I think we often focus on the things media does wrong, but sometimes it's good to highlight when it's “getting it right”, so I though I would pass along this link from Gender Across Borders: Getting it Right when it Comes to Anti-Rape Campaigns. This is important, because there are a lot of ways that sexual violence prevention, particularly in mass campaigns has been done wrong:

1. Blaming the victim: I’ve presented Norwegian media’s efforts to “warn women” about sexual violence rather than discuss systematic problems and rape culture. GAB’s post references theS*M*A*R*T campaign, which similarly blames victims for sexual violence by giving women steps to avoid being sexually assaulted, because “rape happens”.

2. Triggering: Both of these ads could be triggering for some survivors, but the efforts of Cabwise in London (shown to me by a friend) are unquestionably triggering and creating of an unsafe environment for survivors. *warning, as I said, this ad is very triggering.*

3. Glamorizing sexual violence: Joelynn recently wrote about how sensationalism makes her feel unsafe to tell her story as a survivor, and I think it’s a really important consideration in mass campaigns. There have been mixed opinions on the “This is not an invitation to rape me” campaign, also out of the UK, but I think there is definitely some problems with sensationalism.

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I'm absolutely disgusted.

I'm so tired of anti-choice organizations, usually lead by old white men and women, talking about the supposed "black genocide" because women in this country are allowed to make decisions about their personal health. Yes, I'm talking about abortion.

In Atlanta, the Georgia Right to Life has erected the following billboard.


Stating that all the abortion clinics in Georgia are located in black urban areas, they try to make the connection that the fertility rates are declining. BTW-according to the CDC, that is false.

Here's what drives me crazy. If this movement actually cared about black children in this country, there would be more action on the following: 

1. Teen pregnancy in this country is on the rise among all ethnic groups (up 3% in 2006).  Communities of color are still particularly affected as there is a big gap between white teens and black and latino teens.  Abortion rates among teens also went up 1%.  Yet another example of how we are living in a sexually unhealthy nation.  While teen pregnancy rates went down in the nineties, Bush administration abstinence-only education, much of which has been targeted to youth of color, has denied young people important and life saving information about their sexual health.

2. But it can't just be about education.  We also must make sure that young people, and especially young women of color have access to condoms and contraception.  CVS locks up condoms.  Family planning clinics are closing and facing financial strain due to the economy. We must make sure that those who decide to have sex are able to do so in the safest manner possible.

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Two cities in North Carolina are on the brink of beginning historic debates about the role of government in supporting equality and monitoring the private lives of their employees. Early next week, the Asheville City Council is set to debate providing domestic partnership benefits to city employees. Newly elected city council member Gordon Smith has long championed this policy, and he along with the two other new members of council are supportive of the policy. Smith only needs to convince one more member of council to support domestic partnerships, and with several sitting members of council already on the record leaning in favor of the policy, it’s not a matter of if the measure will pass, but by how much.

Providing domestic partnership benefits for city employees is a no-brainer. Not only is it the fair and just thing to do, it makes the city of Asheville more competitive when searching for new hires. Already several cities and counties provide these benefits, and it’s not hard to imagine that a highly qualified woman who identified as a lesbian would choose a job in Durham or Chapel Hill if her partner would not receive basic benefits if she accepted a job in Asheville.

While the city of Asheville is finally moving into the age of wisdom, Wake County is taking a step backward in foolishness by considering not covering abortion in their health plan for city employees. Recently the city of Apex (also in Wake County) decided to no longer cover abortion services in their health insurance plan for city employees, and it appears that other municipalities in North Carolina are now considering a similar action. The ridiculousness of this plan is appalling. Could you imagine the uproar if city leaders decided to arbitrarily cut another benefit, like dental coverage or the co-pay for the flu vaccination? City and county leaders in Wake County are throwing women’s health under the bus for political gain. Let’s hope that Wake County leaders don’t make the same foolish decision as their counterparts in Apex.

Cross Posted at BlueNC: http://www.bluenc.com/tale-two-cities

Mariela Castro Espin is a 47 year old LGBTQ rights activist working in Cuba. She also happens to be the daughter of Raul Castro and the neice of Fidel Castro.  Although many associate Raul and Fidel Castro with the persecution of the LGBTQ population that occured shortly afte rthe Cuba revolution, Mariela Castro is fighting for a new Cuba.

