I stumbled upon Shawn and Gwen’s YouTube channel one day while at work. As soon as I clicked on their link I became an instant fan!

Shawn and Gwen are a serodiscordent couple. Shawn is HIV positive, and Gwen is HIV negative. They met while both working in the field of HIV and sex education. There are many reasons I love them, one of the main reasons being that they are a perfect example of what I think humans should be like. They are the fight against stigma and discrimination, they are the example we should all be setting for each other. I have posted a few of their YouTube clips on my Facebook page in the hopes that people will watch them and get the picture that YES you can be in a loving, healthy, safe relationship with someone who is HIV positive, and NO you do not have to be afraid of contracting HIV (as long as you’re safe). They have many different videos surrounding safe sex, but the one that I’ve included here is one of my favorites. It’s my favorite because Gwen discusses why she is not scared of contracting HIV, and how she and Shawn have managed to have a safe healthy relationship for 13 years. From the looks of it these two are very much inlove, and will have a long healthy relationship ahead of them. I would like to spread the word and get these videos out there as much as possible. Humans could learn a thing or two from Shawn and Gwen.

SEARCHING FOR CLOSURE
In January of 1998 I had a regular visit with Patricia (the Chaplin at the hospital). She was the easiest outsider to talk to about my grief issues. On this particular visit I told her "I don't know if I've come to some sort of acceptance around the death of my husband or if it is the calm before the storm. I am having a hard time functioning, When Gordon was ill I was like the proverbial energizer bunny rabbit. Now I am......... just lost."

He was always there for me his loving smile and an approving wink that said" I love you more than you'll ever know". He must have wondered where I went to that last night at the hospital when they whisked him away and told me to" take a seat in the waiting room!" So unfair I should have been with him to the end! I should have been able to say goodbye but circumstances did not allow it. I guess we did say goodbye in one way or another in the weeks leading up or maybe it began when he first showed signs of the illness know as AIDS. Along the way he was so brave, trying to protect me from things he had no control over. It hurt him to see what affect his battle was having on me.

I felt like I was grasping at straws trying to cope. I wanted immensely to blame someone for this script that was being played out as my life, so I told Patricia, "I think I 'm ready to hear the truth about what really happened to the man I loved, my best friend.” She agreed to try and arrange an appointment for her and I to sit down with Gordon's pain management doctor to see if it would give me some closure.

A week later I sat across from this woman I had very mixed feelings about. She told me she had no idea that I had questions until Patricia approached her. She informed me that Gordon did not have pneumonia like she had originally suspected but rather respiratory failure. His chest x-rays showed nothing and his lungs were clear.

Between sobs I told her that I had always felt that Gordon's HIV doctor had given up on him. She assured me this wasn't true, that it was much easier for her to come and attend to Gordon's pain management issues and that she consulted with his doctor regularly. She told me she wished she could have been there for me the night he passed. She shared with me that Gordon told the emergency room doctor that he wanted to die. This was so hard for me to hear, but I understood no one would expect him to stay when he had no quality of life left. She assured me that I did everything I could have for him. She then told Patricia how close Gordon and I had been. Patricia commented, "Sounds to me like it was Gordon's decision; he was the one steering the ship. He was tired and ready to go!" Through more tears I told them both, "If only I had known that we didn't have much time I wouldn't have been out speaking about my experiences living with this disease. Instead I would have been home with him.” The doctor told me "Gordon was very proud of you and what you are trying to accomplish.”

So I continue to tell my story. All and all, I feel it’s the what ifs, the couldas, wouldas ,shouldas, that do us no good, and only trip us up. I believe to this day my sister in-laws words that Gordon's grandmother looked down from heaven and said "I can fix this” and then took him home to rest. CM

By Don't Panic

Being a street kid in Guelph was a very unique experience.  It’s hard to explain to someone who wasn’t there for it all.  The most amazing thing to me was the intense sense of community between all of us.  There was usually someone there to talk to, people looking out for and protecting each other, people that understood your feelings.  Sure, there was dysfunction in our relationships, but with substance use and mental health and everyone’s own issues surrounding family, that was to be expected.  When I decided that I wanted to change my life there was no shortage of people that wanted to help.  The support I received from counsellors and agencies was unbelievable.  There were people that were enthusiastic and dedicated to helping me make changes to my life.  It took some time, and it wasn’t easy, but eventually I had a place to live and a job that paid my bills.  There were opportunities for me to work on my mental health and substance abuse issues, and even opportunities to give back to my community.  I was amazed by what people at service agencies did for me, and it inspired me to become a social worker someday.  I kept working and volunteering for awhile, just enjoying the stability and financial comfort that employment provided me.  I loved my job but eventually I knew that it was time to move on. 

When I first got to college, culture shock hit me like a ton of bricks.  It has been the most bittersweet thing I have ever experienced.  I am very happy to be immersed in the material, to be learning about things that I am passionate about, but sitting in class all day has proven to be a challenge.  I am lucky to have such a strong support circle to help me through the times when I am lonely, or when I don’t think I’m smart enough to finish.  I have learned so much about the people I want to serve, and learned many skills that will help me serve them.  I think that being a “lived experience” student has given me a different perspective on the whole idea of marginalization and justice, and I hope that my perspective will allow me to reach people and connect with them. 

The most important thing that has rung true since I’ve started is the value of empowerment.  Empowerment encourages independence and leaves dignity intact.  Giving someone the tools or skills to do something is so much more valuable than doing it for them, taking away their opportunity for growth. 

LEN TOOLEY IS AN HIV-NEGATIVE GAY GUY ON PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS WHO WORKS IN TORONTO AS A GAY MEN’S HEALTH PROMOTER, HIV EDUCATOR, TESTER AND COUNSELLOR. IN THE FIRST OF THREE INTERVIEWS ABOUT BEING ON PREP, HE DISCUSSES HIS DECISION TO GO ON IT.

Check it out:

http://posititvelite.com/component/zoo/item/len-tooley-on-prep-part-one

By Olivia Kijewski (previously published on positivelite.com)

As you may recall from a recent posting of mine, I have been quite surprised by the strength and resilience among our community to challenge homophobia. After delivering a series of workshops on homophobia to youth, I was shocked at how willing these youth were to engage with issues surrounding homophobia and how able they were to understand the connections between experiencing homophobia and HIV risk.

