The A Word

Mardi Gras 2012 - Le Carnaval Rouge

2012-02-16T09:04:00.008-07:00

Missing Calgary Cares? Come to Mardi Gras – Le Carnaval Rouge

Calgary Cares was an unforgettable evening of enchantment and diversity in the fight against HIV/AIDS. AIDS Calgary Awareness Association (ACAA) is bringing the spirit of Calgary Cares back with Mardi Gras – Le Carnaval Rouge. Mardi Gras – Le Carnaval Rouge will bring diverse audiences together, uniting people in a celebration of life, courage, non-discrimination, laughter and love.

Adorn yourself in a mask and beads and join us on February 25th at this inaugural event for carnival fun. Your ticket to this 18+ event will not only open the doors to exciting and titillating entertainment, but it will be an investment in a caring and compassionate future for those living with HIV/AIDS in Calgary.

Creativity is mandatory at Le Carnaval Rouge. Take time to explore your wild side to decide what mask and costume you will wear and who you will be. This is an evening of flamboyance, licentiousness, and outrageous costumes. Prizes will be awarded for best costume, best couple or duo, spiciest outfit, and embodiment of Mardi Gras.

Your ticket into Calgary’s hottest party this February gets you a sampling of Cajun cuisine, a drink ticket (perhaps a Hurricane in honour of Mardi Gras), hours of enticing entertainment and sensory overload, a tax receipt for $83, and the knowledge that you are making a difference in the lives of people and families impacted by HIV/AIDS.

Take an opportunity to go “shopping” at the silent auction table filled with vacation get-a-ways, artwork, autographed celebrity prints, and lotions, lubes and toys (oh my!). Or buy a balloon with an authentic Mardi Gras doubloon for a chance to win WestJet tickets for two.

Only 250 tickets are available for this event so get yours today by calling (403) 508-2500 or visiting http://www.aidscalgary.org/events/mardigrasoverview.cfm

Entertainment
ArcFire Entertainment
ArcFire puts on a fire show that is a must see. High impact, beautiful flourishes and astounding theatrics will keep you from blinking! This high energy performance features a troupe of local artists spinning fire choreographed to music that will get everyone pumped!

Erin Butler
See what the future has in store for you with Madam Butler and her assistant acting as your spiritual guide. Ask her tarot cards a question should you be prepared for the answer your subconscious mind may hold.

Pat Belliveau
Pat Belliveau on the saxophone and accompanying artists will take you to New Orleans with their smooth jazz.

Rhinestone Affair
Who is The Rhinestone Affair you may ask? A collective of fabulous, fearless (and just a wee bit scandalous) burlesque dancers and performers ready and willing to dazzle you with the flip of a tassel and shake of the hips!

Visha Loo
She's not made of rubber
She’s not made of glue
But the one thing I know
She’s more bendy than you!
Calgary’s very own contortionist with quite literally a unique twist

Imperial Sovereign Court of the Chinook Arch
Their royal highnesses, Emperor Chris Tron and Empress Makayla Quinn St. Asia, are attending Mardi Gras, her Majesty and other members of the Court shall be performing throughout the evening.

HIV/AIDS in the Media

2012-02-09T08:41:00.001-07:00

This article was written by AIDS Calgary’s information/support worker.

People living with HIV/AIDS have not been portrayed in a favorable way in popular media. Cast members on shows that I’ve watched are generally depicted as very sick and or dying. They have also been shown as selfish and irresponsible individuals who make poor choices that affect everyone around them. News outlets and documentaries have also done similar things. This is cause for concern in my mind because the media in conjunction with other systems shape our ideas and thoughts.

I struggled to find a show that did not vilify people living with HIV. Season two of Queer as Folk was the only show that came close enough to try to drive the point I would like to make. The narrator of the story (Michael) begins to date Ben, a professor who is living with HIV. Michael is initially uneasy and reluctant when he learns of Ben’s status. His misinformed friends and family influence him to end the relationship in order to protect himself from contracting the virus. Though madly in love, Michael ends the relationship citing different reasons. It is also at this time that he chooses to learn more about HIV/AIDS, safer sex practices, and sero-discordant relationships. Shortly after that he finds himself fighting to win back Ben. Michael’s adopted heterosexual son, Hunter who is also living with HIV, goes through similar struggles. He is subject to discrimination at school as well as the justice system. He too is able to overcome stigma, discrimination, and relationship woes.

The show emphasizes the importance of communication, love, trust, education and awareness, between individuals regardless of their HIV status. It is important to note that the cast members were not defined by HIV. They were everyday people who went about their business like everyone else. Friends of mine who dutifully followed the show use different attributes to describe each member. For example, some recall Ben as the professor, Michael’s boyfriend, the guy who participated in the Liberty ride, Hunter’s dad, the publisher and so on.

So as news sources and other media outlets bombard us with a barrage of information regarding the criminalization of HIV over the next couple of weeks. Please keep in mind that people living with HIV are not deliberately infecting other individuals. The cases being considered are not a representation of everyone living with HIV/AIDS. We need to fully understand the context of the story before making any conclusions.

No Glove, No Movie?

2012-02-02T12:18:00.003-07:00

Last week, in a near-unanimous 9–1 vote, Los Angeles City Council members voted in a new city ordinance which requires adult film actors to wear condoms while performing in films.

This news came as a victory to Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which has been the driving force in bringing this issue forward. The foundation has been aggressively seeking changes in an effort to protect the occupational health and safety of workers in the adult film industry. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation collected over 60,000 signatures of support from local residents, which allowed the law to be approved by council without being put to a special city vote. The new law requires mandatory condom use by performers in order to be granted a filming permit in Los Angeles. Porn producers who do not comply with the regulations will be required to pay a fee and the rule will be enforced by surprise inspections of filming sites.

The ruling is expected to have a significant impact on the multi-billion dollar porn industry concentrated in this area: It is estimated that 90% of all legally distributed pornographic films made in the United States are either filmed or produced by studios based in the San Fernando Valley. The San Fernando Valley has often been referred to as “Porn Valley” and nearly 2/3 of the area is under the jurisdiction of the City of Los Angeles.

In a response to the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and the deaths of prominent adult film actors such as John Holmes, the Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation created a system for regular testing among performers. Adult film industry actors are currently tested for HIV, Chlamydia, and Gonorrhea every 30 days, and Hepatitis, Syphilis, and the Herpes Simplex Virus annually. Many critics argue that this approach to testing is not sufficient as it does not offer any real protection against infection, only the ability to learn of a diagnosis quickly.
The American adult film industry has been hit with a number of small outbreaks of HIV among adult film actors since the inception of the regular testing policies. The majority of these outbreaks began with a single male actor and resulted in several of their female partners also testing positive. While HIV transmission has been relatively low among adult film performers, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise. Untreated STIs can lead to a substantially increased risk of contracting HIV during unprotected sexual contact with an HIV+ partner.

Statistics from the Los Angeles Country Department of Public Health illustrated a sharp increase in the number of sexually transmitted infections experienced by adult film actors during the years 2000-2008. In the period of April 2004 – March 2008, there were a reported 2,847 STIs among 1,884 adult film performers in Los Angeles County. Women represented 70% of these cases, with 15% having experienced 4 or more infections within a 12 month period. The overrepresentation of women is largely thought to be the result of the high female-to-male ratio of performers in the industry, and the physical susceptibility of women for contracting various kinds of infections through riskier and prolonged sexual activities.

Critics and representatives of the Adult Film Industry feel that mandatory condom use will have a significant impact on the profitability of their films. They report that viewers of adult entertainment will find condoms to be a disruption of the fantasies that these films aim to create. In an interview last Wednesday with the New York Daily News, veteran adult film actor Ron Jeremy stated: "Performers don't mind wearing rubbers, but viewers don't want to see it. It ruins the fantasy". Others challenge the new requirements by stating that condom use in the industry should be the choice of consenting adults and not an issue for the government.
Where should we draw the line between an employer’s duty to ensure occupational health and safety and the government’s involvement in consenting sexual activities? Does condom use diminish the fantasy of adult films, or is their use a powerful reinforcement of safer-sex social norms? The answers to these questions remain to be seen as industry executives are faced with the decision to comply with the new rules or set up operations in another jurisdiction.

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2012/01/21/HIV_Advocate_Pushes_Mandated_Condom_Use_in_Porn/
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/ron-jeremy-exclusive-condom-law-a-wrap-porn-industry-a-article-1.1008562?localLinksEnabled=false
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/01/condoms-porn-aids-la-county.html
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/18/local/la-me-0118-porn-condoms-20120118
https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentcloud.org/documents/262811/col-porn-ladph-study.pdf

Mardi Gras 2012 - Le Carnaval Rouge

2012-01-27T08:46:00.004-07:00

Come get your Mardi Gras on with us!

Join us on Saturday, February 25, 2012 (7:00pm) for fiery entertainment, lavish costumes, feathery masks, and spicy creole food at the inaugural Mardi Gras – Le Carnaval Rouge

The masks, the food, the music, the beads and of course what would Mardi Gras be without the condoms! ACAA is gearing up for what might just be one of the hottest Mardi Gras parties in town this February. Come enjoy the carnival at Mardi Gras – Le Carnaval Rouge. Have your fortune told, watch fire eaters spin fire, immerse yourself in the sights and sound of the jazz trio, gasp as the contortionist twists herself into unimaginable positions, and “bare” witness to the burlesque dancers as they tease and entice. Enjoy some spicy Cajun foods and win fabulous prizes. Do you have what it takes to win best dressed? Proceeds from Mardi Gras – Le Carnaval Rouge will support ACAA programs and services.

The Metropolitan Centre
333 4 Avenue Southwest

Tickets available at: http://www.aidscalgary.org/
or
403.508.2500
($125.00 each)

must be 18+ to attend this event

The Determination Train

2012-01-20T13:57:00.006-07:00

This blog was submitted by one of our clients. He is a GIPA volunteer blog writer. It’s his third blog entry and we wanted to thank him for sharing his story! For more information on the GIPA position available please check out http://www.aidscalgary.org/getinvolved/gipa.cfm

What does AIDS Calgary mean to me? Well I used to associate the word AIDS, like so many of you, with the word gay. I now know that it means much more than that. My life really began when I started a romantic rendezvous with AIDS Calgary, if you will. You have no idea how long it took me to look up rendezvous to spell it correctly. My uncle, who is an accomplished author, once told me “every great writer is a terrible speller”. True story!

