This
issue of the OGT was paid for by advertising from the following
businesses:
Presence
334
George Street, Dunedin
471-9000,
www.dunedin-direct.co.nz/presence
Gabby
Morris, Dunedin First National Real Estate
284
Stuart Street, Dunedin
467-7277
(wk), 456-2566 (hm), 025-228-7900
R&R
Sport
70
Stuart Street
Dunedin
474-1211,
www.rrsport.co.nz
Anja
Klinkert Lawyer
83
Moray Place, 2nd Floor
477-7267
or 027-497-2337
Public
Health South
57
Hanover Street, Dunedin
474-1700
Mark
Bridgmount Optometrist
183
King Edward Street, South Dunedin
455-3459,
www.eyeballsdunedin.co.nz
Bodyworks
Club
284
Princes Street, Dunedin
477-8228
University
Book Shop
378
Great King Street, Dunedin
477-6976,
www.unibooks.co.nz
The
Break
1
Great King Street, Dunedin
477-2732
The
Bronx Bagel Co
134
Stuart Street, Dunedin
479-0209
Dr
Katharine Wallis
137
Larnach Road, Dunedin
454-4100
Tracey
Crampton Smith, Celebrant & Counsellor
83
Moray Place, Dunedin
477-6931
The
Academy Cinema
50
Dundas Street, Dunedin
477-9830
Editorial
by
Tor Devereux, Editor
It's
hard to believe that it’s almost the end of another year, but before we
know it there will be Christmas decorations everywhere, the volume of junk
mail in our letter boxes will increase ten-fold and everyone will be
talking about their summer holiday plans. This is the last issue of the
Otago Gaily Times for the year and I'd like to take this opportunity to
thank all those involved with the paper during 2003: the OGT collective,
those who have contributed copy, those who have helped distribute the
paper, our wonderful advertisers and, of course, our loyal readers.
Perhaps
this is an appropriate time to remind you all that the OGT is a community
newspaper and anyone is welcome to be involved with it in some way. New
collective members are always appreciated - just let me know if this is
something that you may be interested in pursuing (and no, you don't have
to write if you're involved with the OGT collective - there are plenty of
other things that also have to be done to keep the paper ticking along
…).
A
lot has happened in our local queer community during this past year:
·
The
Out Takes Film Festival & Pride Week happened once again
·
Pride
Dunedin Youth continued to develop and launched its support groups Bloom
and Icebreakers
·
The
Dunedin Rainbow Labour Branch had a busy first year in operation
·
A
Rainbow Families Group was established
·
FUNQ
was established
·
WAQD
and UniQ continued to provide social and support opportunities/events, and
UniQ has developed a structure to help it best meet the needs of students
·
PFLAG
South continued to provide wonderful support to members of the queer
community, their families and friends
·
Various
other groups have continued to offer services and social activities for
the queer community (LIPS, Purple Passions Soccer Team, Ascent, etc.)
Each
of these groups/events represents a tremendous amount of voluntary labour,
time and energy, and they are so important to maintaining a vibrant and
supportive environment. Congratulations to everyone who got involved with
the community this year and thank you for your commitment to making
Dunedin a better place for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
I hope that you get a well-deserved rest during the holiday season.
All
the best to you all - may the new year bring lots of happiness and the
fulfilment of dreams. Take care and we'll see you again in 2004.
Top
of the Page
I wonder how many OGT readers watched the recent edition of “Edwards at Large”
in which Brian Edwards interviewed David Verrall, the man largely responsible for
the establishment of this newspaper and who worked diligently for many years on behalf
of the queer community in Dunedin?
It was good to see David looking so well and so full of enthusiasm for his job as
Rural Nurse Specialist at Haast. Whilst HIV/AIDS is no doubt still a major topic of concern
for David, it seems his patients in South Westland care more about catching whitebait than
any infection. Even heart disease or pneumonia doesn't deter them from the lure of this
David said that with the nearest hospital some 300km away he provides nursing care
of all varieties from ante-natal to palliative - from the cradle to the grave. David's work
in Dunedin had a major influence on our health and well-being in the years following
homosexual law reform and had much to do with the sense of community we now enjoy.
Top
of the Page
Queer
Quiz
1.
Recently Peter Brown, NZ First deputy leader, asked in Parliament whether
it's acceptable to have a chief censor who's gay. Who is the chief censor?
2.
When and where was the rainbow flag first waved as a sign of gay pride?
3.
What charitable organisation did the Topp Twins recently support with
their physical labour?
4.
What is the name of the latest novel written by New Zealand author Peter
Wells?
5.
Ellen DeGeneres was the voice of which character in the film Finding
Nemo?
Top
of the Page
by
Miss Ruby
Les
chéris fabuleux, comment êtes-vous tout? J'ai un temps stupéfiant ici
en France, mais je vous manque tout. Je me retournerai à vous quand les
arbres commencent à tourner.
Hello
Darlings
I’m
here in France just loving my little holiday, I’ve met some fantastic
people and I’m having a ball. But I hear things over there have been
just as exciting. I was there for the Selection - Spring/Summer Fashion
Stage Show 2003 and it was a blast, Cleopatra had a grand night, well done
to Konrad for yet another superb event. Sparkle was very glam, good to see
so many glitzy glamorous people coming out to party.
Managed
to get over to gay ski week in Queenstown to see my sisters Buffy and
Bimbo. They were their usual hilarious selves, and it was a treat to see
Courtney Act do a number for us. Can’t wait till next year - I might
have to drag out my poles and give Courtney a drag race down the slopes.
I
hear FUNQ is finished for the year but both Homolatino and Summer Days
were a great success. Well done to Nathan and his team for a fantastic
year’s worth of events for our community. I also hear they are looking
for an individual to coordinate FUNQ in 2004, so if you have a bit of
creative flare and you’re keen to serve the community in this very
rewarding way then contact OUSA ASAP.
Now,
some very exciting news. I got an email from my dear friends at the DCC
Events Centre and they would like to have a Queen of the South competition
in association with Pride Dunedin, so that’s something to watch out for
late January/February.
Other
news on the event front is of course the Camp at Aramoana coming up on the
21st-23rd of November so get in touch with Alex on
477-5498 or Cheryl on 471-0089 for details. The one at Long Beach was a
blast and this one’s going to be even more fabulous with a dance party
organised for the Saturday night.
Well
that’s all from France, can’t wait to get back and see you all again.
Le
baiser de baiser de baiser jusqu'à ce que nous rencontrons encore.
Le
séjour heureux, rester sûr mais la plupart de tout séjour Fabuleux
jusqu' à la prochaine fois.
Manquer
le Rubis
Top
of the Page
by
Andrew Metcalfe
There
are some things that one should never do in life. You probably have your
own list of what these might be, but I had one of these unwelcome
occasions recently. It’s happened before, and you would think I’d
learn from past mistakes, but that was sadly not to be.
I
was doing my ironing, dressed in night attire (as you do on a Sunday
morning) and I thought, “I’ll just nip outside and get the rest of the
washing in so I can press the lot”. There I was, scantily clad, top
floor of my tenement flat, when I heard the sickening noise of the front
(and only) door slamming shut.
Four
floors up, double-glazed windows with locks and a firmly shut door. What
would you do?
“Never
go out without snibbing the door” was the first thought that helpfully
came into my head. Thankfully, trousers and a shirt were on the line, and
clad in these, as well as my slippers, I went over the road to a shop to
ask to use their phone. I got hold of my partner Ian, who has another key,
but he was working and was not able to get to me until early afternoon.
This was at 9.00am in the morning.
So,
then began an unusual day in more ways than one – something that
nightmares are often made of. You know the sort, when you are in prominent
public places wearing the wrong (or even no) clothes! All I could think of
was that I was attired in my comfy slippers, and that everyone would
notice. So, what did I learn through the day until Ian showed up?