At AIDS Service Organizations, we are now seeing this connection more and more in our line of work and we are really beginning to understand the consequences that experiencing homophobia can have on LGBTQ individual’s health. Particularly, experiencing homophobia can significantly increase one’s risk to HIV infection, as well as increase the burden of disease for those living with HIV. Research is now showing that those who experience homophobia in forms such as isolation, bullying, exclusion, and violence, may have experienced “shame-based trauma”, which can lead to an increase in the likeliness of partaking in “risky behaviours”, which can ultimately lead to an increased risk of HIV transmission.

Realizing this connection, the agency I work for (ACG) wanted to develop a resource targeting youth that would help prevent HIV transmission by increasing capacity to address homophobia, help resolve internalized homophobia, and increase knowledge on HIV transmission. But how could we do this in a way that would be fun and accessible? Knowing that something like 90% of youth use cell phones, 60% of which use smart phones, what better way to disseminate this info but through an iPhone app? I have to hand it both to my predecessor and Executive Director- what a fabulous way to allow youth to access information in a confidential and fast way, using a tool that they spend the majority of their day on anyway!

This app functions to provide witty comebacks to homophobic slurs or phrases, as well as to answer questions and help dispel myths about HIV transmission that you may be too shy to ask your teacher, parent, or health care provider. It even has a quiz that rates your homophobia. Our aim is to provide accurate information that youth may feel too uncomfortable to find elsewhere, as well as to open up discussion and help build capacity to challenge homophobia.

As I mentioned in a previous post, Guelph is a relatively progressive town and may be more accepting of people’s sexual orientation in general than other regions, but that is not to say that people here do not still experience homophobia. It is also important to remember that homophobia can take on more subtle forms such as the derogatory use of the word “gay”, or even as constant heteronormative images that infiltrate our daily lives. That is why it is important to recognize the effect all these different forms of homophobia can have on our lives and to be able to challenge them together, regardless of sexual orientation. We hope this is precisely what our app, and the launch party we are having for it, will begin to do. Our app launch party takes place this Thursday January 31st, 2013 upstairs at the Albion Hotel (49 Norfolk, Guelph, ON) at 8:30 pm and is a chance to try out the app if you haven’t downloaded it already (www.aidsguelph.org/app), to mingle, dance, maybe win some prizes, and to simply open up much needed discussion around homophobia and HIV. It is our hope that this app is another step toward challenging homophobia, increasing knowledge, and decreasing stigma and HIV transmission. Come celebrate the release of this great app with us. See you at the party!

By Church Mouse, January 10th, 2013

I once asked Beth, "Who do you write a journal for and who would want to read it? " I don't remember her answer .......But I soon found out in times of stress, it helped me to put my feelings down on paper. Writing letters to my husband was my coping skill that helped me get through the worst days of my life.

Dear Gordon,

September has arrived and so did an invitation for me to share my story at St. David’s High School. For two hours I was there, not aware of how I felt physically but very aware of how I felt emotionally. Murray made his AIDS 101 presentation and shared it about himself. Then with legs like Jello, I launched into why I got tested, how the news of my diagnosis was delivered and how we got through those dreadful days when there was no hope of a cure. After we finished the students thanked us with handshakes and hugs. Somewhere along the way these students got the message that you cannot contact the virus this way.

Again I am given the opportunity to speak at U.O.W...................all I can say is “bring it on!” I was very near tears when one of the young female students enquired, "How do you make it through each day?" She herself was having trouble asking the question. Without hesitation I replied, "I live one day at a time or one hour if need be." My friend Katie joined me at this presentation. Her feedback is invaluable to help me know how I am being perceived by my audience. I am thinking about taking condoms with my pills to my next presentation. I plan on writing on the board "The choice is yours" while I hold a bag of each in each hand.

Dear Gordon,

Tonight I got a phone call from Beth's youngest son. He wanted to thank me for his birthday gift. Being only four it was comical when he said, "I'm going to have a birthday for you”. Uh,huh........ the cat's out of the bag, as my 40th was a whole seven months away.

Dear Babe,

I had an appointment with my HIV specialist in Toronto today. I asked her if I had an AIDS diagnosis because my CD4 count is only 16 and I had previously had shingles. She assured me I didn't that I had not progressed and was still HIV positive and that my viral load was undetectable.

Beth ,Val and I went out to the cemetery today. The little tree watching over your grave is changing colour and has grown quite a bit in the past year. On the ride home the girls were talking about what they were doing a year ago. With a sigh and a quiet voice not sure anyone heard I said "Gordon was still here."Val gave me a knowing look.

Weeks after you passed, our support worker told me about a night she had decided to visit you while I was out making a presentation. You always supported my efforts to educate. She told me that you were telling her your life story and when you finished you asked her, “what do you think?" She said, "I think you’re a good man Charlie Brown!” You inquired whether she was making fun of you. She said, “no I just think you’re a good man." She told me you drifted off with a smile.

Around that time changes were taking place which I couldn't understand until later. First you were edgy and tired of everything .Who could blame you? You were confined to bed, you had no energy, and thrush was invading your mouth. And these were only the visible signs. Then there seemed to be a sense of acceptance. Maybe you knew it was okay to stop fighting and that your grandmother was waiting to take your hand and walk you to the other side together.

For five years you and I were the only two HIV positive members in ourfamilies .NowI have to go it alone. Even though my family tries to help me have a normal life. I don't know what normal is any more. I feel jaded ! That is only my perception of myself. No one could have prepared me for what this disease would do to me. The medications have destroyed my self image and not being able to work has worn away my self-worth.

Back to see my HIV specialist- she tells me it is the best I have looked in a year. She called me her miracle patient.108 lbs and on AZT. It sometimes takes longer to get to Toronto on the bus than it does for my appointment. Returning home and talking to Beth on the phone she told me that she had pulled her full length coat out of the closet that day. Ben her son asked why there was a red ribbon on her coat? Being only 7 she told him it reminded her of Gordon. He replied it has been almost a year. She was surprised at his concept of time. She also told me that the day of Gordon’s funeral she caught Ben staring at Gordon’s picture. Because I was leaving to go to Toronto the next day. Pookie my cat was staying with Beth. She said he asked the cat, "are you going to miss Gordon too?"

Dec 31 /97
Well Gordon, it is the last day of the year and I don't know how I made it this far! I had asked God for one more Christmas with my nieces and nephews and thank god he did! My next goal is to reach my 40th Birthday in March. My second goal is to write the story of our lives together .So I continue to journal and write letters to you babe. CM

By Chat Junkie

It must be time to slow down because I just notice I missed the second anniversary of my first blog debuting on ACG's site way back on August 9th 2010. So this means my second year at PositiveLite.com is coming up March 30th as well. This entry will be my 29th blog posting for ACG and I have written 82 for PositiveLite, I didn't realize I had this much to say.

