets her husband to use a condom because "he goes out to work frequently and I don't want to catch any disease from him."
Condom use was also spurred by training on HIV prevention and education on family planning for a population that traditionally has many children. It's the kind of knowledge that Mahamuda wishes she had had earlier. "I have four children. If I had had a chance to know the consequences of having more children, I certainly would have limited my family," she says.
Both Zafor and Mahamuda feel they are helping their community. "The remuneration that I get is very little," says Zafor, "but the contribution that I provide to my fellow refugees is very big."
He's even had some pleasant surprises. One refugee man Zafor thought he had failed to persuade, later came back asking for condoms for birth control. "He said if his family becomes bigger, he will not be able to give them proper education and food," Zafor reports. "This gives me a lot of confidence and satisfaction."
And if UNHCR is able to supply more condoms, Zafor wants to be even more active. "Currently I do not go to refugees' houses to motivate them to take condoms," he explains. "When I have more supply, then I will visit refugees' houses and I'll try to motivate them and make more people aware."
By Ikterrudin Mohammed Bayzid in Nayapara Refugee Campand Kitty McKinsey in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
De bunking sexting
One of my favourite blog writers ' Cory Silverberg' from About.com:Sexuality has a different perspective on sexting than the one I posted in video form 2 weeks ago.
Here is what he says:
"My favorite not for profit sex tech organization ISIS was featured on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle today responding to the recent rash of media coverage about teens sending naked pictures of themselves and each other over their mobile phones and the smaller but scarier series of charges that local cops have laid on teens engaging in this behavior (about two dozen teens in six states). In some of the cases teens are being charged with producing and distributing child pornography.
The activity has been called “sexting” a term that as best as I can tell was made up by an adult who’s never done it. It doesn’t even sound like a word anyone under the age of 30 would use. I’d love to know the derivation of it, because even the use of the word “sex” in the term suggests it was made up by someone who either disapproves of it or wanted to get people’s attention by using it (something catchy for headlines).
The piece is decidedly sex-positive and framed around the idea that what is fueling interest in this activity is fear about teen sexuality and technology. It included results from a survey of teens that found only 20 percent of teens acknowledged sending “nude or semi-nude” pictures online or through their phones."
Go here to read more
Here is what he says:
"My favorite not for profit sex tech organization ISIS was featured on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle today responding to the recent rash of media coverage about teens sending naked pictures of themselves and each other over their mobile phones and the smaller but scarier series of charges that local cops have laid on teens engaging in this behavior (about two dozen teens in six states). In some of the cases teens are being charged with producing and distributing child pornography.
The activity has been called “sexting” a term that as best as I can tell was made up by an adult who’s never done it. It doesn’t even sound like a word anyone under the age of 30 would use. I’d love to know the derivation of it, because even the use of the word “sex” in the term suggests it was made up by someone who either disapproves of it or wanted to get people’s attention by using it (something catchy for headlines).
The piece is decidedly sex-positive and framed around the idea that what is fueling interest in this activity is fear about teen sexuality and technology. It included results from a survey of teens that found only 20 percent of teens acknowledged sending “nude or semi-nude” pictures online or through their phones."
Go here to read more
Research Project - seeking particpants
This is from the Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault
The Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault (ACSSA) is seeking participants for a research project. We would like to speak with adults who have experienced sexual assault(s) in adulthood (i.e. the assault(s) happened when aged 18 or over), and who are able to discuss the assault(s) with an experienced researcher.
The purpose of the research is to draw on the knowledge of people who have been sexually assaulted to expand understandings of how sexual assaults are perpetrated, better inform the community about this, better equip police to respond to this crime, inform therapists who work with sex offenders, and overall stop sexual violence from happening. We are doing this project because we believe people who have experienced sexual assault have important knowledge about how this crime is perpetrated. But they are not often asked to share this knowledge. When they are asked, it is usually in a police interview or in court, where they may not have control over what is discussed, or how it is discussed.
The focus of the interview will be to hear from you about the assault(s) , the perpetrator(s) of the assault(s), and how they did it. We are also keen to hear what you think would have to happen to stop the perpetrator(s) from committing further assaults.