My life was in complete and utter turmoil. Geeze, my life sounds like a bad B-movie, but I can assure you my life is top quality grade A-type movie style. To start I had taken on the responsibility of my sister's four children, ages 10 and under, plus my own daughter. I had neglected my health to take care of my family first. During the time of watching all those kids my grandmother was in a coma and was determined not to live much longer. During all of this going on a childhood friend had been ill with cancer. I was in love with her since 11th grade and we had both been too shy to express our feelings for one another. The lord took her from me at the early age of 32. After all of the stress of deaths and my own health deteriorating, I finally let my aunt and my mother take the responsibilities of the children. I had then gotten really ill and found out I had a prostate infection, in turn I had been hospitalized due to the infection. I don't even want to express the pain I had gone through. I finally made an attempt to deal with having HIV when I was told my HIV had turned to AIDS and my health was in serious jeopardy. I dealt with the news of my health the way most humans deal with hard news. Let's just say I did not use my brain. I took a more destructive method to my madness. I freaked out and I bailed one fateful night in someone else's car. I think the cop used the words “took the car without permission”. Let's be real people, you and I both know that; that is just a glorified way of saying I stole it - plain and simple. On the third day of my destructive path, I was pulled over and arrested. So now I was in trouble with the law, a place my ass had never been before. At around the same time I was to have my court date I had a gallbladder attack and I had to get my gallbladder removed. I did not make my court date. I guess it was because I was afraid and also because I had to have surgery done. Now my past is catching up with me. I am now being charged with the car thing and failure to appear; I have never been so frightened, but I will deal with it as it comes.

You may ask what all this has to do with anything I had talked to you before about, but I can assure you I have a point. Just when I thought life couldn't have been more horrid, I had now seriously considered taking my own life. But, there were two people and one place that saved my life from destitution.

First, my daughter; I could not have turned my life around if it wasn't for her positive and beautiful attitude towards life. Just seeing her smile makes it all better in my opinion. Second, one particular counselor, and the third was AIDS Calgary itself. The minute I started seeing AIDS Calgary my life had changed for the better.

Let me explain something to the lot of you, oh sorry got a little carried away there I am watching Harry Potter and I got caught up in the moment. I've had HIV for 12 years but I have only recently had come to terms with my health. But then when I thought my life was in destitute there was this one particular counselor that stepped in and said “let me help you”. The counselor and I had come up with a form of motivation that seems to work for myself - "The determination train". I am on board pulling that magnificent whistle right up front screaming "I'm the king of the world." Ok, a little dramatic. Don't get me wrong, that beautiful train... let's call it the Polar Express, has been derailed a few times. But with the overpowering positive attitude, and the witty sense of humour of that one counselor, I would have never seen the light so to speak, or the way. I climbed back on that train and pulled that whistle until it had almost come out of its socket.

All the wonderfully well organized activities I have had the privilege to have been involved with, such activities as every second Friday lunches (where I have met some of the most fascinating and extraordinary people), and the small but highly enjoyable writing group. For all the years I have grown up in Calgary I finally got to see The Glenbow Museum. Seeing the Philharmonic for the first time was the perfect ending to my tragic year. To top it all off, this one particular counselor had helped me get my taxes done. Who knew!? I had mentioned that there was going to be a new penguin exhibit at the Calgary Zoo and penguins are my favorite of animals, fascinating creatures they are. Anyhow, I was handed four passes to go see the penguins at the Calgary Zoo. Hmm, maybe I will stay and live with the penguins, they live such simple lives. Nah, I am only joking with you. My mind sometimes gets off track - there's a lot rattling around in my brain sometimes. There is one more thing, blogging. I would never have done it if it were not for AIDS Calgary. If it were not for AIDS Calgary I would not have started pursuing my dream of becoming a writer. I cannot believe I am going to tell all of you this, but my dream that I am going to pursue is to become a romantic comedy novelist. There. I said it. Are you all happy now!? I am a sucker for those romantic comedies. When you read or watch a romantic comedy you always feel better about things, like you are at peace with the world.

Now that I have bored you with the gory details of my A-style movie life, I would like say one more thing. One more thing I have to get off my chest. One last thing to explain how I feel about AIDS Calgary saving my life - Thank you!

Lets Talk About Online Disclosure

2012-01-12T12:19:00.005-07:00

ACAA had the opportunity to share a fantastic video from one of our volunteers. The video details his own personal story of being a young gay man living with HIV and the stigma he faces regarding online disclosure. We are very proud of this individual for sharing his story. We hope you enjoy it!

The views and opinions expressed in this video are soley those of the original authors and other contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of AIDS Calgary Awareness Association, the staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.

50/50 @ Fifty! “A reflection on living half my lifetime HIV positive”

2012-01-06T10:10:00.003-07:00

“A reflection on living half my lifetime HIV positive”
Part One: diagnosis to despair

Where to begin? I guess the beginning is always a good place to start. January 1st 1988 was starting out to be a good year; a fun party at the club with friends along with tequila shots and other recreational items of the time had me feeling good and dancing my ass off on the dance floor. I recognised the handsome young man cruising me from the sidelines while swaying on the speaker to the beat of the DJ sounds vibrating the floor. Eyes meet, cruising continues, drinks and conversation, along with arousal, eventually lead to my place and a great romp in the sack. A fun, quick, and hot one night stand was a great way to ring in the New Year.

I awoke the next morning; condoms unused by the nightstand and had a momentary panic attack about possible HIV transmission. I dismissed this as overreacting at the time because like many, I felt I could recognise people who were HIV positive. Besides, wouldn’t someone who was positive tell you and take the steps to protect others? Oh so naïve - I was 25 and just coming out into the gay community. But hey, everyone who had HIV or AIDS looked sick right? I mean the newspapers, news broadcasters, clubs and hospitals all had visibly ill people we knew or suspected of being positive. “They had the look”.

Mid February saw Calgary hosting the Winter Olympic Games and the city was a flurry of activities, volunteer events, athlete competitions, parties, and seemingly endless fun and excitement throughout. There was also a warm and extended Chinook that melted half the downhill race tracks and a nasty influenza leaving many incredibly ill. This was the main reason I paid no mind when I felt like I had contracted this flu. In fact, sero-conversion was happening to my immune system.

One October day I awoke to find one eyelid not able to open fully and my vision blurred as a result. I thought it was an allergy or something and let it go a day or two before eventually heading to see my doctor. He was concerned that an aneurism, blood clot or possible tumour may be the cause and quickly had me into the Foothills hospital for a series of tests before concluding nothing after 5 days. He then suggested an infectious disease specialist to me as no other explanation for my still unopened eyelid could be determined.

I then met Dr. Gill, an infectious disease specialist who asked me four very simple questions. Have you ever had a blood transfusion, have you ever shared needles with someone, have you had unprotected sex, and have you ever had sex with a man? I answered yes to two of the questions so he then asked if he could run an HIV antibody blood screen. You must specifically ask for and give permission for an HIV test to be conducted; even to this day it is not part of regular STI testing and must be specifically asked for by you.

The first week in November I got a call from the doctor’s office telling me my results were in and if I would be able to come in the next day. I asked if I could just get them over the phone and was told that they do not provide results over the phone. I agreed to come in the next day for the results. The drive to the office had me distracted, my mind racing with what if it is positive? Could one time not using a condom have been a grave mistake? Who do I tell and turn to? Stop that craziness; “what are the odds” was my final thought before stepping into the office.

Gill came in, file in hand and sat across the table from me with a bit of a smile on his face. Whew that must mean good news I thought. He looked at me and said “your test has come back positive”. Great I thought “positive means good right?” It did not; and he said it meant I had tested positive for the HIV antibodies and was HIV positive. He kept talking but I heard nothing until he asked “do you have any questions”? I asked how long, he replied “Three years likely, and five years if you are very lucky”.

There were no medications, no options for treatment. You just came in for regular blood work and monitoring until HIV ran its course to the inevitable conclusion of early death. I do not recall the drive home to this day. Shell-shocked and stunned, I informed my roommates when they asked as I came in the door. I then locked myself away for a couple days to ponder my diagnosis and began to face the losses I would experience on my journey living HIV positive. It was the start of years keeping my diagnosis a “secret” from family, friends, and colleagues within an isolated lonely existence; waiting.

Within a year of my diagnosis a medication to treat HIV became available and was considered an effective treatment for HIV infection. It was offered at my next appointment and I agreed to give this new medication a try; I mean, what did I have to lose?

The medication, AZT, was the first of many to follow in a class of medication that would change the way people lived with and were treated for HIV infection. The side effects proved overwhelming for me and I discontinued treatment. Nausea, trots, dizziness, appetite loss, fatigue, mood swings, and other side effects left me incredibly sick whereas before the medications I felt fine. I did not go back to the clinic until a health issue forced me back two years later.

At the time I had a great job, life was good, and I grew accustomed to living without a partner because I was HIV positive and knew I would never date anyone who was positive. I chose to focus on what was in my control; my job and health. I gave up dreams of owning a business, buying a home and any chance of a life with someone to love and love me. This was the reality of being positive in the 80’s, loneliness, isolation, depression, and anxiety by keeping a “secret” and hoping to never get sick.

Then I met him; the one who changed my world and had me thinking I could have a relationship with someone. How did this happen? I swore to never let this happen because I would have to tell my “secret”. I decided he was worth it and we started to date. I also started to plan the moment to tell him my secret before we became more intimate. Sadly, someone else beat me to it.

A trusted friend felt he should share my HIV status with the best friend of the man I was seeing. This friend, informed the man I was seeing what he had heard before I got the courage to do it myself. I was confronted before I could disclose, it was unpleasant and as he left I felt now everyone will know and he will never come back. My world had imploded, there was nowhere to go. I was proven wrong after he spoke to mutual friends and did some research - he chose to give our relationship a try and we enjoyed a number of years together before our intimate relationship ended and our great friendship began.