When I started I was as green as you can get, I had no idea what I was doing. I remember there was a book I had read, "If you can talk, you can write" by a guy named Joel Saltzman. I read it, many years ago. I did try to write a few times but gave up. I still don't think I will write a next great novel, but blogging is a form of writing that I can do. It is a lot like talking, so why not write it.

The incentive for me to start was knowing that I had two great mentors/editors in Megan DePutter at ACG and Bob Leahy at PositiveLite. They cleaned up my articles so that they read better. I don't know how true it is but they have told me they have had to do less editing as time went by. So if my English in some blogs sounds a little too refined to be me, that’s because it’s Bob's work. I have warned him to be careful doing it because people will expect me to talk like that.

Something else that motivated me to get involved in blogging was having my HIV status go public on the internet. Once it was out there I couldn't hide from it, but I could get involved in helping people better understand HIV and to help end the stigma that I was subjected to that day. I wanted to share my story and put a face to this disease and hopefully reach someone else who could relate. I read many blogs by other writers and I can relate to some of their stories or find out new things I should watch for to live a better and healthier life.

I have been able to move away from just writing about myself and offer my opinion on other subjects, like homophobia, stigma, or I write about my photography, a movie or television shows I watch. I am aware that I'm living with HIV 24 hours a day but it isn't something I have to worry about every hour of the day. Life goes on, normally! I work, I play and I still do most of the things I use to, just a little slower now.

Now, thanks to social media I am communicating and sharing information with people across the country and around the world. To hear from a young American living in Japan, that he was following my blog and was inspired to go on and tell his story, or an older gentleman in Toronto who wanted to talk to me about going public with his real name; these are some of the best rewards I could receive. The older gentleman in Toronto, he is now the Publisher for PositiveLite.com.

I have tried to do my own blog site, several times. It was frustrating to see that no one was reading it. This is where social media came in. You have to be on Facebook and twitter and a few other places where you can post links to your blog. I like to make fun of learning to use programs on the internet; once I learn how to use them, I tell people, "it is so easy, even I can do it." There are easier ways of doing social media than I was use to. I was introduced to another program recently that makes much of the social media jobs easier. I was told about it ages ago but fought off having to learn something new. With this new program, I can schedule all the posts to social media and take off for the day.

Now I am doing the Facebook page for PositiveLite.com, plus I'm writing and scheduling the tweets to go up on Twitter. I haven't mastered the "Smart Phone", so I'm not doing any of that while on the run and it helps that I don't have one..........yet! I believe I am being smart in telling myself I don't need one. Once someone has one of those phones, they really do stop communicating in a human way, and become “app-dicted” as well; an app for this, an app for that. Look around you, you don't even have to leave your home, someone around you right now is clutching their phone and paying little attention to you.

I use social media, social media doesn't use me. I find I spend a lot of time online and less time with the people around me. I do need to work on this part. If I'm out with people, most of the time, I have my phone off or on vibrate and I am present in the moment.

Part of the inspiration to write yet another blog about blogging is because ACG has a call out to anyone who might be interested in getting started. Now that some of us have our feet in the door there is plenty of experience to learn from. Megan Deputter, Olivia Kijewski and myself are all blogging on PositiveLite.com as well as ACG's site. We haven't been able to sit down for our first meeting yet so there is still time to get in on this workshop.

To make one suggestion that was given to me, "it might be a good thing for you". It was for me and it seems I'm well into my third year of blogging, I didn't get bored with it. I didn't stop. I do get writers block from time to time but a detour out in the real world can be all that I need to get back on track.

Tag: Social Media, Blogging, HIV, PositiveLite.com, AIDSGuelph

By Olivia Kijewski, Positive Prevention Coordinator

Call me naïve. Perhaps it is because I live in Guelph, a relatively socially conscious and progressive town or perhaps it is because so many people in my life are so open-minded, but I continue to be shocked by the ignorance and stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS in our society. After making the mistake of reading the general comments on CBC’s coverage of the October Supreme Court ruling on HIV disclosure, followed by a heated intellectual battle with an unarmed man at a local pub, I had been left feeling overwhelmed and outraged. It is for this reason that I would like to take a moment, if I may, to talk about the October court ruling on HIV disclosure and what it reflects about the misunderstandings of HIV and HIV transmission, as well as the stigma surrounding HIV that still exists in our communities.

In 1998, in the court case of R. versus Cuerrier, the Supreme Court ruled that people living with HIV/AIDS (PHA) must legally inform their sexual partner(s) of their HIV status before engaging in sexual acts that pose a “significant risk” of transmitting HIV. However, the court has yet to define what specific sexual acts, and under what circumstances, pose a “significant risk” (Mykhalovskiy, Betterridge, & McLay, 2010). This lack of clear definition has lead to people living with HIV/AIDS being uncertain about their legal obligations of disclosure under the Criminal Code, as well as to a misunderstanding of PHA and HIV transmission among the general public. According to the HIV Legal Network, court rulings in the past had predominately established that if someone with HIV used a condom during sexual acts, the risk of HIV transmission was not considered significant (http://www.aidslaw.ca/EN/index.htm). However, the recent Supreme Court ruling asserts that if someone with HIV has a low to undetectable viral load AND uses a condom, they are not considered to be putting their partner at “realistic risk” and are therefore not legally obligated to disclose their HIV status. Failing to disclose HIV status outside of these circumstances can result in being criminally charged with aggravated sexual assault and jail sentences of up to twenty-five years. Afterwards those charged risk being labeled as sex offenders and must register as such wherever they live. What constitutes “realistic risk” can be confusing and can leave people wondering when and if they need to disclose and what the possible consequences of non-disclosure are. This is precisely why ACG is putting on a workshop on HIV and non-disclosure. This workshop run by Ryan Peck from HALCO will provide a legal review and interpretation of the October 5th Supreme Court Ruling. This workshop will “offer PHAs a safe community space for discussion and support where together we can increase our understanding, clarify the confusing and conflicting media reports, and begin to create a community understanding” (AIDS Committee of Windsor, 2012).

