AAC Newsletter May June

Issue May - Jun 12

A M G I ST

? d n u o w d e t c i fl n i f l e s a s i h t s i

Get your copy at the AIDS Action Council of the ACT Contact us on 6257 2855 or support@aidsaction.org.au Available as PDF at www.aidsaction.org.au

up front

| andrew burry

Last year, Australia was a signatory to the United Nations Declaration on HIV and AIDS. Indeed, Australia was a key driver in the process. This document contains a number of targets including a reduction in sexual transmissions of 50% by 2015. It also calls for the virtual elimination of mother to child (MTC) transmissions and a 50% reduction in transmissions attributable to injecting drug use.

redefining ORre-gayingHIV? The structure of the declaration is political and aimed at a world with endemic issues in its response, such as no recognition of communities of particular vulnerability or countries where the major source of transmission results from drug policy failures.

With one of the lowest prevalence rates in the world, Australia is not a major contributor to the global epidemic in terms of numbers. Nonetheless, as signatories to this declaration, Foreign Minister Rudd committed us to strive for the same targets as everyone else.

Bill Whittaker, who recently presented in Canberra, played a key role in drafting the declaration and in setting these targets. He has now gone further and produced a paper which he presented at a national conference in late 2011. He has been active in the promotion of even higher targets for Australia, including calling for an 80% reduction in transmissions in men who have sex with men. He has gained considerable traction, particularly in NSW and Victoria.

The committee that represents jurisdictional health authorities (BBVSS) and the Federal Ministerial Advisory Committee (MACBBVS) are fully involved, and a process of determining national targets that reflect those of Bill is being developed. The aim is to have these inserted into the current national strategies through the endorsement by all state and territory health ministers in October this year.

The rationale for believing that this proposal is possible within the timeline is the discovery that undectable viral load inhibits transmission, the potential for Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and the 23.9% of all people currently with HIV that have yet to be diagnosed.

The AIDS Action Council is cautious in its enthusiasm for this new approach. We think it is courageous to propose that in about 2.5 years we will avert four out of every five transmissions that would otherwise take place, particularly when it is clear that there will be no extra money or other resources available.

In due course and when specific details of these proposals are published, we will prepare a position paper that sets out our views. In the meantime, we urge those promoting this agenda to proceed with some caution.

I think there are some points to be made now. Firstly, if we were to really believe that we could achieve this 80% reduction with current resources, it begs the question of what on earth have we been doing up until now? Secondly, what is the justification for not setting targets for all BBVs and STIs? Thirdly, as we know from smoking, there is the law of diminishing returns, which means that the more you succeed, the more difficult and resource intensive further success becomes. Fourthly, why the focus on MSM? Transmissions between men having anal sex are already a declining proportion of the total whilst transmission amongst heterosexuals is increasing. Don’t we risk ‘re-gaying’ HIV at the same time as even further marginalising those other communities vulnerable to HIV? Finally, a single headline national target ignores the actual nature of how epidemics look in individual states. In Western Australia, for example, considerably more than half of diagnoses are heterosexual.

I am certainly not opposed to targets; indeed I strongly support them.

It is merely that in this case, I fear that we may well be going off halfcocked (so to speak).

Marcus Bogie

The 29th International Aids Candlelight Memorial (IACM) will be held on May 19 at the National Art Gallery starting at 18:00. The local theme for this year’s event is ‘Reflect. Inspire’ and in keeping with this theme there will be more opportunity for the community to become involved. Throughout the memorial you will notice words of reflection and inspiration screened and spoken. The intent is to inspire our community to think about the meaning of the proceedings and how we can all become further involved.

This year there will be no refreshments after the event as we are donating those monies to a fundraising effort for a local HIV memorial.

This fundraising effort aims to provide a permanent space for the community to come together and remember those who have lost their lives to HIV, whilst supporting and inspiring all of us who are infected or affected by this virus.

Over the next 12 months, it is hoped that the Canberra community will come together to raise the funds required and that the 2013 IACM can be held at a permanent place of inspiration.