1993 was a life changing year as a bout of shingles had me back to the clinic where I began. My first clinical trial proved incredibly effective at stemming the infection quickly with no side effects. It also resulted in a change from being considered HIV positive to now having an AIDS diagnosis. I lost weight, grew anxious and started to develop health issues that forced me onto multiple medications for HIV and opportunistic infections known to develop as people progressed through years of being positive. I became depressed and non-communicative with my partner falling into cocaine use to escape the fear, anxiety, and the health issues developing.

My “secret” was out and visible to those who knew me and I soon stopped going to places where people would recognise me and “the look”. Drug use, denial, and secrets led me in a downward spiral as medications failed and few new options existed. I would have to tell family members and others that I was sick and that HIV progression was destroying my body, immune system functions, and mental health. I had seen this road before remembering friends lost to AIDS and began plans for my funeral, made a living will, and non-resuscitation order should the end come sooner than later.

I recognised that I had to tell my family what was going on before I became too sick to control my actions and interactions with those close to me. I had to begin rebuilding a relationship with my father, now long broken and left to hang in the wind with no communication for years. I would have to tell my mother, brother, and his family the news and I had no idea where or how to begin.

My father was the first person I tried to tell as he was the closest relative to me and I had to identify someone to make the important decisions that may eventually have to be made. I made several attempts that summer only to bail every time. It was Thanksgiving weekend with dad and the family where the “secret” began to unfold while talking about my dentist, a specialist in HIV dental care. I had failed to remember my step mother worked for a dentist and soon she and a colleague noted the name sounded familiar. I panicked thinking “this is it, they will figure it out and I can’t let it happen with strangers in the room”. I managed to change the subject with my “secret” intact.

Days later I got a call from my step mother; she had connected the dots. My attempts at reconnecting to family, trips without a reason, severe weight loss, medications with huge names, and my visible anxiety had raised the alarm and she finally asked the question. “Do you have cancer?” I answered no and she replied, “Then you have AIDS?” I could only reply with a muted yes.

She said she had to go and speak to my father and would call back soon. I hung up and for the first time in years stood upright as the burden of my “secret” was finally out. I also felt it was the end of any chance to reconcile with my dad once he knew my condition. Once again I was proven wrong, the second of many times to come, and in a week they bought me a plane ticket to fly home and tell my mom and other family members.

I flew home to spend the weekend with my brother, his wife, and 6 month old daughter (My niece, who I thought I would never get to see). My brother had confronted me immediately once at his house about what was wrong with me - citing I looked like hell. I told him I would inform everyone on Saturday at dinner what was going on. My mom, her husband, and my grandma came over on Saturday for dinner. Before dinner was even ready mom cornered me alone and asked “Do you have cancer”? “No, I have AIDS”, I replied. We sat and cried on the kitchen floor a bit and soon everyone knew the details. Dinner was a bust I think as I cannot remember the rest of the evening.

It was on the plane home when I began thinking what do I do now that everyone knows?

My brother, his wife, and niece visited in early spring and I got to care for my niece while they went to Banff for the day. I was thrilled and exhausted by the end of the day. It was great knowing my brother and wife understood HIV transmission and that they were not afraid to let me care for my niece.

My mother followed with a visit in August when I was at my worst; very ill, depressed, and facing my mortality all while deciding what I was going to do next. My mom along with my dad and his wife met with my doctors who informed them it was likely my last Christmas and to make plans if they wanted to do something special. It was the end of summer 1994 and I had already survived past the five year prediction given to me years earlier. My mom flew back at the end of August with me barely able to get off the couch, not eating, and weighing 98 lbs. The plans for my final Christmas with family began as I started making my final estate plans.

I could not walk a block, rake the lawn, walk my dog, or be left alone to do simple chores as black outs were happening and twice I woke up alone on the kitchen floor. Tensions were high; friends, family, and my partner were all in a heightened state of anxiety and unspoken fear of what was happening to us all. The emotion on their faces clearly visible through forced smiles as no one spoke a word about what was impacting us all. My intimate relationship with my partner had ended from the stress and challenges over the years and I stopped fighting for survival and began to accept the inevitable rapidly approaching.

I was at my mental and physical end. I had lost my ability to work and was forced to rely on an income of $800.00 a month from AISH while growing more accustomed to living with depression, daily illness, further weight loss, and the reality that my days were numbered and it was only a matter of time before the end was here. My journey’s end was on the horizon and there were things I had to do before I was gone.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Part two: Resilience and recovery (Coming soon..)

Different Colors

2011-12-22T08:45:00.003-07:00

This article was written by AIDS Calgary’s Outreach worker

Have you ever noticed that condoms come in different colours, flavours, textures, and materials? Consider the plethora of shapes, sizes, as well as other enhancements such as lubricants, spermicides and so on. Not to forget existence of female condoms and dental dams. Condom manufacturers are not stopping there either. It is reported that durex will be launching condoms with a Viagra® -like substance to curb condom induced erectile dysfunction (Huffington Post, 2011). With so many options, there is surely a condom for everyone. Like many other things in life, we need to give a couple a whirl before deciding on which styles work best to protect from numerous infections including HIV; as well as keeping our lives fun and interesting.

Condoms have not always come in an array of shapes and sizes. In fact, people from generations before us did not have as many options as people in contemporary society do. There is evidence to suggest the first protective sheaths were developed as early as 100-BC. (Avert, 2011). Debate on which civilization developed the concept is still out there. Historians, anthropologists and health scientists have witnessed condom-like material from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and some parts of Asia. Early condoms were made out of linen, silk paper, shells and other materials. Rather difficult to imagine what that would have been like eh?

Europe experienced a surge in new syphilis infections around the 1500’s that helped put condoms on the map. Gabrielle Fallopius is credited for publishing the first article confirming the protective properties of linen condoms. It was also around this time that they discovered proper use of condoms could indeed prevent pregnancy (Avert, 2011). One could argue the first condom enhancements took place at this time as well. Scientists learned dipping condoms in some chemicals could kill sperm- this further enhanced the protective characteristics of condoms. By the late 1700’s hand made condoms thrived. Some pharmacies took the initiative to raise condom awareness through advertisements and handbills.

Condoms of the rubber sort did not emerge till about the 1800’s, Goodyear and his partner- yes the tire guys; developed a process that could turn rubber into a stretchy elastic substance (lovepanky, 2011). This made it easy for manufactures to make condoms using a hand dipping process. Rubber cement condoms however aged quickly and were known to break. So in 1919 Frederick Killian decided to try latex instead of rubber. This actually worked well. In addition to making them stronger, he was able to rid them of the strong, unpleasant rubber scent. Creature comforts we take for granted today such as lubricant were added to condoms in by 1957 by durex (Avert, 2011).

Since then condom enhancements have occurred left-right and center. Examples include the introduction of female condoms in 1992 (Avert, 2011). It is also around the same time color and flavor was added to the mix. Other materials such as polyurethane for individuals with allergies or different preference were launched. It should be stressed however that not all condoms protect against HIV and some STI’s. Be sure to carefully read the label and contact a sexual health center or AIDS service organization should you have any doubts, questions and or concerns. If everything checks out; let the sparks fly!

References
‘Viagra Condom’ Durex CSD500 Coming to Europe. (2011, August 5). Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/09/viagra-condom-durex-csd500-_n_859640.html

Condoms: Effectiveness, History and Availability. (2011). Retrieved October 3, 2011, from http://www.avert.org/condoms.htm

Facts About Condoms. (2011) Retrieved October 3, 2011 from http://www.lovepanky.com/sensual-tease/sizzle/facts-about-condoms

The new ‘healthy’ - It’s not just about HIV any more

2011-12-19T09:11:00.002-07:00

The following is a contribution from Anamaria Tivadar, Coordinator of Communications and Social Marketing at CATIE.

Bullied for being gay, Ottawa teen James Hubley took his own life this fall. The 15-year-old’s suicide brought to light the horrors of bullying and served as yet another reminder that homophobia, rejection experienced when coming out, and a lack of ready access to comforting and sustaining social networks, play a huge role in the health of many gay and bisexual men in Canada.

It is worth noting that while great strides have been made in managing the HIV virus, our country is only beginning to address the various social challenges that jeopardize the health of gay/ bi men.

While many gay men have found resilient, life-affirming social networks, a number face feelings of loneliness, depression or isolation. The good news is that a broader, more social-based approach to gay and bi men’s health is being adopted by some health and social agencies serving LGBTQ2S communities. These agencies may not be great in number, but the advance of such an approach is a welcome sign – one that fosters strength and resilience in gay/ bi men and promises to help turn around some disturbing statistics.

Research shows that gay and bisexual men, compared with their straight counterparts, often face higher rates of distress and higher rates of attempted suicide. Statistics Canada has reported that one in 10 hate crimes is motivated by sexual orientation, and that while 14 per cent of men who identify themselves as heterosexual report having experienced some form of discrimination, 44 per cent of gay men, and 41 per cent of bisexual men, report experiencing discrimination. In addition, an emerging area of research is showing that multiple epidemics – bullying, racial prejudice, depression, substance use, as well as HIV – reinforce each other and lower the overall health of gay and bisexual men more than one epidemic might do. Poorer health conditions, related to these stresses and social challenges, are sometimes linked to high-risk sex which, in turn, increases the chances of transmitting HIV, hepatitis C and other STIs.

More innovative programs adopted by health agencies encourage health-promoting behaviours: monitoring drug use; cultivating sexual creativity (investigating different activities that are fun, enjoyable but not risking HIV or STIs); and abandoning guilt around the sex that they enjoy (a kind of ‘shamelessness”).

Organizations showing leadership in fostering gay men’s health from a broader, social perspective include Montreal-based RÉZO (www.rezosante.org), a community-based organization for gay and bisexual men whose focus is overall health promotion as well as the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other STIs; and HiM (Health Initiative for Men – www.checkhimout.ca), a Vancouver-based agency dedicated to strengthening the health and well-being of gay men and including their physical, sexual, social and mental health.

There is also HEAT (HIV Education and Awareness Today), a program of AIDS Calgary (www.aidscalgary.org) providing extensive outreach in bars and bath houses and other innovations such as the Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo, Calgary’s Pride festivities and the Fairy Tales Film Festival.

CATIE (www.catie.ca), Canada’s source for HIV and hepatitis C information, convened a national dialogue of gay men in Montréal in March, 2010. Speaking of one of the social get-togethers his local health agency puts on, one participant said: “Ostensibly, (the program) is HIV prevention, but none of the topics are related to HIV. So we talk about coming out, we talk about community, we talk about monogamy versus open relationships. And what’s fascinating is that there’s this huge untapped desire for men to come together and talk about these things.”