Additionally, what concerns me about the Supreme Court ruling is what this ruling reflects about societal (mis)understandings of HIV transmission, as well as the overall stigma regarding HIV/AIDS. After reading the media coverage of the court ruling and people’s reactions to such, what becomes even more apparent is the amount of fear and stigma surrounding HIV in our society. In the past, the media has worked to exaggerate the risk of HIV transmission, and has repeatedly painted HIV positive people as “irresponsible, dishonest and criminally dangerous” (Mykhalovskiy, Betterridge, & McLay, 2010, p. 5). This recent court ruling will have the same effect. This ruling and attention in the media make it sound like HIV is an easily transmittable disease that everyone is in imminent danger of contracting and that PHAs are criminals out to harm people. This ultimately leads to increased misunderstanding, fear, and stigma, which not only further alienates PHAs and complicates issues of sexual intimacy, but could also decrease people’s likeliness of getting tested for fear of the results (even though HIV is no longer a death sentence). If we want to reduce these consequences, we need to take into account the barriers people may experience to HIV disclosure such as domestic violence, gender, and stigma and stop criminalizing non-disclosure, using it only as a last resort for extreme cases (where transmission actually occurs and where there is intentional transmission). We need to further educate the general public on HIV transmission and the fact that PHAs can live long and fulfilling lives. Furthermore, we need to recognize that some of the onus of responsibility needs to fall on HIV negative people in their sexual encounters as well. While I recognize that this is a tall order, I do believe that misunderstanding, fear, and stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS can be greatly reduced and hopefully one day eliminated. However, criminalization of non-disclosure merely contributes to their increase. In the meantime, I think I am going to have to stop reading the comments on news media cites.

Mykhalovskiy, E., Betteridge, G. and McLay, D. (2010) HIV non-disclosure and the criminal law: Establishing policy options for Ontario. Toronto. A report funded by a grant from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network.

 Something to do on Feb 23rd

Right now, there are more than one hundred and fifty thousand Canadians experiencing homelessness - outside. They are men and women, families and kids. Businessmen, students, mothers. Some were abused, abandoned and ignored. Some were just left behind and broken by the recession, by their choices, by life.

Like a snowflake, every one of their stories is unique. Like snowflakes, many will fall on the streets tonight - alone. And it's cold out there.

Sometimes small things can add up to bigger things. Like when a lot of people come get together to help a few. That's big. That's what the coldest night of the year is: a little walk for a big problem. It's a crowd of people stepping out into the cold night to raise money for the hungry, homeless and hurting in our community. When we join together to help, we can make a big difference.

More info here 

So I came accross this website called Nohomophobes.com.  This website that not only tracks certain homophobic phrases on Twitter, but also shows the people that are tweeting it. I must say, the first thing I thought when I saw this site is, "the numbers are extremely overwhelming". I could not believe that people still talk this way.

I'm pretty sure that if you click on the people that are tweeting these homphobic remarks, you will be able to retweet a response.

Wouldn't it be cool if a bunch of people just started tweeting back about how inappropriate the language they are using is? Something to think about.

by B.J. Caldwell, Educator

Be sure and check out this great post by Poz blogger Mark S. King ("Probing my anal phobia"). Within the larger piece, he also talks about the need for HIV+ gay men (and perhaps other HIV+ folks) to begin having colonoscopies at an earlier age due to the increased likelihood of colon polyp growths which need to be checked for cancer. But the whole article is a great read about the taboos our society has placed on anything anal and how this stigma can be a challenge for those who enjoy anal sex.

Great article about a Toronto program that focuses on pregnant HIV-positive women

"In an effort to counter negative attitudes toward HIV-positive pregnancy, Ms. MacGillivray and obstetrician Mark Yudin developed a unique program for HIV-positive women to meet their medical needs and support them through the pregnancy. The program at St. Michael’s Hospital couples basic maternal health care with a mix of social services, counselling and companionship" (Mackrael, 2013). 

"Ms. MacGillivray says the motivation for the clinic came from her own experiences as a midwife, where she frequently saw health-care professionals treating HIV-positive pregnant women with contempt or fear. Some aren’t aware of how low the risk can be, and expectant mothers often face stigma from those who believe they’re taking an inappropriate chance with their child’s health.

After a nurse told her not to touch a woman she was caring for because that woman was HIV-positive, Ms. MacGillivray decided she had had enough. She found Dr. Yudin, an obstetrician and gynecologist at the hospital, and asked him to start a new clinic with her" (Mackrael, 2013). 

For the full article, click here

Happy Holidays to everyone from the bloggers at My Word and the staff of the AIDS Committee. 

We will be signing off until early in the New Year.

Stay safe, have fun, be joyful.

Here are a few HIV-relatd stories that have "made the news" in the past year:

Δ Vicks Vapor Rub works as treatment for foot fungus in HIV+ individuals

Δ Warren Tong looks at 6 new HIV drugs we can look forward to seeing soon

Δ  Cancer drug flushes HIV out of hiding: another small step towards curing HIV

Δ Warren Tong also provides an oveview of the search for a cure

Δ The Global Frum on MSM and HIV (MSMGF) has released an online compendium detailing gloal HIV prevention and research strategies for Men who have sex with men.

Δ The Gay Men's Sexual Health alliance (GMSH) has released a new online pamphlet for gay, bi and other MSM on "Undetectable Viral Loads and HIV Transmision" (pdf) (warning: frank language is used)

by The Dreamer

I just returned from doing another talk to a small group of 13-15 yr olds. The questions they asked following certainly indicated to me that they were listening rather intently. This is exactly what I love to see, as it means it's become an educational tool for sure. They will undoubtedly take this information and apply it in a variety of ways to further educate themselves and others. They were just finishing up lunch when we arrived and it smelt like we walked into a restaurant not a church. They have their own form of a cooking group, and the minister strives to educate around all means of sexuality and sensuality as part of their curriculum. My hat is off to all of them that attended and showed such respect and interest in a non-judgmental way.

I want to thank all of you who came out to Wrap It Up last
night.............it was truly a success, or should I say yet another
true success. I hope this event will flourish in years to come, and I
want to say as both a PHA and staff member with the organization, I'm
utterly in awe with respect to being part of this agency’s 25th
anniversary. Everyone has worked above and beyond their expectations
of organizing themselves to ensure developing success. Let us not
lose compassion as we enter into what may appear as year 1 after such
a high, but to remember the 25 years we have under our belt.

I’d also like to take this time to wish everyone a very wonderful holiday!!!

Many thanks to everyone:

John Henry Rombough-Davie - The Dreamer

by B.J. Caldwell, Educator

Andrea Houston has a piece on xtra.ca about Toronto City Hall's plan to potentially end the funds for Global AIDS Initiative. An initiative that began after Toronto held the International AIDS Conference in 2006:

On the eve of World AIDS Day, Toronto City Council is considering putting the Global AIDS Prevention Initiative on the chopping block.