If anyone attending the memorial would like to offer a debrief about their experiences during the evening please contact us at the AIDS Council on 02 6257 2855 or support@aidsaction.org.au www.aidsaction.org.au May - Jun 12 | 03

stigma:is

this

a self inflicted

wound?

| andrew burry

Of all the words we use in our response to HIV, stigma is the one we have used most consistently over the last 25 years or so; the word actually means a mark or stain. What we really mean is social stigma and by this we mean the severe disapproval of, or discontent with a person on the grounds of characteristics that distinguish them from other members of a society. Stigma may attach to a person who differs from social or cultural norms.

The intense social stigmatising that was so clearly evident in the origins of this epidemic ensured that HIV was treated differently to other chronic life threatening illnesses. It was special in its impact and response and there were a number of reasons for this. One reason is that the groups most vulnerable to HIV are already marginalised groups of communities; these include people who inject drugs, men who have anal sex and sex workers. Another reason is that the primary route of transmission is through sexual activity which carries a number of taboos. A third reason is that those contracting HIV in the early days almost inevitably developed AIDS defining illnesses with extremely high rates of mortality. Bearing the brunt of this stigmatised condition were gay men; before becoming the Human Immunodeficiency Virus it was called Gay Related Immune Disease or GRID. We can conclude therefore that responding to HIV within this cloak of stigma gave rise to it being a special condition and in a sense, a condition treated away from mainstream service provision.

A question arises 30 years on from the initial diagnosis of what became known as HIV, and this question is whether we as a sector are actually perpetuating the very stigma that we claim to be fighting? This question arises because it is we in the sector who are most strident in publicising the stigmatised nature of HIV. The more stigmatised we claim HIV to be then surely the more stigmatised it becomes.

As time has passed by and as the impact of HIV has considerably lessened for those more recently infected and diagnosed, two possible propositions have arisen: 1.HIV is treated in a special way because of stigma, or 2.HIV has stigma because it is treated in a special way.

Naturally, both propositions can be true simultaneously and this would imply there is a circle of the chicken and egg type. It is also possible to take the view that

scarlet road,

|lexxie jury

perspective 1 is morphing into perspective 2, but to what extent is difficult to garner. However, the more that perspective 2 becomes the more accurate account of where we are today, the more we would have to conclude that encouraging a view of HIV as a mainstream chronic and manageable condition would be the best means of further reducing the remaining stigma.

From the HIV sector’s point of view this is problematic.

If stigma were eliminated or substantially reduced what residual need would there be for all of the activities, research, service provision and indeed careers that this virus has spawned? Can it in fact be argued that stigma is the very glue that holds our sector together?

As previously mentioned, the early drivers of HIV related stigma were those who came from marginalised communities. This marginalisation is generated by the behavioural choices that provide the transmission opportunities. Thus, the roots of this stigmatisation is based on morality and the ambivalence of a population that generally expects all members of the community to be cared for; yet finds some sexual and drug taking behaviour reprehensible.

The role of prevention in the epidemic also contributes to the continuation of the early stigma, it inevitably responds specifically to those practices that give rise to the passing of HIV from one person to another. This includes accessing commercial sexual services, injecting drugs or men engaging in anal sex. Additionally, the very visible gay focus of HIV prevention campaigns marginalises other groups living with HIV. A quarter of current transmissions are reportedly generated by heterosexual activity. These people do not fit within the public view of HIV so are subject to judgement and assumption that is a different and perhaps more virulent form of stigma.

A paper recently published by Quentin Gausset et al considers these questions as they relate to Burkina Faso. (http://pubget.com/paper/22357301) . These authors conclude; “moral or social stigmatisation does not in any simple way derive from fear, ignorance or inaccurate beliefs but that it is also established and continually reinforced by official campaigns addressing HIV/AIDS. Secondly, we show that stigmatisation is a socially complex and ambiguous process. Based on these empirical findings we conclude that HIV/AIDS need no longer be approached in AIDS intervention as a sexually acquired and fatal disease.”

