HIV/AIDS NewsPlease not that the application deadline has been extended to 24 May 2013
S’il vous plaît noter que cette date a été prolongée.
If you have any questions, please contact/ Si vous avez des questions, s’il vous plaît contacter
Rina Arseneault (rinaa@aidsnb.com),
Emerald Gibson (secretary@aidsnb.com) or/ou
Stephen Alexander (stephena@aidsnb.com.)
May 17th marks International Day against Homophobia and this year’s theme is “Fight the Homophobia Web Virus.” It is fitting for this day and age, where we find ourselves engaged in many online forums such as Facebook, twitter, blogs etc.
Being a part of a global online village is, in many cases, inspirational. It allows for people who are socially marginalized to find peers, support and care. However, it’s also bombarded with careless language that perpetuates Homophobia in very social/common plate-forms like Facebook and twitter. Take a look at the website below. It shows how often every day people are exposed to Homophobic language being used so casually on Twitter. We have made major strides in the reduction of racial language being used in web media. Yet today on International Day Against Homophobia at 9:00am, people have used the term No Homo close to 4,000 times.
The use of this language online has led to many of our youth falling prey to depression, social isolation and suicide.
We don’t want anyone to feel the need to take their life because they feel they live in a world of hate. That is why we need to support work that tackles the issue of Digital Human Rights and Freedom of Speech. Take a look at http://www.definirlafrontiere.ca. That website allows youth and policy makers to come together and take on the issue of cyber-bullying and digital citizenship. A much needed discussion in today’s day and age.
The fight against HIV, like the fight against Homophobia, can sometimes seem insurmountable. The frequency of Homophobic words and slang used on Facebook and twitter are informative as to how engrained the affliction is in our web-reliant society. However, there is hope. Campaigns like International Day Against Homophobia show us just how strong a voice we can have in the fight against Homophobia. It is important to observe this day because fighting against Homophobia means fighting for the health and wellbeing of everyone.
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Le 17 mai marque la Journée internationale contre l’homophobie et le thème de cette année est «combattez le virus Web de l’ homophobie.>> Il est normal pour cette époque, où nous nous trouvons engagés dans beaucoup de forums ligne comme Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc
Faire partie d’une communauté mondiale en ligne peut être source d’inspiration. Il permet aux gens qui sont socialement marginalisés pour trouver des pairs, le soutien et les soins. Cependant, il est aussi bombardé par langue imprudente qui perpétue l’homophobie dans des espaces très sociaux / commune comme Facebook et Twitter. Regardez le site web ci-dessous. Il montre combien de fois chaque jour, les gens sont exposés au langage homophobe utilisé avec tant de désinvolture via Twitter. Nous avons fait de grands progrès dans la réduction du langage raciale utilisée dans les médias sur le Web. Pourtant, aujourd’hui, de la Journée internationale contre l’homophobie à 9h00, les gens ont utilisé le terme No Homo près de 4000 fois.
L’utilisation de cette langue en ligne a conduit à beaucoup de nos jeunes souffrent de dépression, l’isolement social et le suicide.
Nous ne voulons pas que quiconque se sente le besoin de prendre leur vie parce qu’ils sentent qu’ils vivent dans un monde de haine. C’est pourquoi nous devons soutenir le travail qui aborde la question des droits de l’homme et liberté d’expression dans les espaces électroniques. Regardez Definetheline.ca. Ce site permet aux jeunes et les décideurs politiques à se réunir et à prendre sur la question de la cyberintimidation et la citoyenneté électronique. Il s’agit d’une discussion très nécessaire dans la journée et l’âge d’aujourd’hui.
La lutte contre le VIH, comme la lutte contre l’homophobie, peut parfois sembler insurmontable. La fréquence des mots Homophobic et l’argot utilisés sur Facebook et Twitter sont instructifs quant à la façon enraciné l’affliction est dans notre société qui est si dépendante sur le web. Cependant, il y a de l’espoir. Des campagnes comme la Journée internationale contre l’homophobie nous montrent à quel point fort notre voix peut être dans la lutte contre l’homophobie. Il est important d’observer cette journée parce que la lutte contre l’homophobie implique de lutter pour la santé et le bien-être de tous.
We have just received a tremendous donation of beautifully handcrafted pottery mugs courtesy of the very talented artists at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design.
Stay tuned to our online store for availability. For inquiries please contact us at:
1-800-561-4009
or
info@aidsnb.com
To all our Volunteers, Thank You!