·
That
it is a very vulnerable place to have no money, no shoes, no “home”
and not even a watch to check the time by. What must it be like for those
that live on the edge all the time?
·
That
Perth in Scotland has very few public clocks that actually work, but the
parking meter machines always show the time.
·
That
there is a restaurant nearby that looks really nice and (a rarity for
Britain) also has a non-smoking area.
·
That
a good place to get a free cup of tea is the local Methodist Church,
although it means having to sit through the service first.
·
That
smokers who sit on park benches with rubbish bins beside them still feel
compelled to throw their butts on the ground.
·
That
the park at the end of the road has toilets where local men leave messages
scrawled on the doors to pick each other up – one of them even from
someone who was deaf asking people to text him!
·
That
perhaps slippers can be a fashion statement if worn boldly and without
flinching (but then again, maybe not!).
·
That
if your routine is suddenly interrupted like this and you can’t do all
the things you normally do, there is plenty of space to think and reflect
on life, as well as notice details you’ve never really seen before.
I
thought a lot that day about how being “different” in some way can put
you on the fringes of life (the slippers did get discarded later … but
then, no one around here goes around in bare feet either). I had been
looking forward to my usual Sunday trip to Dundee to, among other things,
catch up with a young friend who had “come out” to me the week before.
I’d been thinking a lot about him over the past seven days, especially
his fear of what would happen if his family and friends “found out”.
Rural, conservative Christian … and gay, doesn’t go down too well
where he comes from. And I was thinking that for many people, especially
in country areas here and in New Zealand, that’s the way it is. Scared
of what it might mean for people to really “know you” when small minds
and tongues can cause so much damage.
I
did eventually get back into the flat and called my friend to apologise
for not getting over to see him. I’m living in the hope that one day I
can head out wearing my slippers and no one will bat an eyelid. And that
my friend can totally be himself as well, knowing that there are plenty of
people out there who will love him as he is, whether he is straight or gay
or something in between, wears trainers or brogues ... or even slippers in
the park.
Top
of the Page
by
Rob & Allan
G’day
OGT,
Robert
and I (good conservative men) live down here in the Deep South on a
large-scale sheep and stud beef cattle run in the back country of South
Otago.
By
all accounts, I guess, we are both good, hard-working, plain, rural guys.
Our lives revolve around the property operations - especially around this
time of year - with feeding out hay/straw to our many thousands of hungry
sheep, tending to our stud beef cattle, planning harvest/cropping
contracts and an intensive piggery, fencing … All this adds to a busy
life which doesn’t allow much time for play.
Then
there’s lambing season - big stuff - and this is where we show our true
form. We pride ourselves; and are regarded by many in the county, as being
bloody good operators. This year’s lambing scheduling is planned to be
around 155%. Such percentages will require many hours of dedicated work as
we intensively “mother off” our lambs. Hopefully our losses will be
minimal without snow or the cold southerly winds off the Alps.
All
this work is co-shared by a team of dedicated farm workers/sheppards who
are good loyal men. Often we are asked if we play around with our workers,
but the answer is no - mind you we do have a prize or two - very tempting.
It’s imperative that we keep our private lives apart from business –
“never the twain shall meet”. At times a few “sneering” comments
are passed, but both of us can hold our own very well. This is known full
well and, consequently, we are not regarded as “fair game” - in fact
it’s quite the contrary. At times a few workers have been asked if we
are queer - they just simply say “Well, I guess you had better ask them
eh”. That generally brings the conversation to an end - and a move back
to the topics of local rugby and girls.
We
are, by all accounts, very private men. We know that two men living in the
same homestead is very “sus” to most out here. Those few who know our
situation often ask “How the hell do you survive down here in all of
this isolation?” It’s easy really … it’s a part of our lives. We
both are proud men of sound Scottish origins - coming from a long line of
well established run holders - and as such, we have come to accept the
frailties of small town thinking.
Surprisingly,
as it may seem, to many and to a greater extent, living in the “bush”
is a far cry easier to living in the city. Country folk, as opposed to
“townies”, generally tolerate a hell of a great deal more hardship in
life. They accept gracefully and with tolerance people’s differences -
they have no choice really. Small communities like ours can only survive
because of the reliance on each other to co-exist. They really don’t
care what or who you are, as long as you are of good, sound, ethical
character.
So,
where do we go for fun? Well, let me tell you. We don’t go anywhere -
they come to us. There is a whole “web” of talent out there that
simply love having it off. No, most are not gay, but more just MSM, bi,
married men wanting a “quickie” – and naturally we oblige. There is
a real need, though, for a support group down here. We know that there are
saunas and bars, but to many country men down here this is simply not an
option because it’s too exposed for comfort. Sadly we have virtually no
gay friends, but we would love to. I’m sure that there are a number of
gay people living in our region - and there is indeed a need for a local
support network.
So,
that’s a brief look into the lives of a couple of southern men … Yep I
guess we are all that, but at the end of the day, we are still just guys.
Yes, our lives are very different to most - and you know what, we
wouldn’t change it for the world.
We
also offer a “Station Stay”, an opportunity for gay men wishing to
experience life on a busy, operational pastoral holding, and enquiries may
be directed to us via email ([email protected]).
And, any men seeking discreet, confidential support/advice in the
Lawrence/Balclutha area are welcome to contact us as well.
Top
of the Page
Two
new South Island queer social groups have formed recently, one in South
Canterbury and the other on the West Coast.
In
South Canterbury the new group is called "On Q" and is a social
contact group for any members of the queer community. Current membership
already numbers more than 30 and is growing every week. Members cover the
full spectrum of queer life from gays, lesbians, bisexual people of both
genders and transgender people.
On
Q has a "coffee and chat" meeting at 7.30pm on the fourth Monday
of every second month, starting from Monday 24 November 2003, then on the
fourth Monday of January, March, May, July, September, November 2004. The
venue for these meetings is The Purple Lizard Cafe at 332 Stafford Street,
Timaru (winner of the South Canterbury Cafe of the Year - they make great
coffee!).
On
Q welcomes queer visitors to their meetings from other areas and it's a
great group to make contact with if you are moving to South Canterbury or
living there and just in the process of coming out. People attending the
bi-monthly meetings at the Purple Lizard should bring money to buy
coffee/food etc. (if they wish) and a donation toward the cost of venue
hire would be appreciated.
The
group will also have in-between activities on the alternative months
organised by volunteers and publicised through the group's network.
On
The West Coast the new group doesn't have a name as yet, but membership
already exceeds 40 with folk travelling to the first meetings from as far
south as Haast up to well north of Westport. Like the South Canterbury
group, the membership consists of the whole rainbow spectrum of queer
communities.
This
group is still in the process of working out how it is going to structure
itself, especially for gatherings etc. given the huge distances involved
and the geographical isolation of many members.
For
more information about either of these groups or to find out the local
contact person, contact Steve Attwood, PO Box 13-618 Armagh St,
Christchurch, email [email protected]
or phone (03) 379-1953 or 027-496-5427.
Top
of the Page
What
If?
by
Stephanie Scott
What
if the world was square
With
grass and sky
Of
pink and mauve
And
clouds of green....
What
if the day was dark
And
night was lit
With
turquoise light
What
would it mean ?.....
What
if the human race
Were
all alike
No
different sex
Produced
the same ...
What
if we were but clones
No
him or her
No
black or white
Or
different aims?
What
if my inner soul
Had
matched my shell
No
changing sex
And
swapping clothes …
What
if I were but whole,
No
years of grief
No
pain or stress
No
highs or lows?