Sub-Saharan Africa seems a long way from Australia and there is no doubt that the epidemic there is quite different to that which we experience. Yet, this example does seem to point to a paradox of fighting stigma with stigma. Or perhaps it is more a case of increasing stigma as a by-product of attempting to reduce it.

At some point we surely must take stock of how successfully we have dealt with HIV as a stigmatised condition. If we have fallen short after nearly 30 years of effort, we definitely need to question whether we have somehow got it wrong. On the positive side, we have seen good legislative responses through a variety of anti-discrimination laws and within the more vulnerable communities there is openness in discussing HIV. However, on the negative side and primarily because HIV has been successfully contained within the earlier mentioned communities, the virus is now even more identified with specific behaviours and sub-groups. This has led to the view that people outside of these groups are immune and there is a consequential misunderstanding regarding how HIV is transmitted. A demonstration of this is seen in media accounts of some terrible person who has passed on HIV to an innocent victim, accompanied by lurid and salacious detail that run counter to any concept of shared responsibility for sexual safety. What follows are calls for criminalisation of these perpetrators and the underlying message is that only those actually living with HIV have any of the responsibility for prevention.

If we have been scoring a series of own goals in our fight against stigma attached to HIV it is time to own up and admit we have got it wrong. An exclusive focus on targeted prevention campaigns have very likely reinforced the stigma we started with. What has been missing is any effort to maintain general public awareness of HIV as an infection and one which everyone is potentially vulnerable to. In fact there has been no effort to generate public awareness of HIV in any Australian context since 1987!

We must continue to generate an understanding of behavioural risk amongst those prone to making behavioural choices, but we must also now consider linking HIV risk more closely to activity rather than to mere membership of a societal label. If we don’t do this, we will risk perpetuating stigma as a selfinflicted wound.

The documentary Scarlet Road was presented at the Legislative Assembly on the 5th of April.

There was an interesting mix of people who attended the screening with SWOP receiving positive and encouraging feedback from the people who attended the viewing.

Scarlet Road is a documentary about a sex worker who sees clients with disabilities and her relationships outside of work. We see Rachel go to Sweden and talk to a couple of sex workers about the Swedish model and how bad the model is for sex workers. We also see Rachel with a couple of her clients and getting a diploma.

SWOP is hoping that the conversation that was started will continue and with hard work and perseverance we will see a version of Touching Base in the ACT. SWOP would like to thank Saul and Rachel from Touching Base and the Greens for organising the time and space at the legislative assembly.

To purchase the 70 minute feature length DVD, go to www.scarletroad.com.au and click ‘Buy DVD’

www.aidsaction.org.au May - Jun 12 | 04

communicating

with your health practitioner, In the last newsletter I wrote about iatrogenesis and flagged further discussion on how we as health consumers can take greater control over our health and wellbeing on both personal and community levels. This process can be assisted by having a sound and constructive relationship with your general practitioner and other health professionals.

Choosing the right person is essential, particularly if you envisage a long term relationship with your health service provider.

Have a think about your needs; not just the immediate or obvious medical needs but also the less overt needs of feeling valued and heard. Would you prefer a male or female doctor? Do you feel you would relate well to an energetic younger doctor or to a more mature health professional? Remember, the most effective form of obtaining up to date information is via word of mouth.

Ask your friends about their experiences with their doctors and health professionals. Is s/he gay friendly, does s/he have experience working with gender diverse communities? Is s/he thorough? Does s/he have a caseload that includes people affected by HIV and if so how big is the caseload? Of course each and every one of us has our own unique set of circumstances, but it’s great to talk to others about their experiences. This can be achieved by utilising social networking where you can access other like minded people. If you are new to the ACT region and you require care and medication relating to HIV, an agency such as the AAC is able to provide the names of s100 prescribers although we are not able to recommend particular doctors.

True health communication is about obtaining the right information at the right time and this makes all the difference to the success of a consultation.

Remember, assumptions can be made by both health care consumers and medical practitioners.

It’s important that you take responsibility and ask the right questions of your doctor or other health professionals. Of course, the information that you require will depend on the nature of your condition.