The proposed cut is included in the 2013 proposed budget summary, released Nov 29. The annual funding of $104,000 has been earmarked to Africa to assist local groups in HIV prevention, treatment and education. It was created as the city’s legacy to the 16th International AIDS Conference, held in Toronto in 2006.

Ward 27 Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam plans to fight the cut. She says there should be no reduction in the city’s funding to any HIV/AIDS programs.

“Any reduction to the AIDS prevention envelope should be fought with resistance,” she says. “I don’t believe we should be cutting this . . . We should all fight that. We need to take a stand. If we reduce this, what else is next?”

She calls the proposed cut part of the city’s “war on the poor.”

“This war on the disenfranchised needs to stop . . . People are hurting. This council needs to recalibrate its values.”

originally posted at PositiveLite.com: 

I’m quite certain that everyone agrees that we live in a very sexual world, and no matter your beliefs or your grass roots, we’re all at risk of the unknowns. This next week I will be doing two presentations in front of an audience of students where it’s been difficult to give out condoms, and it’s not the students or the teachers that are at fault. I’m downright nervous as there is a part of me that is still shameful of my own past. I’m not in denial when it comes to having had lack of wisdom, as I felt dispensable with respect to my goals and dreams.

Update November 15.Today shed new light on why I continue to share my story publicly, as I do at times get a little overwhelmed with asking myself why? Does the average person really care that I obviously made unwise decisions at some point in my life? I’m aware of them now of course, and I’ve never laid blame on anyone at anytime, nor do I blame lack of education in my grade school years, as again I state, HIV did not exist at that time so there was no need for it to be part of the curriculum.

Two of the questions I was asked by students.....

“Not to be disrespectful” this young gentleman says “but why did you survive when you were so sick in the hospital in 2007. Weren’t people supposed to die when they were that sick?”
My response: “Yes there was a time when people were dying fast and furious because of a lack of education, lack of medications and a lack of HIV/AIDS specialists. There was a day when this was considered to be a plague, and it also appeared to be only affecting the gay community. I still get overwhelmed with how I personally managed to see my way through all of this.”

Another question: “Is there a way to make people get tested for their own protection, as well as, the protection of others? For instance, when one gets their age of majority card.”

My response: “This is a wonderful suggestion and I totally agree, providing it can respect the confidentiality and rights of everyone. All I can suggest is to have a petition signed by students and then taken to your local MP for consideration to be brought forth for further discussion.”

The presentations began with a 101 discussion about HIV/AIDS to help achieve a better understanding, followed by another person’s story besides my own. This other person’s name is also John, a heterosexual man who is a former hockey player. John’s health did not allow him to join us but sent in a CD to share his story. This gentleman’s story captured even myself, and I can’t even imagine where he finds the strength to share it over and over. John also confesses to having made unwise choices that led him down a path of his own. Eventually he meets up with another person living with HIV/AIDS, and she is certainly the one for him. They met through their local AIDS Service Organization, and she always told him every night on going to bed, “that was the most beautiful day of my life and I love you”. She once again said this for the last time and never woke up the next morning…………this was to be the day that they got married.

If there is anything I can do to help comfort this man, it is to help in sharing even a tidbit of his story to help deliver the message to others.

Read more at http://www.positivelite.com/by-author/editorial-authors/john-henry-rombough-davie

On June 27th ACG I attended a workshop on Homophobic Graffiti, part of a program called Project Attach. I have always had a fascination for graffiti, this was something I just had to take part in. I've been photographing all types of graffiti around Guelph for a couple years now. I have travelled to Toronto to the famous Graffiti Alley three times now. Graffiti Alley is the place where Rick Mercer does his rants on his CBC show “The Mercer Report” and is located behind businesses in the Dundas/Spadina area of Toronto.

For the Project Attach workshop we were to go out around the city and photograph any negative, homophobic, transphobic and biphobic graffiti. Through an open discussion we learned how individuals who experience homophobia are more likely to have risk factors for HIV infections. The project was meant to start a dialogue about homophobia in our community so that we can document it, and challenge it.

Each participant was given a disposable camera, (cameras were returned to ACG for developing), tips for taking better pictures and a short list of places where graffiti could be found. We were given several weeks to complete the task, which was a good thing because, speaking for myself, it wasn't as easy as I had thought to find negative messages.

My experience is that anything negative can be something small added to other graffiti, which can be directed to the reader or directed towards the original artist. The addition may be small but the words can hurt in a big way.

Last night, November 22nd, we finally got to view what we had accomplished collectively. While we enjoyed Subway sandwiches drinks and cookies, we had a view of the slideshow and had an open discussion on what message we were seeing in each slide. It was important to hear how each of us read the message, how this can affect anyone else reading it. We came to an agreement that we didn't find much negative graffiti that much of it had positive messages which we found to be a good thing.

One slide in particular said, "i think they hate me so i hid". I found I could relate to this one in a different way than what the discussion brought out. For me it reflected how and why I hid in a closet for all those years. When I was a teenager it was the 60s, I couldn't come out, it was not acceptable, people hated homos, so I hid it.

This is another project from ACG that I am proud to have been a part of, to be a part of the team who was able to produce these results. The book is fantastic, 113 pages of great photos and messages showing examples of homophobia, marginalization, forms of oppression, genderism, resilience, being an ally and self care.

Funding for the book was provided by Public Health Agency of Canada so thanks to them for making this possible. Thanks to Megan DePutter for starting the project and to Olivia Kijewski for facilitating the unveiling.

All I can say is: what’s next?

Last year ACG applied for a grant from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) from their Capacity Building Fund for Community-Based Research to study a subject that has been talked about in every way, except for actually going to PHAs and ask them about their sex lives or lack of having one. The research project was called "Show Me the Love" and its purpose was to gain some understanding of the barriers to sexual intimacy among PHAs.

I've taken three OHTN surveys over the last year or two. I've listened to why they were being done but never really took it all in. I wanted be a part of the research to be included in something that was meant to help understand the needs of PHAs in order to help them have a suitable diet, shelter and the income to be able to take care of themselves and live better lives.

Back in March of this year I was hired by the OHTN to be a Peer Research Associate, I now do the surveys myself. While training to do this job I also had to learn about the ethics of doing research. I've learned how to conduct a survey that is ethically right for the participants and the survey team: you must take the results back to the participants so they know what the results were, and to understand if you found what you wanted to learn.

The time came to report the findings of "Show Me the Love".

The report was completed earlier this year by The O'Halloran Group and it was to be presented for the first time at the International AIDS Conference in Washington, D. C. ACG was granted a space to showcase the findings. The next step was to utilize the internet to get the word out. The report was posted on ACG's webpage, then on to Facebook and Twitter. It went viral and we "tweeted" and "shared" it daily.