What
if there were no lands
From
shore to shore
Across
no sea
That
told no tales ...
What
if the sandy desert
Was
a place
Of
cold and ice
And
howling gales? ....
What
if my kiwi friends
Had
shut me out
And
cut me off
Without
a trace
What
if they were not here
To
share my dreams
Of
distant lands
That
I would grace?
What
if the world of people
Shuffled
round
With
heads hung low
No
aims at all ....
What
if the main objective
Was
to get
From
birth to death
One
darkened hall? ...
What
if we all look forward
Joining
hands
No
vicious hate
No
blood deprive ...
What
if we love each other
Different
hopes
Of
“Shangri-La”
What
if we all survive?
One
With Life
by
Jane E Libeau
Blackened
Darken
night
I
am the owl
Silently
waiting
Sweeping
soundless wings
Swooping
Capturing
Devouring
For
sustenance
I
scurry
I
am the mouse
I
sense the danger
The
omnipotence
Of
the predator
Stalking
My
short life
Made
shorter
I
am taken
The
night air
Silent
and cold
Whispers
The
trees and bush
Shiver
in its knowing
Life
precedes death
And
death begets life
The
earth
Fertile
Harkening
to the sound
Of
what grows within her
Birth
of new
Decaying
Nurturing
She
lays not barren
Heart
beating life
Dwells
within us all
We
are predator
Fodder
Sustaining
a continuous cycle
Becoming
one with life
Death
Returning
to the earth
To
sustain life
In
its natural
Cyclonic
way.
Top
of the Page
The
Heart Sutra
by
Caren Wilton
(University
Of Otago Press, 2003)
Reviewed
by Sarah Noble
A
friend of mine who writes music reviews said to me a while ago that the
hardest thing to review is something average. I thought then that he was
probably right, and having been asked to review Caren Wilton’s
collection of short stories, The Heart Sutra, I can see that he
definitely was.
There
were no moments in this book which leapt out to me as sheer literary
brilliance - and likewise none of utter trash. In fact I would have to say
that the one and only thing which truly did strike me was sameness. This
can be good or bad depending on your point of view. In any case, I found,
reading these stories, that the same things turned up again and again:
adult children of dying or recently deceased parents; lovers who are
geographically separated and either should or shouldn’t be; and women
who have lesbian experiences.
This
last is presumably what I should talk about here. Unfortunately the three
stories with lesbian characters (“Red Gladioli”, “Arohanui” and
“Shenandoah River” for those wanting to bypass the rest of the
collection) are largely populated with stereotypes. Not all, admittedly,
but a good proportion of Wilton’s lesbians are short-haired and mannish,
spell “woman” as “womyn” and even call the mail the “fe-mail”,
practise some sort of spiritualism and drink soy milk. I’m generalising
here but not as much as you might hope. It’s not a necessarily negative
stereotype which Wilton presents, and I don’t think it quite matches her
views. I had the impression, rather, that she just didn’t quite know how
else to write about lesbian women. The other slightly worrying fact is
that not one of the three protagonists in these stories makes it through
without a man: one sleeps with a woman as a sort of experiment; one with a
man for a similar reason; and one is only pretending to be gay so she can
stay where she’s living.
I
won’t go on much further. I’m certainly not going to say “don’t
read this”. Rather, read it if you’re in the mood or if it looks good
to you, but don’t expect - from any of the stories - a profound
satisfaction or a renewed belief in contemporary New Zealand literature.
Wilton writes well, but not stunningly so. There’s nothing markedly bad
about The Heart Sutra, but there’s probably also nothing to
make it your new favourite.
Top
of the Page
PFLAG
(Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) has an office. Here
are the details:
1st
floor, 326 Moray Place, Dunedin (within the offices of the Dunedin
Methodist Mission)
Office
telephone: 477-2000
Help
line: 025-686-9304
Email:
[email protected]
Postal
address: PO Box 5266, Dunedin
Hours:
10am to 2pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
Top
of the Page
Some members of PFLAG South have been concerned by the debate which is
raging in most mainstream Christian denominations over the ordination to
church leadership of gay men and women and pronouncements from some
churches opposing government legislation to recognise same sex relationships.
It can be a real body-blow for those who love their Church and value their
involvement with it to hear statements which seem to diminish and devalue
the relative or friend they love. For those who have no church connection
these church attitudes can be downright offensive, the more so given
that not many responsible groups in our community would agree with them.
They seem a remnant of official support for homophobia.
PFLAG South hasn't yet found an answer to this dilemma any more than
we have when someone we love, and whose opinion we respect, shocks us
with a hurtful remark which reveals their ignorance about people who are
gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. Do we break off our friendship
or do we hang in there and try to help them to see things differently?
It's not always an easy choice.
One thing we all need to remember is that the debate is a noisy one
simply because there are large numbers of Christians in almost all
churches who believe that gay and lesbian relationships can be as
valid and as life-affirming as heterosexual marriage and that gay
and lesbian Christians should be eligible for all the offices within
the Church. These Christians have an important message for the
Church and Society and we need to hear and value what they are saying.
Readers of the OGT may
have noticed that this issue and the previous one were printed on slightly
thinner, not quite so good quality paper. This change was necessary
because of a substantial increase in the cost of printing the paper.
Rather than increase the price of advertising in the OGT or the number of
ads in the paper, we decided to use a cheaper - and therefore thinner -
paper.
However,
we still faced an overall cost increase but this has been overcome by a
very generous donation from the local lesbian collective Dykeworks. So, a
huge "Thank You" from the OGT collective and all our readers to
Dykeworks for coming to the party and helping us out.
Top
of the Page
by
Tor Devereux
The Dunedin Rainbow Labour
Branch has now been in existence for a year, and we continue to meet and
to work actively to make a difference for the queer community. Tim Barnett
MP attended our meeting at the end of August and he provided us with a
very interesting and insightful look into some of the issues that face the
queer community, as well as information about the current environment
within Parliament. We also had a bit of a discussion about the
conservative right and the fact that we need to be aware of the power and
influence that can be wielded by being organised and lobbying hard. As a
community we sometimes tend to be a bit complacent about issues, but if we
want laws to change and situations to improve then we have to be proactive
and make our voices and opinions heard.
During
the last couple of months the Dunedin Rainbow Labour Branch has done the
following:
Written
a submission on the Care of Children Bill.
Written
a submission for the NZ Action Plan for Human Rights that the Human Rights
Commission is currently developing.
Had
a representative attend the Rainbow Sector Council Day and the Annual
Labour Party Conference in Christchurch.
The
next big issue for us to tackle will be the Civil Union Bill when that’s
introduced to Parliament (see separate article for more details).
Discussions about the concepts of civil union and same-sex marriage have
already started to happen, but once this Bill is introduced and
submissions are called for, it will be crucial that we, as a community,
inform ourselves and others of all the issues and their implications and
lobby for the legal recognition of same-sex relationships.
The
Dunedin Rainbow Labour Branch has recently changed the day and time of its
meetings to better suit the members. We are now meeting on the 1st
Wednesday of the month at 7:30pm at Kirkland Chambers, 83 Moray Place (2nd
floor). We will have a meeting in December (December 3), but then not
again until February (February 4). Anyone is welcome to come to our
meetings. For more information please contact Tor on [email protected]
or 453-1108.
Top
of the Page
by
Tor Devereux
At the end of September
new immigration laws were introduced for those applying for visas or
permits to come to New Zealand either under residence or temporary entry
immigration policies – and these new laws treat all relationships
equally. This means that marriage is no longer given preferential status
over de facto relationships in regards to immigration and, therefore,
cannot be used as a fast, easy way for someone to enter this country.