Think carefully about what you would like to ask and consider any changes to your health and wellbeing since your last consultation. If it is your first consultation with a health practitioner, bring with you a list of your medications and inform the medical

to vaccinate or not vaccinate?

practice if you require a support person or translator.

Another factor that is of the utmost importance is whether the health practitioner bulk bills all clients, just pensioners or not at all. If not, how much of a ‘gap’ will you need to cover?

If you are nervous about questioning your doctor or feel that you lack the confidence to do so, feel free to take someone along with you. This may be a friend, relative or advocate such as a support worker.

Alternatively you could practise the questions you would like to ask your doctor with someone else before you come face to face in the surgery (or even practise in the mirror). You can even take a list of questions into the consultation with you; it’s amazing how quickly you can forget things once the consultation begins.

Below are a few areas you may want to think about when considering what it is you want from your consultation.

How can I learn more? Ask your doctor how you can find out more about your condition or treatment options. What are the best websites? If you are not techno-minded ask how you can obtain further information that is not internet based. There may be support groups or community agencies that are relevant to you, make sure you find out about these sooner rather than later. It could save you a lot of time and worry and meeting others in a similar situation can make a real difference.

Sometimes, receiving the results of medical tests can be confusing and leave you feeling that you’re not a part of the solution. You are and you should be. A good GP will help a patient to understand the tests that have been ordered and why. They will also explain the test results and what those results really mean to you. It’s important that you understand how you can manage your condition, prevent it from worsening or cure it. Many people like to value add their medical care through the use of complementary therapies. The term complementary means just that; it relates to a different type of therapy that adds to or complements orthodox medical therapies. An increasing number of practitioners are complementing their medical training with additional

|nada ratcliffe

study in alternative modalities. This additional study may be more appealing to you when considering your choice of health professional.

Treatments can be a daunting aspect when managing a health condition, a large majority of medications have side effects and it is important that you take responsibility to find out about them. For instance, drug treatments for Hepatitis C can exacerbate or lead to depression and some HIV medications have a wide range of physical and psychotropic effects.

Make sure you seek support in minimising or avoiding any adverse outcomes that may occur.

Before you leave any medical consultation, make sure that you have fully covered those areas of importance that you thought about or wrote down beforehand. It is so easy to go off track and it’s a good idea to make sure that you have covered everything.

It’s important to ask “what happens next?”, so that you know what to expect and plan for. Remember, medical practitioners are only human and they can’t read your mind – it’s up to you to speak your mind and ask those important questions in order to get the most out of your consultations.

Last but definitely not least, make sure that you write down anything that was discussed including the important dates that you need to note and any further appointments. Try to make your appointments well in advance so that you can manage your life and work commitments around them.

If you require information or advocacy around HIV and HIV treatments please don’t hesitate to contact us at the AAC on 02 6257 2855 or email us at support@ aidsaction.org.au . We also have a visiting specialist HIV Treatments Officer/Dietitian who is available for personal and private consultations. All services offered by the AAC are free of charge for those people affected by HIV. 1 An S100 prescriber is a medical practitioner who is qualified and accredited to prescribe special medications. In the case of HIV, this involves the prescription of highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAART).

2 The ‘gap’ is the difference between the fee charged and the Medicare rebate

INFLUENZA With winter coming up it is the time to think about and talk to your doctor about having a vaccination for influenza virus.

Those of us with a chronic illness, such as HIV, renal disease or cancer etc, should consider the vaccination in consultation with our doctors. If you do plan to have the influenza vaccination it is better to start considering it now before the flu seasons sets in.

The Influenza vaccination is free for those who are immune-suppressed; however there may be a charge from your doctor for a consultation fee or administering the procedure (Community Health Centres will no longer be offering free vaccinations). Discuss your options with your doctor now to avoid the rush that the colder months will bring.