Participation in this research will involve either doing an interview with a researcher from ACSSA, or being part of a group discussion with other participants, facilitated by ACSSA. If you currently have a counsellor, we encourage you to discuss your decision to take part with them. You can also have your counsellor with you for the research interview if you would like. The researchers involved in the project are experienced at talking with people about sexual assault, and you will have control over the interview. (You can stop it at any time.)
2. have been the victim of sexual assault that happened as an adult (18+ and how you define 'sexual assault' is up to you)
3. have received counselling or are receiving counselling which involved speaking directly about the assault(s) live in the Northern Territory, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia or Queensland
If you would like to take part in this project, please contact Haley Clark (03) 9214 7878 or email: haley.clark@aifs.gov.au at the Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault (ACSSA), housed at the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) by 29 May 2009.
If you have any questions about the research you can also contact Antonia Quadara, ACSSA co-ordinator, on (03) 9214 7876 or the AIFS Ethics Committee on (03) 9214 7881.
AIFS also has a toll-free 1800 352 275 number which you can call. Please use the shortened 'Giving Voice' to AIFS reception so they can transfer you to Haley, Antonia, or the Ethics Committee.
To read more go here
The Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault (ACSSA) is seeking participants for a research project. We would like to speak with adults who have experienced sexual assault(s) in adulthood (i.e. the assault(s) happened when aged 18 or over), and who are able to discuss the assault(s) with an experienced researcher.
The purpose of the research is to draw on the knowledge of people who have been sexually assaulted to expand understandings of how sexual assaults are perpetrated, better inform the community about this, better equip police to respond to this crime, inform therapists who work with sex offenders, and overall stop sexual violence from happening. We are doing this project because we believe people who have experienced sexual assault have important knowledge about how this crime is perpetrated. But they are not often asked to share this knowledge. When they are asked, it is usually in a police interview or in court, where they may not have control over what is discussed, or how it is discussed.
The focus of the interview will be to hear from you about the assault(s) , the perpetrator(s) of the assault(s), and how they did it. We are also keen to hear what you think would have to happen to stop the perpetrator(s) from committing further assaults.
Participation in this research will involve either doing an interview with a researcher from ACSSA, or being part of a group discussion with other participants, facilitated by ACSSA. If you currently have a counsellor, we encourage you to discuss your decision to take part with them. You can also have your counsellor with you for the research interview if you would like. The researchers involved in the project are experienced at talking with people about sexual assault, and you will have control over the interview. (You can stop it at any time.)
We would like to hear from you, if you:
2. have been the victim of sexual assault that happened as an adult (18+ and how you define 'sexual assault' is up to you)
3. have received counselling or are receiving counselling which involved speaking directly about the assault(s) live in the Northern Territory, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia or Queensland
If you would like to take part in this project, please contact Haley Clark (03) 9214 7878 or email: haley.clark@aifs.gov.au at the Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault (ACSSA), housed at the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) by 29 May 2009.
If you have any questions about the research you can also contact Antonia Quadara, ACSSA co-ordinator, on (03) 9214 7876 or the AIFS Ethics Committee on (03) 9214 7881.
AIFS also has a toll-free 1800 352 275 number which you can call. Please use the shortened 'Giving Voice' to AIFS reception so they can transfer you to Haley, Antonia, or the Ethics Committee.
To read more go here
International Day Against Homophobia
Here is an email that I recieved - Just passing it on to you
"Hi there,
I am writing to you on behalf of the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) 2009 Planning Committee, which is made up of Government and Non-Government organisations, including Gay Men’s Health, SHine, The Second Story, Port Adelaide Primary Health Care Services, and Shopfront Youth Health & Information Service.
IDAHO is an annual event held on May 17th each year to commemorate the removal of homosexuality from the list of "mental disorders" by the General Assembly of the World Health Organisation. The theme for this year’s celebrations is Culture and Homophobia, with a particular focus on issues within newly arrived communities. If you would like any further information about IDAHO and how it started, please visit the following website (www.acsa.org.au/idaho.html). New information will be uploaded shortly.
This year, we are seeking your assistance with our celebrations. We are asking a wide range of organisations, such as yourselves, to engage with their clients, community members, group participants and co-workers around the effects of homophobia on their own lives and the lives of those around them e.g. family/friends/neighbours/co-workers.
