Full text can be found at IllVox

Reclaiming Choice for Native Women

By Jessica Yee, Racialicious

June 22, 2009 – 8:00am

I am Native. And I’m pro-choice. Many people seem to think this is an oxymoron – but to me, it makes perfect sense. I have unraveled much of the oppression I was forced to swallow and internalize over the years, which obstructed my ability to wholly see that concepts of “choice” and having “options” in our sexual and reproductive lives are really not new things at all. Moreover, I am entitled to advocate for choice from within my culture, which has always valued women’s choices and decision-making.  First and second wave feminism did not “give” my people reproductive rights; in fact those of us in Native communities had them a long time ago. And how “pro-choice” identities play out in our communities now probably looks a lot different than what most people think. [Read the rest here]

Forwarded by CARC

The anticipated free services include:

• Cleaning
• Extraction
• X-Ray
• Examination
• Filling

For more information please contact Patricia Miles at 860-808-8746, Dr. Emmett  E. Wilson at 860-727-8146, Leslie Perry at 860-306-1693, or Dr. Marvin Douglas at 860-830-9333

The following is from our Ct TransAdvocacy Intern Haley.  She may be contacted at transhealthstudy@gmail.com, Note that due to the excellent response, the study has been extended as noted below.

My name is Haley McCarthy from the Public Health department at Southern Connecticut State University and I am writing to invite you to participate in my research study. This is a study about the health care experiences of transgender individuals. You may be eligible if you identify as transgender, are 20 to 60 years of age and live in Connecticut. (Note: The age limit has been changed from 50 to 60!) [Read more →]

The following is from our Ct TransAdvocacy Intern Haley.  She may be contacted at transhealthstudy@gmail.com

Click to View Flyer.

My name is Haley McCarthy from the Public Health department at Southern Connecticut State University and I am writing to invite you to participate in my research study. This is a study about the health care experiences of transgender individuals. You may be eligible if you identify as transgender, are 20 to 50 years of age and live in Connecticut.

If you decide to participate in this study, you will be asked to participate in a 2-hour focus group and may also be asked to participate in a one hour follow up in-depth interview. Participants will be partially compensated for their travel and child care expenses. [Read more →]

Men’s Health screen Day

Services for Men, Saturday,

January 10, 2009, 9:00am-2:00pm

Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective
1841 Broad Street, Hartford

Latest HIV Updates by Dr. Abriola

Continental Breakfast and Lunch will be served!

STD Screening and Treatment
HEP A & B Vaccines
HIV Counseling and Testing

FREE!

Raffle Door Prizes

Acupuncture

Chair Massage

http://hglhc.org

Services for women by women

Saturday October 25

9:00 AM-2:00PM

Gay and Lesbian Health Collective

1841 Broad Street, Hartford Ct.

info: 860-278-4163 or into@hglhc.org

Mammograms, appointments required (no insurance needed for this service)

Free Services Include: Pap smears, breast exams, pelvic exams, hepatitis A & B vaccinations, HIV Counseling/testing, STD diagnosis/treatment, spinal evaluations.

Walk-ins Welcomed:

BE WELL   BE YOURSELF

[Read more →]

The 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City commences today and runs from 3-8 August 2008. Some key links:

• Official conference website can be found at AIDS2008.org
• Program at glance (with roadmap search) can be found at AIDS2008.org/Pag/PAG.aspx
• Extensive online coverage can be found at Kaisernetwork.org/aids2008/
• Community Voices (real time blogging) from the AIDS 2008 conference can be found at AIDS2008.com

As the conference moved towards its opening day, the Joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS released their new report on the Global AIDS Epidemic. Some highlights from the report are:

• Number of people newly infected with HIV has fallen from 3 million in 2001 to 2.7 million in 2007
• Total number of AIDS-related deaths worldwide has decreased slightly in the last two years-from 2.2 million to 2 million
• Ten-fold increase in the number of people receiving antiretroviral medicines in these countries. In terms of HIV prevalence, declines exceeded 25% in seven African countries
• The number of people becoming newly infected with the disease each day-7,500-remains unacceptably high
• Sub-Saharan Africa remained the most heavily impacted region by AIDS in 2007, accounting for 67 percent of all people infected with HIV and 72 percent of all AIDS-related deaths
• The AIDS epidemic is certainly not over in any part of the world.