PNEUMONIA Pneumonia is different to influenza and is caused by the pneumococcal bacteria. There is a vaccine called Pneumovax 23, talk with your Dr regarding your need for this vaccination. www.aidsaction.org.au May - Jun 12 | 05

memorials:

is remembering to remember enough? | keiran rossteuscher

2012 sees the world hosting the 29th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial (IACM). Along with the AIDS Memorial Quilt, IACM is an ongoing and high profile public display of mourning, remembrance, defiance and even action that is seen around the world.

The official website for IACM describes itself as: ‘Coordinated by the Global Network of People living with HIV is one of the world’s oldest and largest grassroots mobilization campaigns for HIV awareness in the world. Started in 1983, the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial takes place every third Sunday in May and is led by a coalition of some 1,200 community organizations in 115 countries.’ www.candlelightmemorial.org Whilst IACM is an event that is held on an international basis, it is commemorated in many different ways including small community vigils through to multiday events. The intent of these events is to raise awareness of the impact HIV has on individuals and communities both locally and further afield. The IACM is much more than just a memorial. The IACM serves as a community mobilization campaign to raise social consciousness about HIV and AIDS. With 33 million people living with HIV today, the IACM serves as an important intervention for global solidarity, breaking down barriers of stigma and discrimination, and giving hope to new generations.

So today we find ourselves sitting in the training room here at Westlund House pouring over ideas for the ACT memorial. Unlike other jurisdictions in Australia, we are faithful to the date of the international event meaning it’s getting a bit chilly here in the Nation’s capital. So the same old issues arise, will it be too cold? Should we provide soup or hot chocolate?

Once we decide on soup or chocolate (this year it is neither as we are making a donation instead) we then start asking the slightly harder questions.

What is our theme this year? What do we want to achieve? Why are we doing this? Why do people come along? Some of the answers we already know and some we take a guess at. However, one thing we know for sure is that there isn’t a specific reason people attend Candlelight.

Almost 30 years on from the first memorial and with a very different epidemic before us, how do we keep it relevant and how do we tap into people’s motivation? Over the last five years we have seen a steady increase in the number of people attending the memorial. Of particular note has been the number of young people attending, with estimates of around 2530% of attendees last year being under 30. This is heartening when one considers that the epidemic is older than many of these young people, and for whom many have little direct connection to the epidemic but still see attending as being quite important.

Interestingly, whilst we were having these conversations about the purpose and future of the www.aidsaction.org.au May - Jun 12 | 06

IACM here in the territory, news articles were being published regarding a report commissioned by the Federal Government for the Department of Veterans Affairs on the centenary of ANZAC Day in 2015, and the memorials leading up to it. This report was controversial for a number of reasons such as the $350,000 price tag, but the most interesting thing from our perspective was the defensive positions some stakeholders took to the report.

In particular was the issue raised under ‘risks and complications’ regarding the dislocation and even marginalisation of migrant and multicultural communities in the ANZAC memorials. Concepts of a mindfulness to sensitivity and that not everyone approaches ANZAC day from a single perspective are oversimplified and chided. One quote that particularly stood out for us was from Ray Brown, of the Injured Service Persons Association, "we've always seemed to get it right, we have never offended anybody”.

This is a trap that can be easy for any memorial organiser to fall into. We need to remember that not everyone has the same associations as we do. Even within the staff here at the AAC we have very different connections to IACM. Some of us are long term PLHIV who have seen our loved ones slip away before us in hopelessness, others want to recognise the hard work that has been undertaken in order to get us where we are today as a fully funded AIDS Council.

Some members of staff want to acknowledge and honour our grassroots beginning and other staff members are younger or more recently diagnosed positive. These members may not have the sense of loss or even understand the need to maintain the solemn tone the memorials are prone to having. It’s incongruous to the desire to continue looking forward and cherishing life.

No matter what people’s motivation is for attending, the end result is rarely disputed. Whilst it might not always be conceptualised as a platform for activism, IACM is one of the few opportunities each year that can mobilise an audience in unity and demand that the hard work done by so many is continued, not undone and never forgotten.

qnet feedback The Qnet website has been running for almost 10 years. The purpose of Qnet is to create a safe online environment for young LGBTI in the ACT and surrounding areas. Qnet contains support and referral information and offers visitors the opportunity to share their stories and experiences.