Prior
to the law change, de facto couples had to prove that they had been in a
relationship for 2 years whereas married couples could gain residency in a
much shorter amount of time simply because they were married. Now the
playing field has been levelled and all couples (including married
couples) need to have been together in a “genuine and stable
relationship” for at least 12 months before applying for residency.
These
new laws not only eliminate the previous discrimination against de facto
couples (both same-sex and opposite-sex), but are also intended to put a
halt to marriages of convenience – that is, marriage being used as means
of entering the country and gaining residency.
People
may need to provide things such as joint bank statements, bills and
letters written to them as a couple in order to prove that their
relationship is genuine and how long they have been together as a couple.
The new laws apply to all applications received on or after 29 September
2003.
Top
of the Page
by
Tor Devereux
There
has been quite a lot of discussion in the last few months in the media
about civil union and same-sex marriage - both here in New Zealand and
overseas. And, indeed, the Civil Union Bill is set to be introduced to
Parliament in the very near future (perhaps even by Christmas). It's
interesting, though, that so much discussion has been provoked in
anticipation of the Bill. It's also interesting that the two concepts -
civil union and same-sex marriage - are referred to interchangeably by
those who oppose the concept of legally recognising same-sex relationships
in any way, yet there are distinctions between them.
What
perhaps amazes me the most about those who lobby against civil union
and/or same-sex marriage is their claim that allowing same-sex
relationships any kind of legal recognition, together with all the rights
and responsibilities that this brings with it, will bring human
civilization as we know it to its knees by devaluing and eroding the
institution of heterosexual marriage which apparently plays a pivotal role
in society. This creates two reactions in me: 1) If marriage (between
opposite-sex couples) is such a sacred and ancient institution and the
corner stone of society, then surely it's not so fragile as to be
threatened by a minority of people who want to openly acknowledge their
love for their same-sex partner and live in a committed relationship with
that person; 2) It's pretty awesome that we queer folk have so much power
that we can influence the future direction of society by being granted
access to some form of relationship recognition.
As
the Government introduces more and more legislation that eliminates
discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and
affords us the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexual people,
the more and more vocal and organised our opponents become. There is a
long history in places like the USA of right-wing, conservative groups who
are very powerful, influential, well organised and financially well-off -
and this is starting to become more of a reality in New Zealand as well.
At
the time of writing this, there is an article on the Maxim Institute's web
page entitled "Where is government taking the family?" that
makes for "interesting" reading. I would recommend that people
take a look at it (www.maxim.org.nz) so that we're aware of what we're up
against and the kind of rhetoric and argument that is currently being used
within New Zealand to try and persuade people that same-sex relationships
and rainbow families are downright wrong and immoral. Just to give you an
idea of the sentiments contained in this article, let me provide a few
choice quotes:
·
"By
recognising same-sex marriage, we are saying that sodomy is a public
good."
·
"
… homosexuality is characterised by promiscuity. Almost 100% of
"committed" homosexual relationships include casual sex
partners."
·
"Legalising
same-sex marriage would send a profoundly new moral message to society …
Young people would grow up believing there is nothing special about the
male-female family unit; it is only one item on the sexual smorgasbord.
The result would be deep confusion and many broken lives."
·
A
reference to "other sexual preferences" includes as an example
people in incestuous relationships and goes on to say, "People in
incestuous relationships, for example, could just as easily argue that
their relationships are functionally equivalent to marriage."
Russell Fairbrother MP has
already submitted a private members Civil Union Bill into the ballot, but
to date this has not been drawn out. However, as per its rainbow
manifesto, the Labour Government plans to introduce the Civil Union Bill
as a government bill. This will also be accompanied by what's called the
Omnibus Bill which will be the bill that will amend all the legislation
affected by the introduction of Civil Union (and that's a lot of
legislation!).
The
Civil Union Bill as it's been discussed up until now would mean that any
couple in New Zealand (both same-sex and opposite-sex) could register
their relationship as a civil union and then receive all the rights and
responsibilities that married couples currently have. Marriage would still
remain an option, but for opposite-sex couples only, and the Marriage Act
would remain completely unchanged. Couples could still chose neither of
these options and remain in de facto relationships.
Number
Of Rights & Responsibilities For Couples In New Zealand
Current
Situation:
De
facto couples (same sex) - 9
De
facto couples (opposite sex) - 30+
Married
couples - 100+
Proposed
Situation:
De
facto couples (same & opposite sex) - 30+
Civil
union couples (same & opposite sex) - 100+
Married
couples - 100+
There's
also some opposition to the concept of Civil Union from within the queer
community both from those who believe that to achieve full equality we
should have access to marriage and those who believe that civil union and
marriage are heterosexual, patriarchal institutions that don't have a
place within our community. Both of these viewpoints are valid ones, but
so too is the viewpoint of those who welcome Civil Union because it will
provide rights and protections within the law for our relationships and
our families. I believe, though, that even if we disagree with Civil Union
itself - or any piece of legislation that extends the rights of queer
people - it's crucial for us to support our right to have access to that
legislation and to be covered by it - if we choose to do so.
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by
Steve Attwood
Last
year (2002) saw a doubling of new HIV diagnoses among
men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) in the South Island, rising from an
average of 7 over the previous few years to 14. By comparison, the rate of
heterosexual infections remained steady at 4 (which has been about the
average in the South Island for several years). Half of these new MSM
diagnoses were reported to be from the Canterbury area, the remainder
scattered about the rest of the South Island. No region was exempt.
And,
this increase doesn’t appear to be a one-off because the figures have
just come through for the first 6 months of 2003 and the number of new HIV
diagnoses in the South Island among MSM is already at 7.
You’d
think that this would be shocking news; that the AIDS Foundation in
Christchurch (NZAF South Te Toka) would have had phones ringing red hot
from anxious men wanting to know what’s going on and others wanting to
test for HIV. After all, 14 new infections is more than one a month.
Nationally, new HIV infections among MSM are occurring at about one a
week.
But,
the phones have been silent. There has been no increase in the numbers of
men seeking HIV testing.
As
the South Island health promoter for the New Zealand AIDS Foundation’s
Gay Men’s Health Team, I am increasingly aware, as I travel about Te
Waipounamu, of an apparent complacency, even indifference, toward HIV
among gay male communities and/or individual gay and bisexual men.
Nearly
five years ago, when I first started this job, I started hosting meetings
for MSM in the regions. Then, it was easy to get numbers exceeding 20 to
each meeting, even in quite small centres. Now, I struggle to get five.
There may be several reasons for this, but I suspect one is that men
attended the first meetings for their “novelty value” – after all,
under the previous staffing levels prior to my appointment, MSM meetings
outside of Christchurch were rare – only to be “disappointed” that
the message hasn’t changed.
A
typical comment would be something like this: “Why are you still harping
on about condoms? When’s the AIDS Foundation going to catch up with the
rest of the world? AIDS isn’t so serious now, there’s different ways
of reducing your risk so you don’t have to use condoms, and, if you do
get caught out, well, it’s not so bad anymore. The treatments are pretty
good.”
Statements
like these – and I am hearing them increasingly often – contain some
dangerous assumptions that directly and adversely impact on the health of
MSM. Let’s deal with these points one by one:
·
Why
are you still harping on about condoms?
– It's simple. In the 20 or so years that HIV has been in New Zealand,
the virus hasn’t changed. It is just as serious now as it was then. It
is still passed on from one person to another in exactly the same ways
(among MSM that is almost wholly unprotected anal intercourse). Condoms
remain our most effective means of preventing HIV transmission. No other
strategy for reducing the risk of HIV infection (apart from refraining
from anal sex altogether) is anywhere near as effective as condoms. No
other strategy takes a person out of the “high risk” category for HIV
transmission.
·
When’s
the AIDS Foundation going to catch up with the rest of the world?