Next, Bob Leahy, editor of PositiveLite.com came to town to interview Megan and some of the other people involved in the project (See the links below.). Megan wrote two blogs about the findings that were featured on PositiveLite. Her interview with Bob Leahy is included in Part One. Other links below are for blogs Megan and I wrote last year and earlier this year about “Show Me the Love” and I believe there is still more to come.

Next it was presented at the ACG's annual general meeting in September. For me, it was one of the highlights of the evening. To see it presented in person and to see the reaction, it gave me a little extra pride that I was a part of it. As an agency we had created something that others can learn from. It was especially nice that Megan used some of my photos throughout the powerpoint, Thanks for that.

On October the 17th, we, the participants, and some of our peers were invited to a special dinner at the Babel Fish Bistro to see the results of the study. If you haven't been to one of these "Dinner and Learn" events, you really should. The food at Babel Fish is so good. They closed the place just for us and treated us........royally.

It was great to have some of our peers present, as this was the first time we were able to hear some feedback from other PHAs. One question that was asked was, "if this was a fair representation of participants, would it be the same results in more populated areas with more participants." Another question that came up online was, "if the average age was lower, would the results be the same." Hopefully our research will lead to further studies which could produce other results.

Research is something that is needed in the work we do. We did this!

As an addition to this story, Megan was able to present the findings at this year’s OHTN Research Conference on November 13th in Toronto. I was there to offer my support, Megan was a little nervous, but the reaction was very good. It brought up a couple of questions so it was a chance to put more information out to the audience. However, they only give 10 minutes to present.

It’s a bit sad that Megan has left the Positive Prevention Coordinator's job but ACG has hired a very good replacement in Olivia Kijewski. Megan still has a toe in on what we are continuing on with, which is good. I wish her much success in her new role at ACG and welcome Olivia. I hope she is kind to editing this and future blogs.

PositiveLite Stories
Wayne:
Dec. 21 2011 Show Me the Love
http://positivelite.com/by-author/editorial-authors/wayne-bristow/item/show-me-the-love?category_id=86

Megan:
Jan. 10 2012 Show Me the Love - A Second Look
http://positivelite.com/news/news-sections/living-with-hiv/item/show-me-the-love-a-second-look
Sept. 25 2012 Show Me the Love Part One
http://positivelite.com/component/zoo/item/show-me-the-love-part-one
Oct. 09 2012 Show Me the Love Part Two
http://positivelite.com/component/zoo/item/show-me-the-love-part-two

ACG, Sanguen and the Guelph Community Health Centre are teaming up to deliver a workshop to those who are living with Hepatitis C. Whether you are going through treatment, thinking about treatment, or not thinking about it at all, you're welcome to join us. We have enough space for about 20 ppl; therefore, space is limited. You must register to be able to attend so please contact Cassandra Sheppard at 519-763-2255 ext 154, or by email at: hepc@aidsguelph.org, or contact Estera Brudek at: 519-498-0339, or by email at: ebrudek@sanguen.com. There will be a yummy meal provided, and who doesn't like free food? I know I do! Registration closes on November 28th and spaces will fill up fast! Don't miss out in your chance to attend this amazing workshop. Please see attached flyer or contact us for more details. See you there!

Cassandra Sheppard,

Hepatitis C Outreach Coordinator

I believe what most people forget is that adolescents do not “rebel” because they are failures at becoming adults and “growing up”. Most teenagers have passions and fire in their soul that they do not know how to positively express. It is an internal power with a great lack of “language” to speak about their power. They are not some sort of failure at being “normal”, in fact, most “street kids” have more active and creative imaginations than the average person. They choose to not participate in the corporate warfare that is most people’s normal lives because they do not see it fit. They see a better way of life.

The fact is- many of these youth do not get to engage their imaginations in positive and essential life work because many street kids don’t have good home lives. They lack the stones at the bottom necessary to climb their way up. Many of them lack financial or educational resources to give them the essential “language” they need to proceed and be successful in their visions. Most are constantly reminded of their misbehaviour, their amoralism, their failure, their inability to fit in, and their unlikelihood to be successful.

In all my years of struggles as a youth the thing that really pushed me forward was a small few who believed in me, that gave me the little ounce of courage I needed to see my vision as a reality. All the “direction” and “discipline” in the world could not have changed me, but would only result in alienating and estranging me from society further. What I needed was time. I needed time to accept myself as who I was as a member of society. Not a failure member at this kind of society, but a potential member of a better society; a society which I could not only be a part of, but that I could help create, build, and fight for.

There will always be street kids because there will always be creative minds that refuse to conform to something they see as unfit, and there will always be people there to suppress them. The great part about this is realising that there are creative minds out there who are simply being stunted by labels and inequalities in society. My breakthrough really occurred over a period of time I spent discovering myself after high school. I realised that I didn’t want to be a social worker because I wanted to “help people”. These people are not sick and they do not need to be cured. Most of these kids will deal with people their whole lives who only want them to “get better” so they can once again become economic participants in our capitalist society. When really, what these kids really need is get the resources they need to get back on their feet so they can unleash to the world what is in their notebooks.

It has taken me a long time to get to this place of self- assurity. I no longer get down on myself for being different from most people. In fact, I thank my lucky stars for it. What I have realised is that I have a voice. I have experience. I have ideas. After enduring many hardships in adolescence, I have gotten myself to the point where I have freed myself from society trying to clip my wings by telling me I wasn’t normal because I wasn’t like most people. Something I once saw as my biggest flaw has now become my greatest source of inner power.

I never saw myself in university, EVER. But here I am. I love what I am learning about. Every day I am so grateful for my journey and the people who have helped me along the way. I feel like of all my crazy thoughts and emotions, my education is what will give me the “language” for the things I need to do. My education will provide the backbone for the body of ideas in me that is slowly getting stronger.

I would just like to close with a thought. Street kids are not street kids. They are not social inadequates. They are not bums. They are not lazy junkies. They are humans. Not only that- but they are humans with big brilliant brains that most of us cannot understand. They do not need a magical emotional prescription that will return them to normality. They need resources. They need homes. They need support. They need their health. They need love. They need people to stop trying to put them into boxes. They need these things so that they can enter the world at their strongest and most vibrant so they can inspire the rest of us to make some serious change. We need them crazy and wonderful, just as they are.

Dicolemonade

“I have started a new life”, I think to myself sometimes when I look outside the window of my new apartment. At times I feel it is something I say to remind myself that I moved away from Guelph for a reason. There are days I feel estranged from this new environment. I feel small and insignificant here, but there is almost a power in that. The power of the blank face- nobody knows me and I don’t know anybody. The possibilities are endless. At least that’s what I’d like to think.