It is wonderful to know that Qnet has helped someone through a difficult time. Recently a visitor posted about how Qnet had helped him to figure out his identity and this is what he wrote.

"I hadn't been on Qnet in over 2 years, and I was thinking back on it recently. I owe Qnet so much , I used to be a super active member at the beginning (back in 2007), but as I became more comfortable with who I was, and as I recognised my place in this society, I became much less dependent on Qnet for support. But where did I get the confidence to be comfortable with myself? It all started with Qnet.

I'm just going to briefly share my experience (or my "gay journey"), and it'd be cool if everyone else shared theirs.

Basically, 2007 was my first year out of college and I was utterly unsure of what to do with myself (I'm still so unsure!). But I finally had this idea that seeing as I am gay, I may want to go about meeting other gay people. For me, it was such an alien idea. I didn't have a clue how I would go about meeting other gay people.

Eventually, I thought of Googling "gay Canberra", and lo and behold, I came across Qnet! I read through many posts and read of everyone's different experiences, and this was the first solid confirmation that, sure enough, I wasn't the only one, and that in fact there are a vast number (a community) of GLBTIQ people.

The first gay guy I ever had contact with messaged me through Qnet, and we chatted on MSN and added one another on Myspace (back in the day, Myspace). I never actually met him, but he was good to chat to and we exchanged our own stories, experiences etc, and we just chatted about normal things, like the latest movies, video games and stuff like that.

I soon came across the Bit Bent thread, and a week after reading about it, I forced myself to go along to the Woden one (which still runs, 5 - 6.30pm, Thursday, Woden Youth Centre). It was through Bit Bent that I met a great number of great people, genuine people. I made many friends, some who I no longer see, some who I see occasionally, and some who I see all the time and remain close to. (I don't get to go so much anymore, due to work demands).

With friends, we visited a gay nightclub, Cube, so I could see what it was like. Definitely wasn't my sort of place! Nice venue and all, but I wasn't quite yet into the clubbing scene. It was 2 years later that I made a new bunch of friends who I ended up going out clubbing with. Cube (and other Civic nightclubs) eventually became a regular thing on Thursday nights. No shame, dammit! And after several months we all got bored of it, and now we go for drives, or play board games and do other fun stuff.

And nowadays I go on dates with guys (coffee, movies etc), I'm out at work and I have a close group of gay (and non-gay) friends. And now my sexuality is no longer any sort of issue and I think it helps knowing that society's view, generally, is that it doesn't care about my sexuality.

To conclude, thank you Qnet for helping me find my identity "

IDAHO 2012,

| keiran rossteuscher

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) has been steadily growing as an internationally significant event since its inception in 2004. IDAHO was developed as an international recognition of homophobia and is held on May 17 every year. May 17 is the date that the World Health Organisation removed Homosexuality from the list of mental disorders.

Within its first few years, IDAHO received the endorsement and support of various International GLBT rights groups including ILGA, IGLHRC, the World Congress of LGBT Jews and the Coalition of African lesbians. Additional support was received from Nobel Prize winners, intellectuals and artists including people such as Desmond Tutu, Noam Chomsky, Judith Butler, Sir Elton John and David Bowie.

IDAHO events range in size including international conferences attended by politicians and activist organisations through to localised events organised by individuals, schools and communities. Events have been held in countries and territories where GLBT communities have been marginalised or even repressed; some of these events have included a beauty pageant for third genders in Nepal, a gay pride march in Moscow and a Moroccan national campaign to repeal a law (article 489) which criminalizes same-sex relationships.

In the ACT, IDAHO has had a slow and quieter emergence. In 2010, the AIDS Action Council (AAC) as part of the Youth Sexuality and Gender Diversity Network, hosted an event at the ACT Legislative Assembly. The aim of the event was to raise awareness amongst community organisations and politicians about the need to recognise homophobia as being a very real and much lived experience for young people in the Territory.