It is that desire among gay/ bi men to talk – to acknowledge and discuss the social realities that at once challenge and bind them – that an increasing number of social and health agencies are tapping into. That talk, and that sense of community, is keeping loneliness and depression at bay, and helping to build personal strength and resilience.

-- 30 --

[SIDEBAR NOTE]:
Let your voice be heard.
You can contribute to the dialogue on gay life by answering the new national Sex NOW Census survey. Go to: http://cbrc.net/sexnow
For more information on HIV, hepatitis C and sexual health, go to: www.catie.ca

Food Security for people living with HIV

2011-12-09T09:03:00.003-07:00

This article was written by AIDS Calgary’s information/support worker.

The following is a definition from Health Canada’s website, “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.”1

Often neglected, food security and nutrition are critical for individuals, households and communities affected by HIV. Lack of food security and poor nutritional status may hasten progression to AIDS related illnesses and undermine adherence and response to antiretroviral therapy. HIV infection itself undermines food security and nutrition by reducing work capacity and jeopardizing household livelihoods. HIV impairs nutritional status by undermining the immune system, nutrient intake, and absorptions use. Adults with HIV have 10-30% higher energy requirements than a healthy adult without HIV, and children with HIV 50-100% higher than normal requirements. Food availability and good nutrition are thus essential for keeping people with HIV healthy and able to resist opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis for longer. 2

Research in Canada shows that two thirds of the low-income (under $30,000 yearly income) families that were studied were food insecure, and the lower the household income, the higher the chance of a household being food insecure. The research also found that among families in market rental accommodations, as the proportion of household income spent on housing costs increased, so did the likelihood of food insecurity . The likelihood of food insecurity did not differ between families in subsized and market rental housing. However, families in subsidized housing were less likely to be food insecure compared to those on a subsidy waiting list, suggesting a protective effect of subsidies. The researchers also found pervasive housing quality problems such that almost half of the households lived in crowded housing and one fifth lived in housing in need of major repair, indicating that low-income households struggle with multiple basic needs. The findings from this research suggest that food and housing insecurity are prevalent among low-income families residing in high – poverty neighbourhoods.

Policy implications of this research include the need to redefine housing affordability to take into account the amount of money left over in low-income households after shelter costs are paid. Quality and adequacy of housing should also be taken into account. There is also a need for attention to adequacy of current housing subsidy levels, as most families living in subsidized housing in the study were food insecure.3

In Alberta the average AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped*from the AISH website) income is $1188 dollars, if you break this down into a budget and spend $750.00 for rent, this leaves $438.00 for telephone, utilities, transportation, clothing, laundry and groceries and quite often groceries are the item that gets left until the last and often people then need to use the Food Bank. You can self-refer 3 times at the Calgary Food Bank and you can have an agency refer another 4 times a year. The link for low cost food in Calgary is: http://www.calgaryfoodbank.com/2011/Low%20Cost%20Food%20April%202011.pdf.url

The fact that people living with HIV are often a group with low income and inadequate housing, Food Security can be a major issue. Often the clients that use the agency (ACAA) are dealing with numerous issues including food security. If people don’t have a place to live they depend on free meals from shelters and the take away lunch bags that AIDS Calgary provides.

The following nutrition programs are offered to registered clients of ACAA:

Positive Living Lunch Program
A hot meal and time for clients to socialize and learn about specific health and wellness topics, on scheduled Fridays. See our Event Calendar for the schedule of upcoming Lunches.

Coffee Connection
Drop-in for informal peer support for people living with HIV/AIDS. Coffee and snacks provided, on scheduled Fridays. See our Event Calendar for the schedule of upcoming Coffee Connections.

Vitamin Program
Several studies have proven the positive health impact of multivitamins on people living with HIV. With the help of our partner, Jamieson Laboratories, we have multivitamins available at no charge to all AIDS Calgary clients.

Good Food Box
AIDS Calgary is a Good Food Box depot location. The Good Food Box is a program run by the Community Kitchen Program of Calgary. A variety of box sizes are available, ranging from $15 to $25 a box, and each box is filled with low-cost, high quality fresh fruits and vegetables.

Other Food Programs
Our Case Managers can provide Calgary Food Bank referrals for registered clients. We also provide information on nutrition, food safety and basic cooking. In addition, emergency bagged lunches and snacks from our Calgary Cares Centre kitchenette are always available for clients. 4

REFERENCES
1. Normén L, Chan K, Braitstein P, et al. Food Insecurity and Hunger Are Prevalent among HIV-Positive Individuals in British Columbia, Canada. Journal of Nutrition 2005;135(4):820-825. http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/dataimport/pub/manual/2008/jc1515_policy_brief_nutrition_en.pdf2.

2. http://one.wfp.org/food_aid/doc/JC1515-Policy_Brief_Expanded.pdf

3. Jones CY, Hogan JW, Snyder B, et al. Overweight and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) progression in women: associations HIV disease progression and changes in body mass index in women in the HIV epidemiology research study cohort. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2003;37 Supplement 2:s69-s80.

4. http://www.aidscalgary.org/

Life's Great Challenge

2011-12-01T09:40:00.004-07:00

This blog was submitted by one of our clients. He is a GIPA volunteer blog writer. It’s his second blog entry and we wanted to thank him for sharing his story! For more information on the GIPA position available please check out http://www.aidscalgary.org/getinvolved/gipa.cfm

So I just found out that I was HIV positive and a new life would begin and not all of it wonderful to say the least, at times often difficult. I would often question God and ask myself why I was dealt such a crappy hand of cards. Was I being tested at how strong I was going to handle life? Darn right I thought I was being tested. If I would have known now the consequences of my insubordinate actions and the affect it had on my life I would have taken precautions if you know what I mean.

THE PHONE CALL
Let’s begin at my place of work. I was a birthday party planner at a leisure center and I had a lot on my mind - not that you could blame me at all. Not concentrating on my job one bit. You see, that was out of the norm for me as I always would give 110% of my work. I was walking to the elevator one afternoon at the leisure center thinking about the news that I had just received days before when suddenly from out of nowhere another employer came around the corner pushing a flat blue trolley with three big ice cream pales full of grease. Yes that's right, grease, and we collided. Well grease went everywhere and it took hours to clean. That made for a long day, and the day kept on that path of destruction. Near the end of the day just when I thought “oh thank goodness I made it through another rotten day”, there's a phone call for me. My grandmother is on the line. "Bobby". She says. "I just found out the news of your health, I am so sorry that happened to you". Now what I am going to say might or might not shock you but this set the path for the rest of my entire life. "I never thought I would have a grandchild that would die before me". She said this as sincerely as possible and I knew she meant well but I still took it to heart. I was speechless. I should mention my grandmother passed away two years ago, God rest her soul. So a bad day ended with a bad phone call but I let it slide. One bad day. Big deal.

THE DOCTORS APPOINTMENT
One comment from a family member; I was not going to let that affect my life, I had a plan. My first doctor’s appointment was a complete and utter bust. I was excited to start medication and carry on with my life. The doctor came in and she had asked me some formality questions. I answered the questions as quickly and honestly as I could. I was rambling on like I usually do when I am nervous and I mentioned something about school. Now folks I want to just say this like before; what I am about to say and let’s just say I should of taken my own advice. Don't let one stupid, stupid comment ruin or take control of your life like I let happen. Anyways, the doctor basically told me not to set my goals too high as I don't know how much time I would have to complete those goals. Well again I was floored by this comment, I didn't know what to say but “oh, okay”. Ever since those few comments I told myself I would never show any kind of weakness with my life. For years after I would do things for friends and family members, selfless things, things that wore me down, things that would make me tired. For years I neglected my medication because I was too busy helping everyone else around me. And all because of a few comments.

MY YEAR IN RUINS
I have been suffering from depression for about a year now. Let's just say I have done some completely ridiculous things over the year. Maybe it's because I am lonely or maybe it's because I am just after 12 years coming to terms with this disease. I let a few ignorant people get away with some horrible comments and it finally took hold of my life. It took control of the wheel. I am here to say I am taking back that wheel with a firm grip and never letting go again. I refuse to let anyone derail my plan again. Depression is a funny disease. It makes us do absolutely unimaginable things that we would never ever consider doing before the depression started. "Let me just tell you that I recently became a connoisseur of last looks, you know the kind of look that you know that will be the last time you see the person, I have been collecting those looks". (A quote from my favourite movie Elizabethtown). I too have been collecting these last looks over the year. To understand that quote I have to explain my year in ruins. My disaster. My tornado. And the way I see it we get one bad year out of our life to screw up, just one though. As somebody once said... “There is a difference between a failure... and a fiasco. A failure is simply the non-presence of success. Any fool can accomplish failure. But a fiasco... a fiasco is a disaster of mythic proportions; a fiasco is a folktale told to others to make others...that makes others feel more alive... because it didn't happen to them.” (Quoted again form Elizabethtown). Let’s start with my sisters kids. They were taken away from my sister because of drugs and neglect I believe, well whatever the reason they were taken away undeniably and unmistakably. They were taken away and put in the so called wonderful foster system. I had not even considered watching my sister’s kids. There were 4 children to watch and I had my daughter as well. 5 kids, are you crazy? I guess I was. When I found out that the two youngest children were being abused in one of the many foster homes that they were in I changed my mind immediately and took steps to watch all four children. The next thing I knew I was watching five kids over the year and neglected my meds again because I put my family's needs first. It wasn't until my grandmother passed away that things started taking a toll on my life. My best friend and high school love interest had gotten sick with cancer and she passed away as well at the young age of 32. I turned to drugs and alcohol. The social work and I came to the decision that I was stressed and needed to take some time for myself so my aunt and mom graciously took the kids for me. Next my depression of having HIV took me to a place I have never been before. My daughter and I moved in with her old day home worker and things were going well. However one night I invited a friend over and we decided to drug it up one night. Later that night we were done doing drugs and my friend wanted me to go get more drugs and the only transportation at the time was my roommate’s car. As I left the room I gave the girl I was with I think the last look I was talking about earlier. I disappeared for three days and did drugs and kept the car that was now reported stolen. My daughter in the meantime went to stay with her mom for a little while so I could take care of myself. Well the car was found with me in it and I was arrested for the first time ever in my life. Me arrested? Wow, a high school graduate, top of my class and all. After all that happened I quit drugs but I was still in and out of the hospital for depression and suicide. I was depressed for letting myself get HIV. I wasn't mad at the person who gave it to me, I was mad at myself for letting it happen. Throughout all of this I had collected a lot of last looks because I lost and hurt a lot of family and friends. My year really turned out to be a fiasco. I learned and lived through all of it!