Years ago I was in a very different place than I am now; mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially, the list goes on and on. I never thought I would be here. Now, before people start fantasizing about my ritzy new life in the big city, I would like to set the record straight. Where I live is not all that fancy. I live in an apartment above an old pub and a laundry mat. The drawers in the kitchen are wonky and won’t close properly. The plaster around the windows is peeling, the floor upstairs is cracked and damaged from all the footsteps of tenants past and present. But to me- it is a palace.

It’s amazing how things can change. I have a very clear memory of an argument my mother and I were having one morning. I was a young woman quickly developing into something my parents hated at a rate they couldn’t control or understand. I had skipped school that day and decided to stay in bed and draw in my journal- two of my favorite things to do at that time. I remember her asking me with arms crossed, “and what exactly do you think is going to happen if you drop out of high school?! What exactly do you plan on doing with your life?!” to which I responded “I don’t care”. This, of course, is a sentence teenagers will use regularly throughout their time in adolescence. This time I really meant it. I truly didn’t care. I didn’t care what became of me, I didn’t care where I ended up, I didn’t care if I finished school, I didn’t care where I lived, I didn’t care who was around me, I didn’t care if I did enough drugs to kill me. Eventually, I ended up being homeless and even then, I didn’t care. In fact- there really wasn’t anything I cared about in the whole world. I thought that’s how I felt at least. That’s usually what people in positions of authority would tell me. In retrospect, I realise how untrue it really was.

I had such intense emotions and feelings about life and no positive outlet for any of it. My home life consisted of a series of wounds that I wasn’t ready to face. There were so many places in my life where I felt there were burdens too great to carry, and vulnerabilities too much to bare. These feelings were in combination with a great feeling of loneliness. I didn’t understand high school; I didn’t understand the social aspect of a place that seemed like prison to me. I hated all my peers. I felt so different from everyone. I felt so alone. They all seemed so happy and normal, two words I would never affiliate myself with at that time. Anytime that I did spend at school, was mostly spent with my nose in my notebook. I would write things: poetry, stories, and lyrics. I would draw in a book I had as well, glue pictures from magazines, if I ever saw an advertisement that I thought was interesting or beautiful, I would take it to add to my collection.

What I didn’t know then that I know now is that every single thing that was a part of me went into that notebook for a reason. It was all the things I knew inside but didn’t know how to feel. Once I learned how to feel those things, I wanted to learn how to say them. Once I knew how to say them, I wanted to learn how to do them. Once I learned how do them, I wanted to learn how I could fight for them.

To be continued…

By: Discolemonade

Since I hadn’t trained much for this, I stopped to walk occasionally to catch my breath. I watched my 10 year old daughter run farther and farther ahead of me, but I encouraged her to because she told me she was going to try and run the whole thing.

The first 4 kilometers felt like they went on FOREVER! By the last kilometer I said to myself, “I am not going to walk anymore”, and I didn’t! I pushed myself to jog the entire last kilometer (it felt like it was never going to end!). When I saw the finish line I decided to go as fast as my body would let me. I saw my co-workers and friends at the sidelines cheering me on. I pushed myself to run even though I could barely feel my legs and I felt like was going to either faint or throw up. I saw the counter at the finish line counting up 34:53…34:54…34:55. I knew that I had to cross the finish line before those numbers hit 35:00.

I did it!! My time was 34:56 which isn’t too bad considering I stopped training in August. I sat down to try and catch my breath, and one of Guelph’s wonderful caring youth came to my aid. He brought me orange slices to suck on and I appreciated it because it really did help.

After I caught my breath, I had an incredible feeling of accomplishment run through me, and I knew that I could do this again. Next year I will train harder, and I will beat my time, because I know that I can. I am so proud of everyone that did this run, including myself, and I can’t wait to do it again next year.

My daughter ended up finishing with a time of just over 33 minutes. I'm so proud of her because she set her mind to something and she stuck it out. She jogged the entire 5k, and that was her goal.

The moral of the story (and it may sound corny, but it’s true!). You can do just about anything if you put your mind to it, even if your body is telling you NO. And when you’ve accomplished your goal, you will feel really really good about yourself, I sure did!

Cassandra Sheppard,
Hepatitis C Outreach Coordinator

I'd like to say that the Positive Prevention Train the Trainer was the inspiration for me venturing into the world of social media and sharing my story but I can't. I can say that the course empowered me to do it. I've confessed several times, when I went into the course I had my mind made up that I wasn't going to do anything with it, I didn't have the confidence to do anything, my mind wasn't as open as it needed to be even for my own good. But I had the ability to change.

I was already heavily involved with a couple social media sites, mostly for friendship and family communications. Then I saw how organizations and companies could get the word out as to what exactly they were doing. If you read something online or view a video on YouTube, all you had to do was copy the URL or address and plop it into your status box on facebook or twitter and click “send” and it could go around the world in seconds. This meant I wouldn’t have to stand up in front of a group all the time and speak about it all, it was the best way for me to get involved and do something.

"I often thought, someone should do something about that and I realized, I am someone."

So if you've been following along with me here and on PositiveLite.com you will see what I've been able to contribute. I have also inspired others to get into it. My belief is that we need to put our stories out there and if we are brave enough, put a face to this disease and try to end the stigma attached to HIV. The NEW publisher at PositiveLite had been following me and wrote under a psuedo-name for a couple blogs and then he asked to talk to me about going public. He's a great writer and a great addition to PositiveLite. Just knowing I have people reading my blogs is the greatest reward.

So, just who did inspire ME. I'd have to say, hearing stories from the longterm survivors was the greatest inspiration. All of their stories of what it was like to live on the older medications, how they lost so many friends and acquaintances, and how they are still here. One of my favourite people to listen to is ACG's very own blogger Church Mouse. I encouraged her to write and man did she ever have a powerful debut, she really had me close to tears. I knew she had so much to share and people were listening to her when she talked. I'm so proud of her, she is so brave.

I had the pleasure to tell Church Mouse that our efforts to promote her blog in the social media, someone far away had picked up her story to share with their followers. There is this site called paper.li , anyone can create their own newspaper page, they find stories on other sites and copy them to their paper. When I told her, she was so excited, she went online and told everyone that she had gone viral, she wasn't wrong. She wanted to know the numbers/the hits she was getting and I told her that when someone clicked to read her story, it brings them to the ACG site where the blog is posted.