- It seems to be part of the cultural cringe that many New Zealanders
suffer from, that causes MSM to assume that overseas information and
overseas HIV reduction strategies must be better and “more up to date”
than what is promoted in New Zealand. In fact, the NZ AIDS Foundation is
internationally recognised as being a world leader in HIV education. This
country has done better than most at controlling the spread of HIV. Our
resources are admired and copied by many AIDS organisations elsewhere.
NZAF safe sex resources are designed for what our researchers tell us is
happening in New Zealand. Our HIV epidemic is different, in some crucial
ways, to that occurring in some other countries. It is still, for example,
almost entirely amongst MSM. The domestic rate of heterosexually
transmitted HIV in New Zealand remains very low. It doesn’t make sense
to look to overseas resources and strategies when strategies for New
Zealanders devised by New Zealanders have proven to be the best bet.
·
There’s
different ways of reducing your risk so you don’t have to use condoms
– How much risk reduction are we really talking about? The fact is, none
of the other strategies that some gay men have adopted to reduce the risk
of HIV transmission are as effective as condoms, and none of them take a
person out of the “high risk” category. These are strategies such as
withdrawing before cumming, being the insertive rather than receptive
partner and relying on a low or undetectable viral load.
Other
so-called risk-reduction strategies do not, in fact, reduce risk at all,
and may result in a person taking on a risk of HIV transmission without
knowing it. Strategies such as assuming a person is not HIV positive if
they are “young or healthy”; relying on people who know they have HIV
to tell you; and assuming that if people don’t tell, they are HIV
negative, have no scientific basis at all. In addition, research indicates
that up to one third of people living with HIV at any one time don’t
know they have it, so relying on others to tell is simply foolish.
·
AIDS
isn’t so serious now … the treatments are pretty good
– It’s true that modern anti-viral treatments have greatly improved
both the quality of life and length-of-life expectations for people living
with HIV. But that doesn’t equate to a “cure” and the pills don’t
come without a price, both economically and physically. Even with
treatment, HIV almost inevitably progresses to the point that it seriously
damages health status, and many treatments are not easy to tolerate in the
medium to long term. Think about the last time you took a ten-day course
of antibiotics. Did you finish them? Many people don’t - once they start
feeling well they simply forget to take them, or they don’t enjoy the
queasiness and tiredness that sometimes comes with antibiotics and fail to
finish the course.
Think
then about how “easy” it would be to take perhaps up to 30 pills a
day, every day, for the rest of your life, which is what is required for
some people to manage HIV, plus having to cope with unpleasant side
effects that may include explosive diarrhoea, nausea, headaches, loss of
appetite, loss of libido and so on. The truth is, modern HIV treatments
neither cure HIV, nor prevent its transmission; a “cure” is probably
impossible, and an effective vaccine either unobtainable or at least many
years away from development. On top of that, there are increasing reports
of HIV strains resistant to currently available HIV medications, including
some cases of multiple-resistant strains of the virus. This could mean
that someone newly infected with HIV has, right from the start, serious
limitations on the range of drugs they can take.
It
worries me, therefore, when I see the incidence of HIV rising among MSM,
that at the same time there seems to be an increasing unwillingness to
engage with the prevention message. The next time you hear of an AIDS
Foundation meeting for MSM in your area, why not pop along? It’s not
going to hurt you and it could be fun - you might even meet a new friend .
. . and you might hear some information that’s going to help save your
life.
Steve
Attwood
NZAF
Gay Men’s Health Promoter, South Island
Ph
(03) 379-1953, Cell Ph (027) 496-5427
Email:
[email protected]
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by
Lisa Te Pana
December 1st marks the 21st
Anniversary of International World AIDS Day. In Dunedin there will be a
World AIDS Day Street Appeal on Friday 28 November aimed at focusing
community attention on the need for a greater response to the AIDS
epidemic. On that day there will also be events in the Octagon between
1:30pm and 3:30 pm, a competition with CD vouchers to be won, the AIDS
Memorial Quilts, and our roving Condom Man with lots of goodies for
everyone.
AIDS
seems a distant enemy when we are living far away from the global AIDS
hotspots such as Africa or Asia. Unfortunately, HIV has no respect for
international borders, and New Zealanders (even those living in little old
Dunedin) cannot discount the threat from HIV.
2003
has not been a good one for New Zealand’s HIV rates. After 21 years of
HIV/AIDS education campaigns it is hard to fathom why there have been 87
people in our country who have been told they are HIV positive in only the
last six months! Considering that the total number of HIV infections for
New Zealand are 1974 (AIDS New Zealand, 52, August 2003), this is a huge
jump, and it seems that perhaps we are going backwards in fighting this
epidemic.
This
increase is also significantly featuring in provincial areas, including
Dunedin. Of the 87 HIV diagnoses, 40 were through homosexual contact, and
24 were by heterosexual contact (4 were via IDU, 3 perinatally, and 16
people for whom there is no information).
One
factor which may have contributed to this trend is ever-increasing
complacency. Young men are overheard saying, “HIV is an old gay
man’s disease”, while the older men say “It’s a young gay
man’s disease”; South Islanders think it is a North Island issue, and
vice-versa; or people claim “I don’t have to worry about HIV, I can
just take drugs”. Complacency has for a long time been one of the
biggest problems in HIV prevention in New Zealand as people try to
distance themselves from the threat. Given the above numbers, we need to
realise that it is now, more than ever, dangerous to do so.
Stigma
and discrimination are very real problems for those affected by the virus.
This year’s World AIDS Day aims to reduce the stigma and discrimination
for those affected by HIV, and therefore overcome some of the greatest
barriers to successful HIV prevention.
THE
WORKING TOGETHER GROUP
The
Working Together Group is a collective of Dunedin HIV/AIDS education,
prevention and support organisations, and interested individuals, who plan
Dunedin’s annual World AIDS Day and Candlelight Memorial events. The
group includes Public Health South, New Zealand Prostitutes Collective,
Dunedin Intravenous Organisation (DIVO), Family Planning Association,
Freedom Roadworks, UniQ Otago, Whare Hauora, Otago Positive Support
Network, and friends and supporters.
Funds
raised from the World AIDS Day Street Appeal will enable these groups to
continue their work within our community. Volunteer collectors are
urgently needed to assist. If you cannot devote your time on that day,
remember to look out for collectors in the city centre and wear your red
ribbon with pride in support of those who have been affected by HIV/AIDS.
If
you would like to help out in any way, please contact Lisa Te Pana on
477-6988.
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NZAF
South - Te Toka
NZAF
South - Te Toka in Christchurch provides the following services:
·
Information
on HIV and AIDS.
·
Free
and anonymous counselling and HIV antibody testing for people who might be
at risk of HIV infection.
·
Individual
counselling and support for people living with HIV and people living with
AIDS.
·
Support
and counselling for families and friends of people living with HIV and
AIDS.
·
Assistance
with maintaining safer sex and drug use.
·
Sexual
health counselling for men who have sex with men.
Appointments
are recommended and are available Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm,
and Tuesday evenings between 5pm and 8pm.
CONTACT
DETAILS:
NZAF
South - Te Toka
269
Hereford Street, PO Box 13-618, Christchurch
Phone:
03-379-1953, Fax: 03-365-2477, E-mail: [email protected]
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HIV
testing can be done at the following places in Dunedin:
·
Your
GP
·
Sexual
Health Clinic (57 Hanover Street, 479-9565)
·
Student
Health (cnr Albany St & Walsh St, 479-8212)
·
Family
Planning Association (95 Hanover St, 477-5850)
Pre-test
counselling is also provided. This is an opportunity to discuss with a
health professional or a counsellor why you might be at risk for HIV, ways
to stay safe in the future and what a positive test may mean and how you
would cope with this news.