Title – Operations Coordinator
Updated – April 2013
Full time – 37.5 hr/wk
Reports to – Executive Director
Vacation – 3 weeks per year
Sick days – 1.25 days earned per month of full time work
Benefits – Employer RRSP contribution, 50% Employer contribution Extended Medical Benefits
Salary – To be discussed
Start date – April 22, 2013
AIDS New Brunswick Inc. is a provincial non-profit organization that aims to promote and support the health and well being of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, while helping to reduce the spread of HIV, Hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted and blood born infections in New Brunswick through the provision of prevention, education and support initiatives.
AIDS NB is now accepting applications for the position of Operations Coordinator for its Fredericton office. The Operations Coordinator supports the work of the Executive Director and program staff and is responsible for keeping agency records, daily accounting and financial monitoring, databases and reception and assists with the coordination of the agency’s Membership Program and Volunteer Services Program. Read the rest of this entry »
My apologies, the blog I hope you’re about to read, is more formal than usual because I really need to drive home that fact that anonymity has very little, if anything to do with the transmission of HIV. In other words, anonymity is not a mode of transmission of HIV.
This week New Brunswick media has exploded with news of a local person who has recently tested positive for HIV. We’ve learned that the person in question engaged in unprotected sex with approximately two-dozen people met anonymously online. As a result, those who have had anonymous, unprotected sex with someone whose sexual health status is unknown to them are being encouraged to seek testing.
*Face Palm*
First, the narrative of this story is edging dangerously close to being about anonymous sex between men, when in reality it’s about unprotected sex between anyone. Secondly, transmission of HIV, or any other sexually transmitted or blood born infection (STBBI), has nothing to do with anonymous sex with someone whose sexual health status is unknown, but rather when UNPROTECTED SEX happens with someone who is infected with an STBBI. And thirdly, while it is extremely important for someone who has had unprotected sex to seek testing, it did not JUST become important, it has always been important In fact, anyone who is sexually active might want to think about routine STBBI testing.
It’s time we clear a few things up. Anonymous sex • Sex with someone whose sexual health status is unknown and, • Unprotected sex, are three very different things.
Anonymous, unprotected sex with someone whose sexual health status is unknown is AS risky as unprotected sex with some one who is familiar but whose sexual health is unknown, and here’s why. The line between anonymous and familiar is pretty thing. There are lots of people we would not consider to be anonymous to us, but whose sexual health status is completely foreign. The barista at our favourite coffee place, a colleague, neighbours. We may speak to these people nearly everyday. We might have long drawn out conversations with them. That doesn’t mean we know what’s happening inside of their body.
It’s probably fair to say that most people think that there are three ways to prevent infection; 1) Abstinence/First Time, 2) Condoms, and 3) Knowing that you and your partner(s) free of infection. Lets explore these things;
1) Abstinence/First time may seem obvious, but most people forget that there is more than one way to contract STBBI’s. Sharing injection equipment with someone who is living with an STBBI. Receiving a tattoo or piercing from someone who is not using new equipment may expose us to if that equipment was used on someone who was living with an STBBI. Sharing personal hygiene equipment like razors, toothbrushes, and manicure equipment can lead to exposure to an STBBI if that equipment was used on someone who is living with an STBBI,
2) Condoms, again obvious, but they need to be used properly. Properly meaning that;
3) Knowing that you and your partner are free from STBBI’s is a really grey area. This is because it can move into the inner working of the relationship, an area we are in no way qualified to talk about. What I will say is that rarely do we truly know our partners sexual health status, this is because of a number of reason, but mostly because ones sexual health status is not static, it’s chances.
While anonymity makes it difficult for partner notification, it has very little, if anything to do with transmission in the grand scheme of things. Sure, it probably means you are not going to know your partners sexual health status, but in reality how often do we really know our partners sexual health status. Consistently providing and promoting education, easy access to regular testing, and condoms would make the issue of anonymity ever more moot because, quite frankly they would be using condoms and getting tested anyway.
Furthermore, while there is no silver bullet to prevention, and there is no way to make sex totally safe, there are ways to reduce nearly all of the risk. Implementing interventions, and taking charge of ones own health is the best way to prevent infection. As we know, Getting Tested BLOWS. If anyone has figured out a way to put a fun spin on it let us know, but it’s also crucial. We need to applaud everyone who seeks testing and make it easier to do so. Using condoms can be awkward, but is again crucial, and again we need to applaud and encourage people who use them.
Can you imagine where we would be if everyone used condoms and was able to seek routine testing?