So, here’s what we need from you:
· Open the IDAHO Stars Template attachment and print it out, then photocopy it onto coloured paper (red, orange, yellow, green, blue or purple – rainbow colours);( Please contact Danny -details below -for your temaplate as I cannot load it here) Put the stars in a prominent position in your reception area, group rooms etc., along with a copy of the IDAHO Star Poster (which explains the purpose of the stars);
· Ask your clients/participants/community members and co-workers to write a short statement or story on the stars about their experiences of homophobia;
· Ask people to write their details on the IDAHO Stars Event RSVP form (see attachment) if they’re interested in finding out about how the stars will be used;
· Collect up all the stars that have been written on and send them to Jacintha Moerman at the Shopfront Youth Health and Information Service, 3-4/72 John Street, Salisbury, SA 5108
· The stars will then be displayed on Sunday, May 17th at a big IDAHO celebration event (details to be confirmed at a later date) which will feature speeches and performances by local Queer and Queer-friendly artists, politicians, and activists;
· We are also considering the possibility of using the stars to attract political attention to the issue of homophobia in Adelaide by presenting them to Parliament.
If you have any questions or need any further information please contact Danny Hales on 0433 626 131.
Cheers.
Lauren Riggs Primary Health Care Worker
Port Adelaide Primary Health Care Services Ambulatory and Primary Health Care Directorate Central Northern Adelaide Health Service
Phone: (08) 8240 9621 Fax: (08) 8240 9609 Email: Lauren.Riggs@health.sa.gov.au Website: www.health.sa.gov.au/cnahs
I am writing to you on behalf of the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) 2009 Planning Committee, which is made up of Government and Non-Government organisations, including Gay Men’s Health, SHine, The Second Story, Port Adelaide Primary Health Care Services, and Shopfront Youth Health & Information Service.
IDAHO is an annual event held on May 17th each year to commemorate the removal of homosexuality from the list of "mental disorders" by the General Assembly of the World Health Organisation. The theme for this year’s celebrations is Culture and Homophobia, with a particular focus on issues within newly arrived communities. If you would like any further information about IDAHO and how it started, please visit the following website (www.acsa.org.au/idaho.html). New information will be uploaded shortly.
This year, we are seeking your assistance with our celebrations. We are asking a wide range of organisations, such as yourselves, to engage with their clients, community members, group participants and co-workers around the effects of homophobia on their own lives and the lives of those around them e.g. family/friends/neighbours/co-workers.
So, here’s what we need from you:
· Open the IDAHO Stars Template attachment and print it out, then photocopy it onto coloured paper (red, orange, yellow, green, blue or purple – rainbow colours);( Please contact Danny -details below -for your temaplate as I cannot load it here) Put the stars in a prominent position in your reception area, group rooms etc., along with a copy of the IDAHO Star Poster (which explains the purpose of the stars);
· Ask your clients/participants/community members and co-workers to write a short statement or story on the stars about their experiences of homophobia;
· Ask people to write their details on the IDAHO Stars Event RSVP form (see attachment) if they’re interested in finding out about how the stars will be used;
· Collect up all the stars that have been written on and send them to Jacintha Moerman at the Shopfront Youth Health and Information Service, 3-4/72 John Street, Salisbury, SA 5108
· The stars will then be displayed on Sunday, May 17th at a big IDAHO celebration event (details to be confirmed at a later date) which will feature speeches and performances by local Queer and Queer-friendly artists, politicians, and activists;
· We are also considering the possibility of using the stars to attract political attention to the issue of homophobia in Adelaide by presenting them to Parliament.
If you have any questions or need any further information please contact Danny Hales on 0433 626 131.
Cheers.
Lauren Riggs Primary Health Care Worker
Port Adelaide Primary Health Care Services Ambulatory and Primary Health Care Directorate Central Northern Adelaide Health Service
Phone: (08) 8240 9621 Fax: (08) 8240 9609 Email: Lauren.Riggs@health.sa.gov.au Website: www.health.sa.gov.au/cnahs
Video - AIDS -One world,one hope
Video - AIDS - One world, one hope
"Sometimes its better to be negative than positive. AIDS can happen to anyone. So don't isolate people who have it." Television advertisement from Slovenia, in English.
(Posted 25/3/09
Thanks to the Aids Council of South Australia hotnews for this link
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