It's
important to be tested for HIV if you think you're at risk. If your test
is positive then you can get the medical and counselling support and
information that you need; if your test is negative then this is a good
reason to adopt safe practices in the future.
A
significant number of people who request HIV tests have other sexually
transmitted diseases which are far more common than HIV. If you have had
unprotected sex then you will be at risk for all STDs and screening for
these is advisable.
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Art
Exhibition
AIDS
Awareness Week Art Exhibition, 29 November - 6 December 2003 at
the Cleveland Living Arts Centre, Railway Station
Artists
coming together to shed light on and extinguish the lingering
misconceptions and stigmas attached to all people living with HIV/AIDS.
People
interested in contributing any works to the exhibition, please contact
Dean Bates on 476-6534 or Jo Brett on 467-5945. (Works must be available
to display on 28 November.)
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A
Walk On The Queer Side
by
Tor Devereux & Barb Long
We’ve
been organising the monthly queer walking group – A Walk On The Queer
Side - since May 2001. Sadly, though, the November 2003 walk will be the
last one that we arrange for a while because of our personal
circumstances. (Tor’s ever increasing belly means that walking long
distances is becoming something of a struggle and once the baby’s born
in February we won’t be able to guarantee being able to be at the walks
at the starting time since babies can have the habit of not always fitting
in with the adults’ scheduled events!)
The
Dunedin weather has always proved to be something of a challenge for the
walking group, but nonetheless we’ve had many fun and enjoyable Sunday
hikes. Thanks to everyone who’s participated over the years – both the
regulars and those who came just once or twice.
We
believe that a group like A Walk On The Queer Side fills an important role
in the community because it’s a safe and non-threatening way for people
who are new to town or who have recently come out to meet with some other
queer folk and have a chat. So, if there’s anyone out there who would
like to take over the queer walking group, then that would be awesome –
just give us a call (453-1108) or send us an email ([email protected])
and let us know. Otherwise we’ll probably resurrect the group at a later
stage when the baby’s grown a bit and we’re able to manage it.
Here
are the details for the November walk:
Sunday
November 23
·
Warrington
Beach
We'll
walk down the beach to the end of the spit at the outlet of Blueskin Bay
and then return via the bay side of the spit and a vehicle track through
the pines to the domain.
Meet
at the duck pond at Woodhaugh Gardens (Duke St) at 2pm. Children and dogs
welcome.
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UniQ
Otago is set to commence a new era of queer student welfare in Dunedin
from next year with the recent ratification of its constitution, the
signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with both the Otago Polytechnic
Students Association (OPSA) and the Otago University Students Association
(OUSA), the formation of a governing collective of queer students from
both associations as well as the community, and the employment of an
additional coordinator to take over the organisation of FUNQ, Dunedin’s
successful queerdisco.
In
October 2003 UniQ formally affiliated to OUSA as an autonomous service, a
process which ratified the service’s new constitution. OUSA will
continue to be the primary resource provider for UniQ Otago by employing
the UniQ Coordinator on a fixed term contract for 20 hours per week during
the academic year from January 31 – October 31.
In
2003, OUSA provided the coordinator with a total subsidy of $5200; OUSA is
moving to reduce this to $5000 for 2004. While the coordinator is
responsible for how the subsidy is spent and ensuring the budget is
adhered to, it is the UniQ Collective serving to represent queer students
that must inform the coordinator as to how the subsidy shall be applied.
In
addition to a detailed legal constitution that outlines UniQ’s
affiliation, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been drafted in which
OUSA acknowledges the particular need of queer students and accordingly
allocates resources to UniQ in return for an agreed level of support to
its queer members. A similar MOU will outline OPSA’s expectations of
UniQ for its members and in return OPSA will agree to provide a level of
assistance to UniQ which, while significantly less than OUSA’s, will be
a commitment nonetheless. The intention is to review the MOUs on an annual
basis to ensure they are working for all parties.
2004
will see the first UniQ Otago Collective informing and working with the
UniQ Coordinator. The decision to appoint a Collective to provide
governance and representation is the result of the work of the UniQ
Working Party formed during a queer students meeting at the beginning of
this year. At this meeting UniQ Coordinator, Nathan Brown, presented a
review of UniQ, which OUSA commissioned at the end of 2002 and was carried
out by then Massey Students Association President Huia Welton. The review
examined the problems UniQ was having as a result of employing a
coordinator without a means for queer students to have input into the
appointment of that person or what they did. It went on to recommend that
a representative governing body be established and that the relationship
between OUSA, UniQ and the UniQ Coordinator be made clearer.
As
a result, the Working Party received a mandate to develop a structure that
gave queer students formal input into the direction and strategy that UniQ
will take to provide support for queer students in Dunedin. The Collective
will consist of a maximum of 12 members. 4 members will be student
representatives elected the previous year, 2 will be co-opted first year
students, 2 will be representatives from other local queer organisations,
and the remainder will be co-opted to ensure that the Collective
represents a diverse cross-section of queer students from the two
associations.
Nominations were received
for Ben Fabish, Maria Welborn, Faith McQueen (OPSA UniQ Officer) and Emmie
Ellis. After informal consultation with queer students in the face of no
clear membership this year, these four shall go forward as the elected
student representatives, forming the core of the 2004 Collective. Future
years will see a more formal process of election. When the Collective
convenes next year its first task will be to seek out and co-opt
appropriate people on to the Collective. The decision on the co-opting of
members must consider a range of identified considerations including, for
example, what knowledge and understanding is present on the Collective of
less understood queer identities, the Treaty of Waitangi, specific gender
needs, issues for other ethnic groups (including Pacific peoples) and
issues for mature students.
More
obvious developments that will be noticed next year will be the roll out
of UniQ’s website, a FUNQ website, three glossy anti-homophobia posters
and a new fun logo. The planning for all of these has been taking place
over the course of this year and should result in a far more visible queer
student presence in Dunedin next year.
2004
will also see the employment of a FUNQ Coordinator who will take over the
organisation of FUNQ from the UniQ Coordinator. This initiative will help
to consolidate FUNQ on the Dunedin queer calendar, as well as free up the
UniQ Coordinator to focus on other areas of queer student welfare.
At
the time of print, expressions of interest were still being sought for the
following positions for 2004:
UniQ Coordinator and FUNQ
Coordinator – Contact OUSA on 479-5332 for more information
Funq
Returns On Saturday February 21, 2004 @ Refuel
Top
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Has
coming out alienated you from your church family? If so you might feel at
home at Glenaven.
Glenaven
is a Methodist Church with an ecumenical congregation and a special
ministry to the gay and lesbian community. Even if you don’t think of
yourself as Christian you can belong and be valued.
Theologically,
Glenaven is at the cutting edge and our Sunday sermons are followed by
some pretty lively dialogue. Be prepared to be challenged.
Try
us out on Sunday mornings. We have coffee and cookies from 10:40am and our
service is from 11am to 12pm. You’ll find Glenaven in Chambers Street,
just two blocks along North Road from the Garden’s supermarket.
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The
Rainbow Families group exists for all those in the queer community who
have, want or are trying to have children to get together for support and
social activities. The group meets on the first Saturday of each month.
Below are listed the events that have been planned for the next few
months.
NOTE:
The group won't meet in January as the first Saturday of the month is part
of the New Year holidays and people will probably be away or busy with
other activities.
For
more information about the Rainbow Families group, contact Barb on
453-1108 or [email protected] or Jacinda on 471-9495.
Saturday
December 6
·
Christmas
Party - starting at 2pm. Contact Barb for the venue and RSVP by December 2
(so that we ensure that there are enough gifts for all the children).