An IDAHO activity that was held in 2011 saw the ACT Education Department and the then Education Minister Andrew Barr host a forum discussing homophobia in schools. The AAC was invited to attend including participating in a panel discussion and manning a stall where resources such as Qnet and BitBent ‘Awesome’ posters were launched. There was also a flashmob dance in Garema Place which gained local media coverage.

for your diary May

Saturday 5

Facilitator Training (Enquiries to Chai for details) 10:00am to 4:00pm Westlund House, Acton, Rainbow Room

Monday 7

STRIP at BitBent 6:00pm to 8:00pm Belconnen Youth Centre, Belconnen.

Wednesday 9

PSN Dinner 6:00pm to 9:00pm Westlund House, Acton

Sunday 13

Mother’s day

Wednesday 16

AIDS Action Council Volunteer Meeting HIV and Social Research 6:00pm to 7:00pm Westlund House, Acton

Thursday 17

International Day Against Homophobia

Saturday 19

Together Workshop (Enquiries to Chai for details) 10:00am to 4:00pm, Westlund House, Acton, Rainbow Room

Sunday 20

Candlelight Memorial 2012 6:00pm to 7.30pm National Gallery of Australia

Tuesday 22

Dietitian Clinic (Enquiries to Marcus for details) Westlund House, Acton

Wednesday 23

PSN Dinner 6:00pm to 9:00pm Westlund House, Acton

Thursday 24

AAC Legal Clinic (Enquiries to Marcus for details) 6:00pm to 9:00pm, Westlund House, Acton

Saturday 26

Together Workshop (Enquiries to Chai for details) 10:00am to 3:00pm Westlund House, Acton, Rainbow Room

So this year don’t forget to mark IDAHO in your diary and spread the word. Can you put it on your workplace bulletin board or have an internal memo about it sent around? Maybe an announcement could be made about it at your school assembly, host an IDAHO morning tea or ask supporters to come to work or your social group wearing something pink?

June

Tuesday 5

Qnet Movie Night (Enquiries to Nick for details) 6:00pm to 8.30pm Westlund House, Acton, Rainbow Room

For more information http://www.dayagainsthomophobia.org

Monday 11

Queen’s Birthday

Wednesday 13

PSN Special Dinner, Pizza and Bowling (Enquiries to Mick for details) 6:00pm to 8:00pm Tuggeranong

Wednesday 20

AIDS Action Council Volunteer Meeting Needle Syringe Programs and Injecting Drug Use 6:00pm to 7:00pm Westlund House, Acton

Thursday 28

AAC Legal Clinic (Enquiries to Marcus for details) 6:00pm to 9:00pm Westlund House, Acton

mindOUT! Research shows that the mental health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people is among the poorest in Australia and that LGBTI people have the highest rates of suicidality of any population in Australia.

The first national project of its kind, MindOUT! is funded by the Commonwealth Government to work with LGBTI organisations and mainstream mental health organisations to improve mental health and suicide prevention outcomes for LGBTI people and communities.

The project is being run out of the National LGBTI Health Alliance; the body was established by a number of organisations from across Australia that provides health-related programs, services and research targeting LGBTI people.

Stage one of the project was a national survey and stakeholder consultation to establish the background for the project with stage two being a capacity development project to strengthen connections between the LGBTI sector and other mainstream mental health suicide prevention agencies.

The MindOUT! Project officer is currently visiting Canberra to present to the local community about the project so watch this space for further articles and developments.

AIDS Action Council of the ACT and Positive Living ACT Invite you to

29th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Ceremony National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place, Parkes.

Sunday 20 May 6.00 pm

The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial honours the memory of all people affected by HIV and reignites community activism in the response to HIV. You are invited to honour the memories of those we have lost and those who have fought so hard for the rights and wellbeing of people affected by HIV at the 29th International Candlelight Memorial with the official launch of the fundraising effort for the Canberra Permanent AIDS Memorial project. www.aidsaction.org.au/candlelight keiran@aidsaction.org.au 02 6257 2855