IN CLOSING
I have one other thing on my mind. I had recently had another comment and this time it was way too close to home. I had told someone that I had written a blog for AIDS Calgary and that person asked me if I had put my name on it because of the family name. I said “Don't worry, I will not ruin your reputation”. I was hoping to hear “good for you” or “nice job” or anything to that affect. This kind of thing still goes on even in 2011. Maybe I and so many others can make a difference by standing out and blogging.

Yours truly Casanova (kidding)
AKA Bob

International Transgender Day of Remembrance

2011-11-23T16:28:00.004-07:00

This article was written by one of AIDS Calgary’s practicum students.

November 20, 2011 was the International Transgender Day of Remembrance. This Memorial Day is held in honour of the victims of anti-transgender violence. The Day of Remembrance was started in 1999 after a woman named Rita Hester was stabbed multiple times in her apartment on November 28, 1999. Rita was a female-identified transgendered person who was often referred to in the press as “he” and her male-born name was often used; a name that she had not used for several years. Rita’s death sparked a movement within the transgendered community, whereby those who had been killed either directly or indirectly by anti-transgendered hate and bias are remembered.

Transgendered (trans) individuals living with HIV are a unique community. HIV rates among trans women are very high. One of the reasons that the rates are high in the trans community is because of the use of needles when injecting hormones. If a person is getting their hormones from the black market, it may be difficult to get clean needles for this purpose and many people share gear.

There are other reasons that the rates of HIV may be high among the trans community: Injection drug use, lack of safer sex education, lack of resources, and not enough services targeting this population. Trans people are invisible in smaller cities and are therefore lumped into the category of gay and lesbian, when in fact gender identity has nothing to do with sexual identity.

There are some things that cis-gendered* people can do to create a better environment where a trans person can feel more comfortable. It is important that cis-gendered people recognize that not everyone identifies as male or female. Someone’s appearance will not always be able to tell you what their gender identity is. Some trans people are not visibly trans; a person may appear male but their gender identity may be female. Others may have already transitioned and you may not even realize that they used to be male or female-bodied. Many people assume that you will be able to “tell” if a person is transgendered and this is almost never the case. Ask people what pronouns they prefer to use. Always refer to people in the pronouns that they prefer, even if it doesn’t match how you would view them. Check out the Non-trans privilege checklist!
http://www.amptoons.com/blog/2006/09/22/the-non-trans-privilege-checklist

*Cis-gendered refers to the people whose gender-identity and physical body match. For example, a person who is born in a female body with female sex hormones identifies as female. The “opposite” of cis-gendered is trans-gendered.

References:
“International Transgender Day of Remembrance,” last modified September 2, 2011, http://www.transgenderdor.org/

Action Santé Travesti(e)s et Transsexuel(le)s du Québec, Taking Charge: A Handbook for Health Care and Social Service Providers Working with Trans People (Montreal, QUE, 2011).

The Psychology of Do or Don’t I....

2011-11-17T15:49:00.004-07:00

This article was created by ACAA's Project Manager of Bow Valley. To learn more about the programs and services ACAA offers in Bow Valley visit http://www.aidscalgary.org/supportservices/bowvalley.cfm or contact info@aidscalgary.org.

Every day we make choices and decisions that involve a certain amount of risk, how we decide in each circumstance depends on both external and internal factors. Add other people to our decision making process and it gets even more complicated, at least it does for most people.

In our prevention efforts at AIDS Calgary I think it would be safe to say that we are all working towards preventing the spread of HIV and other STIs and a big piece of that work is around education and promoting condom use.

We share the process of how HIV and other STIs are transmitted, we talk about the risk involved and in our efforts to move more people towards using condoms and we also look to indentify the barriers that get in the way of people using them.

We acknowledge that there are many circumstances that contribute to a person’s decision not to use protection, but for this conversation I want to address the decision to have unsafe sex when a person does have all the facts, knows all the risks and has access to condoms.

There is likely no definite answer here, especially when we’re talking about investigating choices and decisions, but there may be evidence of how complicated our minds and choices really are.

I believe the complexity to how we each make decisions everyday travels down a path of both conscious and unconscious choices. There are many people who knowingly take the risk of getting HIV or other STIs through having unsafe sex, which raises a couple of questions for me.

Is there a moment when the person has a thought, impulse or even a conversation that they should wear protection but yet they still continue forward with having unprotected sex?

If they do then my next question is… what is it that overrides those thoughts?

Think about it, does a person with all the facts and access to condoms actually consciously say to themselves “I am choosing to have unprotected sex right now”?

I am interested to understand and identify if there is indeed an internal struggle with our decision making processes. If there is an internal conflict right before a person engages in sex, then I would suggest that understanding this dynamic is one of greatest barriers once education on all the facts is presented.

When I stand up in front of a group to provide education on HIV and STIs I am always curious to ask the question, “What are the reasons why you think people don’t wear condoms?” Some people will answer from personal experience and others from an outside perspective.

Each group will come up with different reasons such as:
They were too intoxicated
Shows a sign of lack of trust if you wear a condom
There are no condoms in the vicinity
Financially cannot afford to buy condoms
Doesn’t feel as good
You know the person well enough
Laziness

These are just a few of the examples that I hear during my presentations and for me they represent answers to more questions. It’s the tip of the ice berg when it comes to how we make our individual choices, especially when it comes to the psychology of do I or don’t I put this condom on.

It is a lot easier to have a discussion about condoms before having sex but that conversation can be tricky and sometimes uncomfortable. Generally speaking it’s not a talk that many of us prepare for, so that in itself can build the momentum towards experiencing such a conversation as embarrassing or if left unspoken creating that elephant in the room.

How will the other person respond, will they get insulted? Will I ruin the mood? And what are the chances this person has HIV or an STI? These are just some examples that I have heard when talking with very honest people about their internal struggles of deciding to bring the topic up or not.

I knew a young man that used to have multiple partners when he was younger and most of the time it was with strangers. He was extremely intelligent, knew the facts of how HIV and STIs were transmitted and often had a condom in his pocket when he was engaging in sex, yet he almost never used it.

Once when we were talking about why he had condoms in his pocket and why it was that he never used them. He replied with “I don’t know, I know better but when I get to that moment my attitude changes. It’s as if I don’t care in that moment and then spend the entire next day worrying about the consequences.”

At the end of the day we are all adults who have the right to choose the kind of sex we want to experience. I believe that self awareness is good for all of us and each of us thinks, acts and responds differently. With a better understanding of ourselves we can better support our decisions.

MY MISADVENTURE

2011-11-10T10:18:00.002-07:00

This blog was submitted by one of our clients. He is a GIPA volunteer blog writer. It’s his first blog and we wanted to thank him for sharing his story! For more information on the GIPA position available please check out http://www.aidscalgary.org/getinvolved/gipa.cfm

THE BREAK UP
HIV what can I say about that topic. Well the only way to talk about it is to share my experience with all of you. And the only way to describe my misadventure is to start from the beginning.

Once upon a time... No I am totally kidding, this was definitely no fairy tale story, however I totally wish it had been. You know, one of those stories where the prince saves the day, gets the girl, and lives happily ever after?

13 years ago I thought I was in love with a beautiful girl and she was in love with me. We had it all - wonderful jobs, going to college lots of amazing friends and quite a beautiful life at that time. I know what you are thinking; sounds like a fairy tale, well I thought that as well. To top it all off we found out on New Year’s Eve of all days that she is pregnant and we couldn't have been happier. It was a straight man’s fairy tale.

9 Months had passed without a hitch and everything was going swimmingly well for us. It was just perfect - until a few complications with the birth. It was nothing life threatening but nonetheless still extremely stressful. This caused us to have a horrible detrimental break up. Don't get me wrong we are best friends now and have a truly amazing healthy daughter, but I am jumping ahead a bit. It wasn't always that way.

GETTING HIV
I was completely devastated by our break up. I like to call it "THE BREAK UP OF 98". It was like it was a natural disaster or something. Pathetic I know but that is how I saw it.

I had decided one fateful night that I needed to go out by myself and have some me time. Well I spent the night bar hopping and getting completely hammered. My misadventure took me to a gay bar where I was hit on a few times, well more like a lot of times as I am not completely flawed with looks and personality. Then I got the OFFER to go home with someone from the gay bar and by this time I was so drunk that I was in no position to argue. I would have gone home with an alien at this point in the night. No I am kidding. I thought to myself that night what the heck don't knock it until you try it. That used to be the phrase I lived by. I say that because before having our daughter I had gone skydiving and bungee jumping and caving as well. I am getting off track here, back to my one fateful night. I had now tried it and I liked it, jeepers I sound like a Katy Perry song lol.

In case anyone is not really following the story right now I am talking about the S word o.k. I'll just say it anyways "SEX" and not just any sex, sex with a man. And you have to understand why I am talking like that because when I was younger I grew up in a house where you must watch baseball and football. Whenever we had family dinners it was the women cooking and the men would eat go in the rumpus room as my grandmother would call it and lie on the floor and stick their hands in their jeans and watch baseball or football. So that is why I had never tried anything with the same sex and I had a girlfriend and child, a dog and a white picket fence. So old-school I know!

FINDING OUT
Now back to "THE BREAK OF 98". Before we became friends my ex and I had a battle for custody in the courts. I am not going to go into detail about the ordeal that I had gone through however I am going to say this. She tried to keep my daughter from me at first and I was not going to stand for it so I sought a lawyer and took her to court. You may ask what does this have to with my finding out I am HIV positive? Well it has a lot to do with it. In fact it is a key part of the story, I want to say heart of the story but I don't want to use the word heart as to me that is a positive word used in that text.