Some select trans relevant sessions are:

• Roadmap ‘Female, Male, and Transgender Sex Workers’
• Transchallenges: An Insider View of Obstacles, Challenges and Problems Faced by Transgender People for Access to HIV Prevention, Care, Treatment
• Sexuality, Body Image and the Meanings of Gender
• HIV/AIDS In Prisons and Pre-trial Detention Centers:A Public Health and Human Rights Disaster
  
• Male and Transgender Sex Workers: Identities and Vulnerabilities
• HIV Risk among Transgender People: The Social and Cultural Context from a Global Perspective
• Mobilizing, Building the Capacity and Researching on Gay, Transgender and MSM Issue
• Gender and HIV: Emerging Issues
• HIV/AIDS Epidemiology among hard to reach populations
• Intervening with Marginalized Communities: Successes and Challenges
• Programmes and Research on HIV and Prisons
• Trends in HIV in Different Geographical Regions: Estimates and Risk Factor

The Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective is please to announce that it has received a grant from the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Connecticut Affiliate for Breast Cancer Outreach, Awareness, Education, and Screening. The amount awarded is double the amount that the agency has received in the past. [Read more →]

The Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective sent us this notice. For anyone living with HIV/AIDS please take the time and fill out the survey.

CAEAR Coalition and the National Association of People with AIDS are sponsoring a survey to gather information about access to medical care and support services for people living with HIV and AIDS. This survey is one part of a coordinated effort (surveys, town hall meetings, etc.) with some of our national partners to ensure that the voices of people living with HIV/AIDS guide advocacy efforts on behalf of the Ryan White Program. [Read more →]

This was received by e-mail from Jon Green, Director of Working Families Party. 

You might’ve seen it in the news. The legislative session came to a close at midnight, and despite hundreds of citizen lobby visits and thousands of phone calls and even more emails to legislators, the House never brought the Paid Sick Days bill to a vote.

But because of all your support, it’s not over. We’re pushing into over-time.

Yesterday, the leaders of the House and Senate began planning for a special session to complete unfinished business. And we have a chance to get the Paid Sick Days bill on the schedule for the special session, if we act now.

We need your help to bring Paid Sick Days back to life. Click here to email the House and Senate leadership and DEMAND they put Paid Sick Days on the agenda for the special session. [Read more →]

A CRY FOR THE EARTH 

Earth Day Song sung by Penny Hamer-Sorell, Felicity, Mary on Guitar, Sean Moore on Accordion and Joey Fiasco the slide show. Thanks for this beautiful work of art for our planet our home.

Anyone who can’t or chooses to not drink any beverage with caffeine in it take note. A month ago at one of my favorite places to buy organic herbs, I came upon a tea called Dawn Chorus. What a wonderful flavor and blend. This tea is a tea that one would send a special note to the Blender of teas to highly compliment the work. Mountain Rose Herbs describes this tea in this way.

“Dawns Chorus Tea is gentle, yet full of heart and substance, this delicately balanced tea is a perfect way to start the day, and offers just the right amount of pick -me-up during times of afternoon lethargy. This mildly sweet and lightly fragrant nettle-based infusion is a superb alternative to the caffeine kick found in green and black teas. A new favorite at Mountain Rose and highly recommended. Contains: Organic Nettle leaf, Organic Green Rooibos and Organic Rose Petals. Traditionally used for-General health and energy.” [Read more →]

 Come out on Saturday April 19th 8:00am registration.

Links to specific conference information are:
Conference Workshops: http://conference.transadvocacy.com/?p=12
Conference Timelines: http://conference.transadvocacy.com/blog/?page_id=6
Directions: http://conference.transadvocacy.com/?p=13 [Read more →]

According to an article published in the Hartford Courant on Thursday April 3 three adults die prematurely each week in Connecticut on the average because they lack health insurance. The focus and fact on the unisured in Connecticut and in many states across america will be released by Families USA. To read the full article click here .