I am now a witness to how she has inspired others to do blogging as well, one person in particular is "The Dreamer" a.k.a. John Henry Rombough-Davie who thanked her in one his blogs here at ACG. John has since moved on to PositiveLite a few months ago. So it just keeps going.

I had an opportunity to nominate persons for the awards at ACCKWA in Kitchener for their Annual General Meeting, I nominated Church Mouse for the Advocacy Award, I felt she deserved it for her blogging since it has become a very big part of the future of advocacy work. She is truely excelling at it and I believe she is a leader. She's contributed more blogs here at ACG than I have, or anyone for that matter. I look forward to each and every one of them. Thank you Church Mouse, thank you.....my friend!

(I did a google search of Church Mouse and she is there, on the first page, its a link to a blog on ACG.)

I would like to dedicate this entry in memory of Marg Starzynski who was also a big inspiration and mentor to me during my time on ACG’s Board of Directors. She encouraged me to move up to the treasurer’s position in my second year. She viewed my photography on my flickr.com page and described my photos as being artistic. Now that I’m about to venture into some sort of a business I will use what she said as a selling feature of my work. Thanks Marg.

By Wayne (Chat Junkie)

The AIDS Walk for Life was back in town on Sunday September 16, 2012 for the first time in fifteen years thanks to the efforts of Scotiabank and Masai Clinic's Coordinator Deana Clatworthy. With only 8 weeks to make it come together, it went off without a hitch, the weather was perfect, and all participants were raring to go.

On hand for waking up and nourishment there was plenty of coffee donated by Starbucks at Stone Road Mall and from Tim Hortons who also supplied some Tim Bits and Cora's donated some fresh fruit cups.

After a few short speeches from Deana, Dr. Anne Marie Zajdlik and Board President Andrea Wyshniowski, the staff of Goodlife Fitness lead everyone in some warm up and stretching exercises. At approximately 11 a.m. the ribbon cutting ceremony was performed by Executive Director Tom Hammond and City Councilor Ian Findlay and then the gang set out to complete the walk. Along the route was two check in points where people were encouraged to ask questions from the staff member. The first stop saw Masai Nurse, Sharon talking about the babies born to HIV clients of the centre. At the second check in, B. J. Caldwell took questions and spoke about stigma.

By noon, everyone was back in time for Pizza donated by Dominos and a little entertainment, a run through of "Singing In The Rain" complete with dancers of all ages and umbrellas. And finally, winners with the highest donations were awarded and other marchers were rewarded with prizes for their participation.

In conclusion, thanks to all the sponsors and volunteers from Scotiaband and ACG it was a total success. Now we have a whole year to plan for next year.

Oh, I forgot to mention one thing, silly me, I took some pictures, they can be viewed on the ACG's facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/aidsguelph/

Homophobia is an illness; it can be prevented, it can be cured.

As I mentioned in the previous blog, ("Homophobia Gets Me Angry") I believe I can get over the homophobia I've had directed my way from a family member but I failed to say how I know I will do it. I will because I am empowered now, I have learned the tools I will need to deal with all that happens in my life in my future. I still have a great support/care team and my future is looking pretty darn amazing.

In the title I mentioned that homophobia can be cured. It's funny, they still try to claim that being gay is a choice, its a mental disease and you can be cured of or "Pray the Gay Away". Homophobia is not officially listed as a disease but it should be. No one is born with it, it’s spread by word of mouth by homophobic people.

I also mentioned in the title that there is prevention and it is happening in another part of my family. It's so amazing. My son and his wife vowed to raise their children to be accepting of all people; they don’t point out the differences in people or if its something good or bad. You see, I’m not the only gay person in my family, my son's brother in law, the uncle to his children, is gay as well.

On a visit to my son’s house he and I were playing the new version of the game of LIFE, with his two oldest girls. The game sure has changed since I was young. Anyway, as you play the game, there comes a time when you have to marry and have children. I was less than comfortable to choose a male partner when it came my time so I chose a woman. I thought I was out of the woods on that, nothing was said at the time, until it came time to put the game away. While picking up all the pieces that were spread all over the table, my 7 and 9 year old granddaughters asked, "how come you married a girl and not a boy"? I was speechless. I struggled for something to say but said, next time I will choose a boy.

Last week was my son's birthday, the brother in law/uncle and his partner were invited and out came the game of LIFE again. I chose to sit this one out and watched. When the uncle and his partner each had to marry, they both chose a boy. Not a confused look, question or comment from either granddaughter. When it came a time they were to have a child, my 7 year old granddaughter informed them they would have to adopt because they couldn't have a child of their own. I almost teared up, I was so proud, she said it with so much knowledge. I really wasn't aware of how much they knew at this point. This was "homophobia prevention" at work and it was beautiful.

Several times I've heard my son say he got “this or that” from me, now I can honestly say he did this time. Hiding in a closet, knowing all those years I was gay, when my kids asked those questions I never taught them that it was wrong, instead I told them that gay people were just as good everyone else, that people with a disability should not be made fun of and I tried to help them understand people of other cultures. I had many friends, good friends who were from a variety of other ethnic backgrounds. I grew up having racial barriers pointed out to me like "they should marry their own," “those people are like this or that”. I listened to it, I couldn't do much to change the thinking of those people at the time, I only knew that when it came to me, I had a choice, I can pick my own friends. I'm proud of myself to have made that choice and pass it on to my children because now there are two new generations making things better.

There is someone out there that you know who is gay, a family member, a friend, it could be someone on your street. That person is struggling to come out, wanting and hoping for your acceptance. Your relationship doesn’t have to change, he or she will remain to be the same person you knew before they told you. Being gay isn’t something that happens in a bedroom, its not a sex act, it’s a human life.

Make a Commitment to Change. Join the fight to end the homophobic illness. Speak up and speak out against homophobia. Prevent Homophobia, teach acceptance for every

 With the exeptions of a few people that would rather blow the condom up like a balloon, throw them in the air, or looked at us with fear in their eyes, people were very receptive to us, and the bars had no problem letting us skip the line to go inside and hand out condoms. Quite a few people thanked us and told us we were doing a great job!

We had a lot of fun, and we look forward to more awesome nights of handing out condoms and assisting people in making safer choices regarding their sexual health.

Cassandra Sheppard,

Hepatitis C Outreach Coordinator

 We know that during Frosh Week the risk of unprotected sex goes up, partly because of the increased consumption of alcohol, among other things. We really want to do our part to help people be make safer choices regarding their sexual health.

Cassandra Sheppard,

Hepatitis C Outreach Coordinator