The stress of the trial (I'm kidding again I was trying to make the story more exiting like a John Grisham novel) had made me extremely ill and I could barely make it to the court room but with the help of my mom supporting me in court I made it through. Everybody had thought I should go to the hospital but I being the stubborn person I am made it very clear that I will go to the hospital as soon as I had joint custody of my daughter. The outcome of that was that I did win joint custody of my daughter.

I went to the hospital right after and found out I had pneumonia. They treated me for my health problems and took some blood samples from me. Later in the week I had gotten a phone call from the hospital asking if I could come in immediately and discuss a few things. I had a gut feeling what the problem was and I ignored the docs for months. They kept bugging me to come in so finally...

My mom, a friend of the family’s and I went in to see what the problem was. I remember waiting there and thinking it couldn't be what I thought it was. That could never happen to me. Well it did happen to me and it could happen to anyone of you if you are not careful or maybe it already did happen to you and I am right here with you struggling with this long term health problem.

After we had left the hospital with the detrimental news I remember standing beside my mom’s red Dodge Ram truck and I just started to cry and cry. My mom came running up to me and hugged me so tightly and I said to her being the non-selfish person that I am "I am so sorry". She said to me "You have nothing to be sorry for and don't ever apologise for anything, we will get through this".

I was living with my sister at the time, my mom had dropped me off at home and I came in to the dimly lit basement suit to find my sister sleeping on the couch. I sat down beside her and started to cry again this time I didn't have to say anything she just knew and she got up and just hugged me and cried with me.

I have many, many more experiences with dealing with this heart wrenching disease, but I will save that for another time. I have learned one very important lesson here. Never go out and use drinking as a way to cope with your problems at hand, it could lead you to even greater heart ache than what you had started with. One other thing that helps me deal with my stress is humour and laughter; if you don't have that then you don't have anything. I have 12 years more to talk about but that will be in a second part blog that I am still working on and thank you all for taking the time to listen to my story.

HIV and its relationship to drug resistance

2011-11-09T09:07:00.009-07:00

This article was written by Shweta Sah, an AIDS Calgary Awareness Association volunteer blog writer. Shweta is a 2nd year M.Sc. Medicine student in the University of Calgary.

1. What is HIV drug resistance?
HIV Drug resistance is the decrease in efficiency of antiviral drug to prevent HIV replication inside the human body. In layman’s term, it is the ability of HIV to replicate in the body despite the presence of an antiviral drug which ultimately leads to failure in curing a condition or a disease.

2. How does HIV drug resistance occur?
Drug resistance happens when the drug fails to eliminate or inhibit a retrovirus that survives, reproduces and mutates itself thereby becoming resistant to the drug. This is primarily due to mutation in the HIV’s genome where RNA contains proteins and enzymes needed by the retrovirus to infect the cells and produce new virus. The new virus that contains error prone proteins (one that does not correct any mistakes while copying) then replicates at an extremely rapid rate. It ultimately takes over the defense mechanism of the host resulting in increased drug resistance. Multidrug resistance happens when the organism becomes resistant to multiple drugs at the same time.

3. Why is HIV so prone to drug resistance?
Emerging mutations of viral genome and changing treatment are the two primary reasons for HIV – prone drug resistance. In the case of emerging mutations, due to the high error-prone HIV replication; viral mutation is very rapid. Thus, a new mutated viral copy is made. More resistant the virus, higher the chances of anti-retroviral drug failure. On the other hand, changing treatments is required due to the fact that the current treatment no longer works for the host due to the mutated viral strain. The person then needs an alternative treatment which is better and more effective than the previous one.

4. What does it mean when drug resistance occurs while someone is on treatment?
Treatments are aimed at keeping the virus low, preferably undetectable and to prevent any mutation from happening. However, drug resistance while on treatment can still occur due to various reasons like improper absorption and distribution of drug into the blood stream; improper metabolization inside the body to target the virus; and finally improper removal/clearance of the drug and metabolites from the body. This can result in trough levels that are very low which leads to HIV mutations and accumulation of drug-resistance mutations at a faster rate.
Another point to consider is that drug efficacy varies from individual to individual. Factors such as body weight, height, age and gender can also contribute to this difference.

5. How can you avoid drug resistance?
Evading drug resistance is difficult, but most effective HIV suppression can be accomplished by the following regime:

1. Follow the treatment/therapy closely best suited to your body: Take precautions not to skip the doses. Skipping doses leads to HIV replication resulting in more viral load in the host. HIV-positive person must be more than 95% adherent with his/her regimen (i.e. he can only miss one dose per month even if it happens accidentally) for the drug to be effective and working.

2. Schedule medications:
Take medications at the same time to get your body accustomed to it. Scheduling it at a regular time lowers the viral reproduction rate, thereby reducing the chance of drug resistance.

3. Follow the prescribed dietary intake: Take your doctor’s advice on the dietary restrictions that apply to you while taking the prescribed medicines or combination drugs. Important thing is to stick to it and follow it on a daily basis. Adding some exercise along with the proper dietary intake can help in staying fit as some medications can make you obese.

References:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_resistance
2. http://www.prn.org/index.php/management/article/hiv_drug_resistance_mechanisms_277
3. http://www.hivworkshop.com/drug_resistance.htm
4. http://www.thewellproject.org/en_US/Treatment_and_Trials/Things_to_Consider/Resistance.jsp
5. http://www.thebody.com/content/art14570.html

Decreasing Social Isolation

2011-11-03T08:49:00.002-06:00

This article was created by ACAA's Education & Support Worker. To learn more about the programs and services ACAA offers visit www.aidscalgary.org or contact info@aidscalgary.org.

Marginalized populations, including people living with HIV and sex workers, experience higher levels of social isolation. The stigma and discrimination related to HIV and sex work can make it “very easy to become isolated from friends, family and community” (Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange [CATIE]), 2009 p 71). Isolation can lead to depression, increased addiction issues, low self-esteem, and overall feelings of negativity.

In July 2011, AIDS Calgary introduced a new position, an Education/Support Worker. A part of this position’s role is to create workshops, groups, and social events for clients. As the person who was lucky enough to get hired for this position, I have focused a lot of my time on developing more social inclusion activities for clients; understanding the positive impact that these events can have.

In September I got the chance to accompany clients on the second annual zoo trip. This gave me a firsthand glimpse into the positive outcomes of a social outing. Friendships were developed, jokes were told, and the general mood of every participant increased; mine included. Since then AIDS Calgary, with the help of my new position, have worked hard to develop more opportunities for social outings, both for our HIV supports program, as well as the Shift program.
One upcoming event is our Glenbow Museum trip. On November 16th the HIV supports clients will get the opportunity to visit the Glenbow Museum for free. This will allow clients to explore the featured exhibit ‘Watch Me Move: The Animation Sho’, which explores the progress of the animated world, from Snow White all the way to the Lord of the Rings. The trip will give clients a chance to engage with others, build social supports, and just enjoy the beauty and creativity of the animated world. The same trip will be offered for our Shift clients on November 30th.
I am personally very excited to attend the trip to the Glenbow Museum. I also look forward to developing many more social events for our clients. Until then…I hope to see you all at the Museum!

2011-10-27T16:28:00.003-06:00

This blog was submitted by one of our clients. He wanted to share his experience of attending a social outing with the organization. He is a GIPA volunteer blog writer. It’s his first blog and we wanted to thank him for sharing his story! For more information on the GIPA position available please check out http://www.aidscalgary.org/getinvolved/gipa.cfm

Hi, my name is Lance. It’s around 7’oclock on a Saturday morning. I awakened in my usual gear, overdrive. Not in first gear, like most people do. I had something on my plate, and that was getting down to business in the volunteer world.

A few days prior I had an interview with the volunteer coordinator at AIDS Calgary; Vanessa was the lady in charge. She had mentioned that they are looking for individuals to do some writing for the BLOG! The first thing that came to my mind was, “WHAT THE HELL IS A BLOG?!”I pictured, you know, the small air-pockets over the cartoon characters in comic books.

Once I had checked out the website on the topic, got the low-down, I immediately said “NO” to the idea. Two days after our conversation, I challenged my insecurities, found a little strength, grabbed a pen and paper and began to apply words in writing. What did I have to lose? But lots to gain. These wheels are in motion now.

I would just like to share with you readers about our (the clients) and two staff members of Cares (The Calgary Cares Centre) field trip to the Calgary zoo. There was around ten of us in total. Welcome back to elementary school’s grade three outings! Our inner-child’s were right pumped-up with excitement! All you heard was the laughter, lots of “wows” and “yeahs” comment on what the eyes were seeing out there and of course all the fresh air intake. Here’s the big kicker, the paid for lunch. Nice touch.

Speaking for myself, I have always been on the HOMOPHOBIC side in my life. But that day it was all about putting my personal feelings aside, and I found humility instead. As we all chatted amongst each other, friendships developed! We all possess the same color of blood. It all boils down to we are all brothers and sisters in the end, right?

To close up this ink-kite*, I will leave you all with my overall observations and thoughts from our afternoon venture! With all of our problems in life, our stresses, our health concerns. Those hours we were touring around together as a family. The negative thinking wasn’t upon us. We focused on the moment at hand and just had an enjoyable, fun day.

I hope for my first attempt as a writer that you all have found this entertaining and enlightening. Here is a phrase I once heard in my life’s travel and never forgot it. Absorb this: “Have a great day, unless you’ve made different plans!”. All of us have the power to make positive changes in our lives and it all starts with our attitude about it and towards others! Take it light!

*Ink-kite is a note passed between inmates in prison.

HIV and Older Adults - Part 2

2011-10-20T08:31:00.002-06:00

In part 2 of this 2 part series we are sharing an article that one of our case managers wrote and had printed in Kerby Centre Newsletter.

One doesn’t have to look very far to see that sex is everywhere: on the television, in the paper, on the radio. How much of this reflects the experience of older adults? How much HIV and STI prevention messaging is targeted at older adult populations? Many older adults may not have received education about correct condom use or sexual risk behaviours. The media reinforces the message that older adults are not at risk, while statistics continue to state otherwise. Greater communication needs to occur to educate seniors about taking care of their sexual health.