Please bring some finger food to share and Santa Claus will be making an
appearance.
Saturday
February 7
·
Picnic,
Woodhaugh Gardens (by the paddling pool), starting at 12:30pm. Bring a
picnic lunch and outdoor toys/games for the kids to play with.
If
you have any suggestions for activities for the Rainbow Families group,
then please let Barb or Jacinda know!
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Icebreakers
and Bloom Underway
by
Nathan Brown
Pride Dunedin Youth is
thrilled to advise that the first group of five young men and seven young
women have taken part in Icebreakers and Bloom under the umbrella of Pride
Dunedin Youth with informal feedback to hand being extremely positive.
This first group has run almost totally on the good will of the
facilitators - Chris Edwards, Pamela Dwyer, Stephen Mason and Shakeel
Mirza - so the next step for the Pride Dunedin Youth Management Team is to
secure appropriate funding to be able to continue the eight week long
groups next year.
Another
initiative that the Management Team has focused on in the second half of
2003 has been to establish the Advisory Group of community people with
skills and expertise to provide to the group. Plus, planning is underway
to meet with local High School Counsellors.
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by
John Broadbent
In
December the Out There Project, a collaboration between the NZ AIDS
Foundation and Rainbow Youth, will be holding a hui in Wellington. The
objective of the hui is to bring together those who are involved in
facilitating/organising queer youth groups and provide educational and
networking opportunities for these people. Topics to be covered include
ensuring social support groups are accessible to all sectors of the queer
community; issues facing facilitators in group work; how to obtain
funding; and when and how to refer people to specialist services. The hui
will be structured so that most of the topics will involve interactive
discussions as people will have experiences and knowledge to contribute
and we want to keep it reasonably informal and enjoyable.
Pride
Dunedin Youth and UniQ Otago will be sending a total of six young people
to the hui, three guys and three girls, all aged between 16-25 years. The
New Zealand AIDS Foundation has provided the group with $600 for transport
to the hui. The $600 has paid for our rental car (without fuel) and our
return ferry crossings, UniQ Otago has paid for one flight and we are
hoping that the Otago Polytechnic Students Association will be able to
fund the other required flight. However, we will be searching for other
sources of funding to make up the shortfall and have approached the
Dunedin City Council. Our accommodation and food in Wellington will be
provided by the New Zealand AIDS Foundation and accommodation in Picton is
kindly coming from the parents of one of the group.
The
six people from Pride Dunedin Youth and UniQ Otago attending the hui hope
to use the knowledge gained to continue to develop the provision of queer
youth welfare initiatives in Dunedin.
If
you would like to know more about our trip or the hui itself, or if you
would like to make a donation to help cover the expenses then please email
us ([email protected]).
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Question:
What does World AIDS Day mean to you?
Mandy,
bisexual, 26 years old
It
makes me consider the risks associated with being sexually active. It
highlights one of the reasons for practising safe sex and why it's
important to talk about one's sexual past when entering into a new
relationship. It's also an opportunity to think of those who have died,
not just of HIV/AIDS but any terminal illness.
Gay
male visiting Dunedin, 20 years old
To
be honest, World AIDS Day doesn't mean too much to me. I know what AIDS is
all about, but I'm not involved in any AIDS awareness activities. However,
I do think that it is important that as many people as possible understand
the danger of AIDS in our society, and that AIDS medication does not cure
the disease, or prevent it from being spread to other people. The western
world should especially help out the third world nations by funding more
research projects.
Tor,
lesbian, 36 years old
World
AIDS Day is a time for reflection, a time to stop and think about those
who have died from HIV/AIDS and those who currently live with the virus.
And it's a time to think about what still needs to happen in terms of
access to treatment/medication, prevention programmes, etc. While HIV/AIDS
has had a huge impact on the queer community, it also affects the straight
community as well and so World AIDS Day is perhaps a way for us all to
come together in the face of this terrible disease.
Gay
male, 21 years old
That
is a very good question. To tell you the truth it doesn’t mean a lot to
me. I think it should mean something to me and it will one day. I do know
what World AIDS Day stands for, which is a good thing. World AIDS Day is
to remember and celebrate the lives of all the people that have left us
because of the AIDS virus. World AIDS Day is not just to remember queer
people that have died for the virus but the straight people and the
children that have died too. In writing this piece it makes you think
about the whole AIDS thing; I’m going to make a big effort to go to the
church services next year.
Pat,
gay male, retired
World
AIDS Day for me is always a mixed bag. Remembering those that I have known
who have died, sorrow that there are still so many who are contracting
this terrible illness, and anger. Anger caused by those who deliberately
put others’ health at risk by not taking precautions when they know they
have the virus. All should take precautions, but those who are carrying
the virus should be particularly careful not to pass on such a
debilitating condition. Sad also that O.P.S.N. appears to be in recess
when there may be some who need their assistance.
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by
Tor Devereux & Barb Long
Coming
out to your GP or any other health professional can be daunting. How will
they react? Will they treat me differently? Will they be aware of the
issues that are specifically important or relevant to me as a queer
person? Will they be surprised or shocked? But, because of the nature of
the relationship between an individual and a health professional, it can
often be very important that this fundamental information about yourself
is known.
So, do we have good reason
for being hesitant about coming out to health professionals, or is it just
our own insecurities that sometimes make us think twice?
Even
though we’d like to hope that health professionals would be inclusive
and accepting of people of all sexual identities in their dealings with
their clients, this isn’t always the case. Assumptions about
heterosexuality can be the result of personal feelings/beliefs or
ignorance/lack of thought, and it can be experienced at all levels of our
dealings with the health system from the forms that we have to fill out to
our interactions with the reception staff to the questions we’re asked
by the health professional as part of the consultation.
Sometimes
heterosexism can spur us to come out, but on other occasions it can set up
barriers, be annoying or even offensive, or suggest to us that queer
people aren’t going to be particularly welcome or treated with the
respect that we deserve. Worse case scenario, it may also indicate that
the health professional is unable to work effectively or appropriately
with someone who is not heterosexual. A typical example is for a lesbian
woman to be constantly asked about birth control if she hasn’t come out
to her GP and we’ve heard of occasions where this has continued to be
asked even after her sexual orientation has been made clear.
How
can people working within the health field ensure that they are inclusive
of queer people and create an environment in which we feel safe in coming
out? Here are some suggestions from a paper written by Sue Turner and
Frances Anderson (Pink Health Otautahi):
·
Try
to use language that is inclusive of a range of relationships e.g. partner
rather than boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, husband, or you can say “he or
she” to reflect that you do not necessarily assume that a person will
have an opposite sex partner.
·
Reflect
this same language in any forms you have that require partner information.
·
Remember
that some people are bisexual.
·
Remember
that this is a life long issue and applies to all ages.
·
If
you believe you have a service that is “queer friendly” advertise it
as such.
·
If
you have a deficit in your knowledge, ask your clients; however you need
to bear in mind what is learning and what is prurient voyeurism.
·
Recognise
the role/place of same sex partners in people’s lives – e.g. in
instances where next of kin information is required the person may wish
for their partner to take that position. Similarly for same sex parent
(non biological parent) role.
·
Question
the person from their own perspective, do not make assumptions based on
your own beliefs about the issue.
·
People
use a variety of language, you need to find terms that will be comfortable
for all parties. Check out with the person what language they are familiar
with and use. Respect their choice of language.
Queer people have a right
to access health care and to be treated fairly and appropriately. When it
comes to professionals such as GPs, counsellors, dentists etc. remember
that you have a choice and you can shop around until you find someone that
you’re comfortable with – just because you’ve been seeing Dr X since
you were 5 years old doesn’t mean that you have to stay with her/him
now. Ask other people in the queer community about health professionals
who are queer or queer-friendly and why they would recommend them.
