|
|
 Stop AIDS in Prison Act In honor of World AIDS Day last Thursday, Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer (one of 33 cosponsors) participated in the reintroduction of the “Stop AIDS in Prison Act”. The bill was originally introduced by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA). Previously, this bill was passed by the House by voice vote; however the Senate lacked to complete the bill prior to adjournment.
“The Stop AIDS in Prison Act will help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS among prison inmates, encourage them to take personal responsibility for their health, and reduce the risk that they will transmit HIV/AIDS to other people in the community following their release from prison,” Waters stated in a press release last week.
Continue reading »
  Nailed by Ally's Twin Peaks set #1 Bodywork
Whether it’s acupuncture, massage, rolfing or reiki Portland has no shortage of homos and homo-lovers practicing amazing bodywork. Reiki practitioner Venae Rodriguez will help clear and balance your chi, or essential life force for relaxing and renewing break as well as a healing from the holiday craze you’ve just endured. If you want to get poked, Avi Brockman and Alison Carr at Alberta Street Acupucture (1829 NE Alberta St #A) or Green Wayland at Seven Star Acupuncture (436 SE 12th Ave) are good bets. And if you’re ready for the hardcore re-structuring of rolfing check out Adam Persinger (2100 NE Broadway) and Karin Edwards (1707 SE 33rd). Sheila Rasari of True North Massage (1603 NE 16th Avenue, Suite B) has also been recommended with a host of types of massage available.
#2 Holistic Health Coaching
Whether you need nutrition consultation, meal planning or just healthy cooking class Erica Blair is the one to visit. With knowledge about gluten free, macrobiotic, vegetarian and countless other diets she knows that each person needs a unique program to for their unique body.
Continue reading »
 Twitter was all abuzz yesterday with with the news that Mayor Sam Adams has issued a press release proposing trans-inclusive health care coverage for city employees (well, that and the the Stumptown Coffee sellout). Some called him an “idiot” while others backed him up  saying that if supporting fairness made you an idiot they’d gladly be one.
You can read the entire statement below:
This week, Mayor Sam Adams is filing an ordinance for City Council on June 8 that would add trans-inclusive health care benefits, including sexual reassignment surgery, to one of the plans offered to City of Portland employees. The American Medical Association (AMA) has identified transgender health care as being medically necessary. In 2008, the AMA passed a resolution supporting public and private health insurance coverage for treatment of gender identity disorder and opposing the “exclusions of coverage for treatment of gender identity disorder when prescribed by a physician.”
Continue reading »
 Besides earning some dolla dolla bills you can also feel good about participating in a health study from All Gender Health Online.
Thanks for your interest in All Gender Health Online. Before participating in the study, please review the following information. You may participate in the study only if you agree to the terms outlined here and if you meet the participation eligibility criteria. You can only participate in this study once. Please note that we will use current technology to confirm the validity of your response and may terminate your participation in this study if we determine that you do not meet eligibility criteria or have participated more than once.
  DJ Freddie Fagula holds a feminist icon sculpture in support of Planned Parenthood Planned Parenthood has been in the news a lot lately, fighting for there very existence. But even when PP is “completely” funded, there scope is technically limited to the prevention of baby-making. Lots of women take advantage of their medical services, contraceptives and other resources. But not every woman needs the meds or paps because she has sex with men, and while plenty of us fudge the truth in order to get services local PP workers knew that this policy was unfair and wanted to do something about it. That’s why they created the Equal Access Fund.
The Equal Access Fund, established by PPCW, gives low-income lesbians, bisexual women and trans people the same access to affordable annual exams and Pap tests as low-income heterosexual women, and increases access to health care to an underserved population. The fund removes the requirement of seeking contraception to access no-cost annual exams.
I a recent survey in three Portland health centers, front-line staff members estimated that in a single month, six lesbians decided not to access services because they could not afford them and were not eligible for CCare. We estimate that annually 150-175 women in our service area decide not to access services because they cannot afford it.
We also suspect that man more low-income lesbian, bisexual and trans patients at PPCW request and take home contraception they don’t require because they need help from FPEP to pay for their services This subterfuge puts up additional barriers between patients and their health care providers, making an honest discussion about relationships, sexual behavior and risk factors even more difficult for women who may be already hesitant to speak freely.
Consistently facing financial woes, the completely donor funded EAF is holding a trivia night benefit tomorrow night at Crush (1400 SE Morrison). We got a chance to sit down with some of the organizers on the eve of their big fundraiser to ask a little bit more about the program.
Continue reading »
  This is a re-posting of a Facebook message from trans advocate Tash Shatz.
When I was sixteen I woke up one night in a cold sweat in the worst pain I had ever experienced. I felt like I was being repeatedly stabbed in my abdomen. My only guess was that I was experiencing super heinous period cramps. I was nauseous and the pain washed over me in violent waves. My mom and I were soon on our way to the emergency room, and we found out I was passing the first of what would be many kidney stones.
That night at the ER my experience was typical of what would happen as I visited the hospital several times over the next few years. Staff members stumbled over pronouns, sporadically use my preferred name, and asked me what medications I was on. When I answered “testosterone,” the hospital staff launched into a line of questioning about my gender identity – what surgeries had I had? What did I plan to have? What did transgender mean? On more than one of my visits I heard nurses whispering behind the patterned curtain across the space which held my bed. They were talking about my gender.
Continue reading »
  I don’t even really know what to say about this so I’m just going to give you the transcripts and some of the copy via the Right Wing Watch, where I found this article.
Back in August, Ken Hutcherston wrote a column for WorldNetDaily in which he argued that the behavior of gays ought to be regulated by the government for health reasons:
Legislators around the country are considering banning sugar and fatty foods in schools, removing salt and butter from restaurants and want to control what temperature you can have in your own homes, because they fear the potential of health problems. Perhaps they should consider banning the promotion of a lifestyle that the Centers For Disease Control has determined actually causes HIV/AIDS. On the Day of Silence, an entire school day is set aside to ensure every young, impressionable student is exposed to homosexuality. Does this really make sense to you?
Continue reading »
  Rufus Wainwright plays tonight as part of the TBA Festival Tonight
Rufus Wainwright with the Oregon Symphony – Portland’s yearly Time Based Art festival is pretty epic and pretty gay in and of itself. But tonight’s opening act is sure to be one of the more memorable musical collaborations. This celebrated male vocalist has had immense success as a pop star but easily scored an entire opera, Prima Donna, as well. On the last stop in his North American tour Wainwright will entries from his latest opera, performed by local soprano Janis Kelly as well as some “classical” Rufus that will showcase the composer’s own vocal range when he sings two concert pieces by French composer Hector Berlioz.
Dirtbag – Jenny Bruso’s Alberta queer non-poppy sweat dance party this week with guest DJ Lick My Battery. It’s real. It’s raw. And it’s damn good.
Continue reading »
 Gay men are still banned from donating blood by the red cross Taking the front page of CNN.com today is an article about the possible change regarding laws on allowing gay men to donate blood.
As a former blood donor with a reasonably rare blood type who who is banned from donating blood (spending more than three months in Britain between 1980 and 1996 will get you banned) I think that the issue is worth debating.
Continue reading »
 Wow, another move to actually improve the lives of queer people by a President that has spewed mostly rhetoric so far. My faith is being restored! Today President Obama signed extension of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS bill.
The legislation provides care, treatment and support services to nearly half a million people, most of whom are low-income.
Obama also announced that the Department of Health and Human services has finally crafted a new regulation spelling the end to the HIV Travel and Immigration Ban. The regulation goes into effect in January.
Continue reading »
|
|