In spite of the lack of sexual health information being directed at older adults, research has suggested that seniors are worried about HIV and other STIs. A study of adults aged 65 and over found that 50% of respondents were concerned about HIV and other STIs, versus only 30% of the physicians and health care practitioners serving these individuals . While this study was small, it suggests that doctors may be unlikely to talk to their patients about sexuality and safer sex. In addition, patients often report embarrassment or fear of discussing their sexual activities with their physician.

The current lack of communication, education, and awareness about sexual risk behaviours for older adults has resulted in low rates of HIV testing for this group. Older individuals presenting with HIV symptoms are often not considered at risk for HIV, with their symptoms being mistaken for other age-related health concerns. This failure to acknowledge HIV risk factors for older adults means that older adults are being diagnosed with HIV at a much later stage of the illness, despite their frequent involvement with health care services. Adults over the age of 50 are 20% more likely to receive a late-stage diagnosis than those under the age of 50 . For older adults who receive this diagnosis late, they may be as much as 14 times more likely to die within a year of their diagnosis than peers of the same age who were diagnosed promptly . Early detection is particularly important for the treatment of HIV in older adults, who may face additional age-related complications when living with HIV.

There is no cure for HIV but it is both preventable and treatable for people of all ages. More work is needed to promote older adults as a vulnerable population for HIV transmission and to encourage dialogue between patients and health care providers about sexual health. What can you do to protect yourself against HIV? Education, awareness, and safer sex behaviours are all powerful tools for HIV prevention. Safe sex practices and regular testing can ensure that all older adults are able to continue to enjoy safe, happy, healthy intimate relationships well into later life.

More information about HIV, safer sex, and testing is available through community organisations such AIDS Calgary Awareness Association and Calgary Sexual Health Centre. AIDS Calgary also provides counselling and support programs for people living with HIV/AIDS. To connect with AIDS Calgary you can call 403-508-2500 or check out our website at www.aidscalgary.org.

Sources
Katherine Githens & Emily Abramsohn, “Still Got it at Seventy: Sexuality, Aging, and HIV,” Achieve, Summer 2010
Havlik, R.J., & Kaminski, D.M. “Ageing before your time?” Achieve, Fall 2009: 17
Havlik, R.J., & Kaminski, D.M. “Ageing before your time?” Achieve, Fall 2009: 17

HIV and Older Adults- Part 1

2011-10-14T08:54:00.003-06:00

In part 1 of this 2 part series we are sharing an article that one of our case managers wrote and had printed in Kerby Centre Newsletter.

Did you know that seniors are at risk for HIV/AIDS? According to the most recent statistics released by the Public Health Agency of Canada, people over the age of 50 accounted for 15% of all new positive HIV test results in 2009 . This number has been steadily increasing over the last 10 years in countries such as Canada, the United States, and Great Britain. While it may be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of this increase in HIV infection rates among older adults, there is growing evidence to support that there are unique biological, behavioural, and social factors associated with new infection rates in older adult and senior populations.
As older adults continue to live longer and experience better health into their senior years, they continue to enjoy healthy sex lives. While it may be no surprise that older adults continue to be sexually active, very little research has been done in the field of older adult sexuality. What the current research tells us is that sexual behaviour and sexual desire in older adults is largely related to overall health . Better health, the introduction of erectile dysfunction drugs, and changes in social networking through technology have all provided many older adults with the opportunity to form new romantic relationships later in life.
While healthy sexuality is possible at any age, the leading large-scale study on older adult sexuality has shown that half of the older adults involved in the research reported experiencing one or more sexual problems . While it may be normal to experience changes to our sexual functioning as we get older, some of these changes can put seniors at an increased risk for acquiring HIV or other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Men may experience changes in their erectile functioning, while women may experience changes to their bodies after menopause which put them at a greater biological risk for acquiring HIV and other STIs.
Erectile dysfunction drugs have been commercially available in Canada for over 10 years, which has proved to be an effective treatment for many men experiencing erectile dysfunction. Recent studies have shown a troubling connection between the use of these medications and an increase in risky sexual behaviours for older adult men. Studies have shown that a man taking erectile dysfunction drugs may be twice as likely to develop an STI as his non-medicated peer due to an increase in risky sexual behaviours associated with his improved erectile functioning .
Increased sexual behaviours for older adults isn’t something to be worried about, risky sexual behaviour is. Condoms are the best protection against HIV and other STIs and need to be used consistently and correctly to prevent infection. Research suggests that men over the age of 50 are significantly less likely to use a condom than younger men . Women who are past child-bearing years also report that they are much less likely to insist in condom use than younger women. Are older adults choosing to engage in riskier behaviours than younger individuals, or is low condom use a symptom or a larger issue of how the public and health care providers educate older adults about risk?

Sex Work: A Rights Based Approach

2011-10-06T11:59:00.002-06:00

The below post was contributed by our Shift program, thanks Shift!

Shift’s mission statement asserts that along with a harm reduction framework, Shift uses a rights based approach to the programs and services provided. Basic human rights of individuals involved in sex work are the core foundation of the Shift program. Shift recognizes the rights of sex workers as individuals and as workers. As a result, Shift advocates on behalf of individuals working in sex work based on basic human rights for themselves and their families: appropriate health care, housing, safety & security, equal protection under the law, and improved working condition.
Sex workers have the same human rights as all people, including the right to safety while working. No one ever deserves to experience violence or assault. Suggestion that violence, abuse or assault is part of the job is blaming the victims of these crimes and implying that it is acceptable under those circumstances. The current prostitution laws also put people involved in sex work at greater risk for violence by forcing sex workers to work in unsafe working conditions, criminalizing sex workers and creating barriers to reporting violence due to fear of prosecution. See AIDS Calgary’s position statement in support of decriminalization of sex work for more information at http://www.shiftcalgary.org/Past_Events.html
Sex workers also have a right to self-determination. The right to self-determination means that workers are treated and respected as capable, competent individuals who are able to make their own decisions. First, this means that workers have the right to do what they wish with their bodies, including sex work. Service providers, law enforcement and the community do not have the ability to take that right away. Secondly, sex workers have the right to name their own needs. Those involved in sex work often report that when they share with service providers that they are sex workers, service providers will focus on the sex work and not the actual need the worker has requested to address. This often occurs when service providers insist that sex workers are victims and should be “saved” from their work, insisting that they need to exit the industry. Sex workers should be able to direct their own course of action and not have outside people establish goals for them.
Sex workers also have a right to live free from discrimination and stigma. Sex workers are one of the most marginalized populations due to society’s fear, lack of knowledge and understanding around sex work. Many people view sex workers as criminals, or people who are committing indecent or immoral acts. The media and pop culture often make derogatory statements about sex workers or portray workers in a negative light. This kind of stigma leads to discrimination, thus further isolating sex workers from society, decreasing their access to basic rights of health care, services and community connections.
Sex Workers refuse to accept the discrimination and rights violations that occur against them. Shift stands with sex workers against the fight, advocating and supporting those involved in sex work.

Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life- Thank You!

2011-09-29T16:04:00.002-06:00

On September 25th, over 500 walkers joined us for our 17th annual Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life. It was one of the warmest days we’ve had for a walk in recent history and we are thankful that so many people came out to enjoy the day and a walk along the river. We have a lot to be thankful for and we wanted to take this opportunity to recognize a few individuals who helped to make this day such a great success!

For our walkers, thank you so much for participating in the walk, raising awareness and donations. We are thrilled to announce our walk total, with sponsorships and donations, is just over $171,000! This will support AIDS Calgary to continue to do the work that we do in our communities, supporting people living with HIV and providing prevention, education and outreach services.

On the day of the walk we were able to award prizes to a few individuals and teams who made large contributions to the walk. Our top corporate team was Partners for Life (Starbucks) and the top non-corporate team was Team Klink who both brought in over $6000.00. Our top individual fundraiser prize was awarded to Shannon MacLeod who raised over $3000.00! Our top adult was Terry MacKenzie, our top child was James Riddell, and our top youth was Stacey Cropper! Lastly, but certainly not least our top team trophy was awarded to the Board Warriors. Thanks again to all of you for your fundraising efforts!

We also owe a huge thank you to our volunteers! On the day of the walk we had 112 volunteers on site assisting with everything from food and beverage, stage set up, cheering people on at route stations, organizing kids’ activities, and assisting with banners, just to name a few positions. Those 112 amazing people also put in a whopping 431 hours on just that day! Our committee of volunteers- the people who are pivotal in planning and executing the event also spent many hours in many meetings leading up to the event to ensure that it was the best walk day ever!

To our hosts of the day, Michelle Thrush and Brad Fraser, your presence was greatly appreciated and you added such great energy to our event!

Thank you to the sponsor of our first VIP Breakfast, Brian Mahoney & Associates!

And to our great staff, thank you for all the work you put in to organize and put on such a spectacular event and for those of you who came out on the day to support the team.

Now it’s time that we start planning and getting ready for another great walk in 2012! We look forward to seeing you at next year’s walk. We hope you will join us again as a walker, donor, sponsor, or volunteer! We are very thankful for all that you do and appreciate the support that you offer us so that we can continue to provide much needed services in the community.

HIV Support Services Update

2011-09-23T08:33:00.004-06:00

As you all know by now the Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life is only 3 days away! So we thought we would take the opportunity to share with you some of the great programming we are able to do because of the funds we raise from this very important event. The donations we receive from this event go to support all of AIDS Calgary’s programs and operations and one part of that is our HIV support services program.

Calgary’s HIV Support Services provides compassionate, non-judgemental, low barrier services to people living with HIV/AIDS. Via the Calgary Cares Centre, we offer a “client living room” which allows individuals to drop in and receive support, connect with peers, access the computer, have a coffee etc. We provide counselling and case management services to assist individuals in reaching their goals and improving their quality of life.

HIV Support Services has several new and exciting events coming up to better support the needs of the people we serve. Some of these new activities and events include:

• Extended hours! We are now open until 8:00pm on Thursday evenings, drop in or by appointment.
• Holistic health services are available. Thanks to the support of many amazing volunteers we are able to offer our clients free massages, acupuncture and yoga classes on site.
• Educational workshops on a variety of topics including anger management, stress management, and self-esteem. Due to popular demand we will be offering a second Wills and Estates clinic that will be held in October.
• Recreations afternoons are an opportunity for people to connect with others while watching movies or playing board games.
• On-site testing is now available! Through our new initiative with Safeworks we are able to offer free onsite STI testing and some vaccinations twice per month.