It
can also be useful to ring a practitioner first and gauge their response
to and support for queer clients by asking direct questions such as: a) my
partner and I would like to enrol with your practice and listen to whether
or not they use inclusive language in their response or a gender-specific
term; or b) have people in your practice worked with queer people in the
past.
In
other instances (for example, specialists and hospital treatment) you may
not have a choice about who provides your care. However, you still have
rights and if you believe that you’ve been discriminated against or
treated unfairly because of your sexual orientation then you can complain.
Most organisations/practices have an internal complaints policy or you can
make a complaint by phoning a Health and Disability Advocate on
0800-11-22-33.
Remember,
your health and well-being are crucial and you have rights!
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Want
To Develop Your Creativity?
“A One Day Affair”
Barb
Long talks to a Dunedin woman with a vision.
Lesley
Hirst lives on the Otago Peninsula with her partner Janet. She recently
shared with me a sneak preview into one of the special Art Days she is
planning - a day by the sea - where people will have the opportunity to
explore and develop their artistic potential and maybe discover a new part
of themselves in the process.
You’ve
been preparing for a new venture, Lesley, in the tranquility of Broad Bay.
Can you tell me a bit about this?
I'm
fortunate to live in a really beautiful and inspiring place. The Otago
Peninsula is pretty special and I feel passionate about the landscape and
the always changing sea-scapes. I also feel very passionate about art and
art education. I guess my new venture combines the two. I am planning to
run half day, day and maybe weekend workshops exploring aspects of the
local landscape. However, I am developing a range of themes based around
exploring personal identity and, in the wider context, looking at our
place within the Pacific. We will experiment with colour, drawing,
collage, printmaking, etc. There will be specific courses in clay,
stone-carving and photography, and we will also explore image-making using
words. These are all just beginning thoughts as I am still establishing
plans.
Classes
will be for a variety of levels, but initially mainly for beginners -
people who feel they have little or no skill or confidence, but who have
always felt they wanted to "have a go".
The
environment will be totally supportive and encouraging - have no fear! I
hope people will feel really motivated and excited. Classes will be small
- around 4 to 6 participants. I'm hoping it will be a chance for people to
feel they can take time out in a beautiful place, a day to be creative and
to hopefully reconnect with themselves.
What
motivated you to take time off teaching and try this?
A
need to be creative for myself and to have the flexibility of working from
home. I guess I also want to give people the opportunity to have a go at
making art in a beautiful location, a chance also to learn some skills and
to gain self-confidence - a chance to follow dreams!!
What
sort of a background do you have for this?
I
have had around 30 years as an Art Educator, teaching both children and
adults. I have worked a lot with local artists and basically have a
passion for sharing my skills and knowledge about art with other people.
What I do know is that you can learn how to make art the same as you can
learn maths or a language or other skills - although it helps if you’re
motivated.
Have
you had experience of setting up a new venture before?
Janet
and I set up and ran “The Cottage” in Broad Bay for 8 years, a self
contained B & B. Again this was a place where people could be
themselves and experience the beauty of the Otago Peninsula.
Do
you consider the gay community to be more artistic than other communities?
Gay
and lesbian people express themselves differently by just being who they
are and there is a wonderfully expressive part within our culture, a part
that we celebrate with flair and extravagance. However, we are not all the
same and some operate differently on a different level and in a different
style. That is our great diversity. In the workshops I’d like people to
just bring themselves - as they are - just with a desire to explore and
experiment. Once we get into "creating" the sky's the limit!
How
do people get information about classes?
By
word of mouth mostly at the moment. There will be brochures etc. later and
I’ll be advertising in the February edition of the OGT with specific
dates and themes of workshops. In the meantime I’m happy for people to
contact me to register their interest in a day (email [email protected]
or phone 478-0073). Groups of people might even like to get together and
book a workshop - remember no fewer than 4 and no more than 6 in a group.
This number makes sure it's special for everyone.
What
have some recent workshop participants said about their class with Lesley?
·
“Inspiring,
I couldn’t sleep that night as I was so excited about the day.”
·
“Amazing
and people did fantastic things that they had never done before.”
·
“It
was great creativity using the environment; there was a theme for the day
and each person stated what they wanted to achieve and did it.”
I
left my conversation with Lesley thinking about balance in my life, the
warmth of the sun on my back as I painted and dreams of feeling confident
about creating something other than a doodle on the office pad. With the
enticement of the paradise ambience of Broad Bay, morning tea and the
promise of Lindauer at lunch I’ll have to seriously consider registering
my interest.
Coffee,
Cake & Community
A
place for breakfast, lunch and in the future dinner - and coffee in
between. Barb Long catches up with Grant Benson.
Grant
Benson spends a lot of his energy supporting and participating in the
queer community; he is involved with the OGT, Pride Dunedin, Rainbow
Labour and UniQ. Somehow, on top of all this, he has found the energy and
enthusiasm to purchase a café, for which he has several plans, including
developing a lounge space for the “community”. I was treated to a
coffee and a glimpse of his vision when we caught up recently.
You’ve
recently bought the Bronx Café. What are your plans for this business?
Since
I took over the café I have opened it up for breakfast and increased the
hours. I will be expanding the menu to include evening dining as well and
implementing coffee cards and breakfast cards. I also intend to do some
advertising, as the Bronx is Dunedin’s best-kept secret. I’m
developing a lounge space for the community and will expand to private
functions and catering. The café will also be child and family friendly
with a toy box for the younger kids and booster seats to bring them up to
the right height for the tables. Look at this amazing artist in a box set
I have for the older child who wants to create something.
Do
you think the queer community needs places to gather and why?
Yes
- people seem to miss Planet Pancake since it has gone and it’s
important that we have a place to go to where there is more chance we will
know someone who will come in, that we have a sense of belonging, and
queer venues/queer-owned businesses can provide that. It’s also
important to have a place where people new to town or visiting, as well as
those living in the city, can go and find out what is happening in the
community.
What
motivated you to enter the café scene and purchase a business?
I
have worked in hospitality in the past and a change in personal
circumstances gave me the opportunity to review where I wanted to be. I
like being my own boss - it gives me flexibility to be free to do other
stuff such as attend a Pride Dunedin Youth meeting.
Are
you happy to be known as a queer friendly café and why?
Definitely!
- and with me behind the counter it’s somewhat obvious … I don’t
think it will negatively affect business, and it provides a safe
environment for individuals or groups to gather. I am happy for people to
arrange meetings here in the mornings and after-hours if they want a place
to gather. It gets a bit busy and public during lunchtimes and afternoons
for this to happen then. I don’t want to take people away from other
places, so I won’t approach groups but I’m happy to be contacted to
set up a regular time slot for groups - just email me at [email protected]
or phone me on 479-0209.
Although
a second cup of great coffee was tempting, and the mind was starting to
think about lunch as I perused the wonderful display of bagels and
fillings, it was only 11am so I needed to drag myself away before I
succumbed to what would have been a large morning tea (Grant also has a
wonderful range of cakes). However, I have been back since and can
definitely recommend the bagels, sandwiches and, of course, the coffee.
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If you're queer/LGBT or
queer-friendly, own or work in a business and you'd like to be interviewed
in the OGT by our intrepid interviewer Barb Long, then please let her know
(PO Box 6171, Dunedin, [email protected],
453-1108). Interviewees don't have to advertise in the paper, but our
rates are very reasonable and it's a great way to make yourself and your
line of work known to the community.
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Queer
Quiz Answers
1.
Bill Hastings
2.
May 1978 in San Francisco
3.
Habitat For Humanity
4.
Iridescence
5.
Dory, the Fish
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