These are just a few of the new initiatives that our Calgary Cares Centre is offering on top of the day to day support that we provide to people living with, affected by and at risk for HIV/AIDS. Our clients are incredibly grateful for the support that they receive from us; one told us:
“I had HIV now for 13 years, along with Hep C. AIDS Calgary is a place here I can be accepted without prejudice. The peer support is very good. The acupuncture is helping with my arthritis in my knee”.

We encourage you to visit our website to register for the walk if you haven’t done so already and if you are a walker, remember you have time for one last email to friends and families asking them for their support We thank you so much for continuing to support all of AIDS Calgary’s initiatives!

All of our great events and new initiatives can be found on our HIV Support Services monthly calendar. The calendar is updated monthly; check it out on our website: http://www.aidscalgary.org/

2011 Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life: Don't just stand there!

2011-09-15T11:38:00.004-06:00

On Sunday, September 25, the AIDS Calgary Awareness Association (ACAA) is hosting the Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life. 2011 marks the 17th year of the event in Calgary, with over $1,350,000 funds raised towards the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Calgary area. The Walk is a national event, with 40 Walks happening in different communities across Canada.

As this year marks the 30th anniversary of the first AIDS diagnosis in North America, Calgary’s 2011 Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life will include a memorial wall to remember those individuals who have passed from HIV related illnesses. ACAA welcomes any Walkers and supporters to celebrate their loved ones by contributing photos, letters or simply writing the names of those they’d like to remember. ACAA Executive Director, Simonne LeBlanc believes, “We are looking to bring this Walk back to our roots; to remember the united community raising awareness and funds in the face of this devastating disease.”

That’s why the Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life is so important. With over 700 Calgarians who participate, the Walk is ACAA’s largest fundraiser. All proceeds from the Walk directly support ACAA’s community-based programs in the Calgary, Medicine Hat, and Bow Valley areas; and will help address the real needs of those individuals who are living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Not only is the Walk a key means of contributing support for ACAA’s clients, programs and services, it is also a vital means of raising awareness. In Canada, the number of new diagnoses continues to rise (The Public Health Agency of Canada), and the face of HIV has also changed since 30 years ago. Worldwide, the largest growing population of HIV/AIDS diagnosis is women and in 2009, Aboriginal people made up 17% of new reported cases in Alberta.

What makes this year’s Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life better than ever? ACAA is pleased to welcome 2011 Gemini award winner Michelle Thrush as the host of this year’s Walk! Thrush, is a multi-award winning actress, and is best known for her role the popular television series Blackstone, for which she won a Gemini for her role as Gail Stoney.

Walk entertainment will include a guest appearance by Brad Fraser, Producer/Writer of Queer as Folk and Alberta Theatre Project’s True Love Lies. In addition to the Walk’s high profile guests, a Market Square has been added, featuring an assortment of local vendors with some great items for sale. A pancake breakfast will open the event starting at 10:00 a.m., and there will be great live music and fun for all ages throughout the day.

So whether your part of a team or walking solo, come on down to Eau Claire Market on Sunday, September 25, and help us reach our goal! Remember, although we have come long way, there is still a long road ahead, and your support can make a difference. For more information, or to register, visit www.aidscalgary.org.

Pride 2011 around the world

2011-09-08T14:54:00.006-06:00

This summer one of AIDS Calgary’s Case Managers, Christa Kahl, was able to attend Pride events in three different areas; Paris, Vancouver and of course, Calgary. Here she recounts her experiences at all three Pride Parades and discusses how Pride around the world celebrates the same message: our diversity makes us stronger. To view more of Christa’s photos from her Pride adventure, click here.

PARIS

I had been planning my trip to Paris for some time and was excited to learn that the Paris Pride Parade would be happening while I was there. I had been to a Pride Parade in Calgary over ten years ago and was excited to see what Paris would have in store. As soon as I landed, I made my way to my hostel and then went in search for the event.

The street was lined with people from all walks of life who had come to take part in Paris Pride. As the parade began to make its way down the road, it was clear that I needed to squeeze my way up front to get a good view of the floats and people in the parade. I was amazed by all of the different groups that were represented in the parade. There were groups for transgendered/transsexuals, bisexuals, asexuals, gay and lesbian groups. There was representation of people who are deaf and in the LGBTQ community, Jewish LGBTQ, multinational groups and more. I saw some of the most beautiful transgendered women and was amazed at the turn out of Paris youth that walked with the parade. There was an HIV/AIDS group called Sida Info Service that provides a lot of information, education and assistance regarding HIV and AIDS available in both French and English.

In France, gay marriage is still not legal and that was a big theme of the parade. Many in the parade carried signs that said “In 2011 I march and in 2012 I vote.” It will be interesting to see what happens next year. The streets were shut down and a huge stage was set up with DJs and some vocalists. Everyone was dancing in the street and making their way onto the parties that were happening in the gay friendly district of Marais. All in all it was a pretty great experience and a great welcome to Paris.

VANCOUVER

On July 31 of this year, Vancouver’s Gay Pride Parade took place down the hill from Davie Street, along the ocean. The parade started off with Dykes on Bikes, followed by various corporate sponsors, AIDS Vancouver , bagpipers, Pride Calgary was also represented and more. I enjoyed seeing a number of families from the very young to the elderly in attendance to support the Pride community in Vancouver. On the Friday before the parade, the Davie Street Festival took place which provided street entertainment various themed parties at some of Vancouver’s nightclubs.

CALGARY

That brings us home. This past Sunday was the Calgary Pride Parade and it was great to see so many people out for the event! The parade started at Olympic Plaza and made its way down Stephen Avenue and ended at the Shaw Millennium Skate Park. Mayor Nenshi attended and as our city’s first Mayor to lead the Pride parade. Other politicians were also in attendance, along with LGBTQ supporters/groups and of course AIDS Calgary, in partnership with Calgary Sexual Health. The great weather really brought out the crowds and the AIDS Calgary and Calgary Sexual Health float handed out over 1350 condom packs within the first four blocks of the parade! There is a lot of buzz in the air that this year’s Pride was the most attended of all time and it will be exciting to see the turn out next year.

After participating in all three different Pride adventures around the world, it was remarkable to see just how similar we all embrace our community’s diversity. From AIDS Service Organizations to politicians, it seems that from Canada, all the way to France, we are all striving to achieve human equality.

There are still events going on throughout the city until September 11, so if you were unable to attend the parade you can check out Pride Calgary for more information. Thank you to everyone who came by the AIDS Calgary booth and we look forward to seeing a great turn out for our upcoming Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life!

Sources

1.Inter-LGBT, (2011). Retrieved August 1, 2011 from: http://www.inter-lgbt.org/

2. Sida Info Service, (2011). Retrieved July 25, 2011 from: http://www.sida-info-service.org/

3. Sida Info Service, English Version, (2011). Retrieved August 17, 2011 from http://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.sida-info-service.org/&ei=1NtLTr_xDabliAKkz5iOAQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC8Q7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsida%2Binfo%2Bservice%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26prmd%3Divns

4. Vancouver Pride Parade & Festival, (2011). Retrieved August 1, 2011 from: http://www.vancouverpride.ca/

5. AIDS Vancouver, (2011). Retrieved August 17, 2011 from: http://aidsvancouver.org/

6. Pride Calgary, (2011). Retrieved August 15, 2011 from: http://www.pridecalgary.ca/

7. Calgary Sexual Health, (2011). Retrieved September 7, 2011 from: http://www.calgarysexualhealth.ca/

8. Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life, (2011). Retrieve September 7, 2011 from: http://www.aidscalgary.org/events/aidswalkforlife/registerpledge.cfm

How does safety make you sexy? AIDS Calgary Awareness Association’s new gay men’ s social marketing campaign

2011-09-01T15:13:00.007-06:00

In December 2010, AIDS Calgary Awareness Association began the process of developing a gay men’s social marketing campaign. Gay men still make up approximately 35% of new HIV infections in Alberta(1), our agency recognizes we have a responsibility to ensure that gay men understand how to prevent contracting HIV and that addressing HIV related issues remain amongst some of our top priorities.

The process

We started our campaign process by engaging a University Without Walls student to conduct a literature review. Before beginning the creation of our campaign we reviewed research regarding social marketing best practices for gay men in North America. Once the report was compiled with recommendations, we assembled an advisory committee. It is very important to our agency that our work is informed by the community. It was imperative to this project to ensure we heard the voices of the gay men in our community in order to create a successful campaign that truly speaks to gay men.

Our advisory committee consisted of members of the gay community and staff of AIDS Calgary. This committee helped to guide our campaign process. Following the literature review recommendations, we created a survey centered on what kind of safer sex messaging gay men would most connect to. Our survey had an overwhelming response from over 190 participants, with responses from gay men age ranged from 15 – 69. The majority of respondents said the most important message to convey was the use of safer sex materials, and the use of male models vs. real people were almost tied for responses.

Based on the information we received from the survey we then came up with design concepts with an external graphic designer, and tested the prototypes where members of the gay community provided us with constructive feedback. Both focus groups provided diverse feedback as the participants, much like our survey, ranged in age and background. After compiling all of our data from the literary review, community survey and our focus groups, we were able to create our campaign.

The launch

As the Calgary Pride week begins today (September 1st – 11th) we have reached the final stage of our campaign development; the launch. AIDS Calgary is excited to announce the final launch of our gay men’s social marketing campaign. “How does safety make you sexy?” features three different sexy-safety tips derived from the community based research and literary review. Members of the gay community were recruited to model for the campaign for a more down to earth look. The excellent material we received from our surveys and our focus group lead us to believe that there was a lot to say around safer sex practices in the gay men’s community. So we’d like to keep the conversation open by asking the community what are your “sexy-safety” tips? We’ve created a blog at http://sexysafety.wordpress.com/ where we’d like to hear how you make safety sexy, share your insight with your community!

AIDS Calgary would like to thank all of our survey and focus group participants. We would also like to extend a special thanks to our committee for working so passionately and diligently on such an important project.

References

1. HIV and AIDS in Canada: Surveillance Report to December 31, 2009, Public Health Agency of Canada (2010), http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/aids-sida/publication/survreport/2009/dec/pdf/2009-Report-Rapport.pdf