Although it is great that public figures like Mariela Castro are fighting for the LGBTQ community in Cuba, it is quite depressing that there are still young gay people in Cuba that can not speak out like Mariela Castro. They do not have the protections and privelege that her last name affords her and would likely be prosecuted for even coming out. These are young men such as Damian who was profiled in a Youth Radio peice by Rachel Krantz called "Young and Gay in Cuba." Rachel did excellent journalism with this peice and I can not say how moved I was by Damian's story and that of other gay Cuban's like him. When you read his story below it is hard not to make connections between the repression that he faced and that of Reinaldo Arenas almost 30 years ago: 

"Donde esta la fiesta?"

You always call the same phone number to find the party. When someone answers the phone, you always ask the same question:

The answer is an address--sometimes familiar, sometimes a new location. But without fail, every weekend, some sort of secret gay party is thrown in Havana, Cuba.

One Friday in Havana, my friend Damian agrees to take me to one. Damian is 23-years-old, Cuban, a filmmaker, and gay. With medium brown skin and a wide, knowing smile, Damian charms most people he meets. Although he only wanted his first name used for print, Damian is open when he talks about what it's like to be young and gay in Cuba.

"The hardest thing is finding a place to have safe sex," Damian says. "It's hard for everyone, but straight guys, they could bring a girlfriend home. I couldn't do that, of course not. My mom doesn't let me, it's forbidden."

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Since the disaster in Haiti, jolting stories and photographs of the struggles local people are facing have been plastered all over the news and the internet. Anecdotes of displaced families, food insecurity, lack of shelter as well as tracking of the massive relief efforts taking place have defined the media's portrayal of disaster in Haiti. Of course, as a result, aid in the forms of food, water, shelter and immediate medical care have been rushed to the scene of the quake in an attempt to alleviate some of the incredible suffering.

While the provision of these resources is crucial to reducing the vulnerability of the Haitian people right now, there is another target for relief that must be equally prioritized, particularly within the context of Haiti's social and political climate: the protection of human rights, more specifically, prevention of violence against women  in this time of extreme vulnerability and chaos. It is a known fact that in situations of conflict and natural disaster rates of sexual violence escalate dramatically. As a consequence, women and young people need special attention in these relief efforts. A rapid assessment recently conducted by UNFPA in Haiti found a lack of privacy for women living in self-constructed camps throughout the streets and that the absence of female-specific latrines made women more vulnerable to rape and gender-based violence. In addition, UNOCHA studies conducted in 2008 Haiti following previous tropical storms found reports of sexual abuse in shelters, forced exchange of sex for food and many other forms of sexual exploitation.

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Every now and then I hope to have the opportunity to share awesome job announcements to the Amplify community. 

To kick this off, I'd like to introduce you all to one of our closest partner organizations, Choice USA, located here in the beautiful and soon to be super snowy Washington, DC!

Choice USA is working to empower the diverse, upcoming generation of leaders who promote and protect reproductive freedom – both now and in the future. We are dedicated to the right of each person worldwide to decide when and if they will have sex, when and if they will be pregnant, and when and if they will have a child.  Choice USA provides tools, training and leadership opportunities to young people aged 15 – 30 to mobilize for reproductive information and services and winreal victories for their campuses and communities!

Communications Director:
Choice USA seeks an experienced, creative Communications Director who is passionate about reproductive justice and community organizing!  In close partnership with our Field and Development Departments, the Communications Director will implement a comprehensive strategy to integrate and reach our programmatic, policy and fundraising objectives.  Reporting to the Deputy Director, the Communications Director is a senior management position and key component of the executive management team.  The ideal candidate will be a skilled, compelling writer with a keen eye for detail; comfortable with online technology, content management systems and social networking; experienced with a broad variety of contemporary media; and highly motivated in a fast-paced environment!  
 
Midwestern States Field Associate:
Choice USA seeks a committed, experienced individual who is passionate about reproductive/social justice to organize and develop our Midwestern States Field Program. The Midwestern States Field Associate will build a diverse base, lead and create trainings, build relationships with field partners and implement campaign strategy. Candidates must have knowledge of and commitment to reproductive health and rights and/or social justice issues, knowledge of the Midwestern region, experience with national and/or state organizing and excellent training skills. This entry-level position reports to the National Field Director. 
 
Western States Field Coordinator:
Choice USA seeks a committed, experienced individual who is passionate about reproductive/social justice to lead and coordinate our Western States Field Program. The Western States Field Coordinator will build a diverse base, lead and create trainings, build coalitions and relationships with colleagues and partners as well as create and implement campaign strategy. Candidates must have knowledge of and commitment to reproductive health and rights and/or social justice issues, knowledge of the West and/or Southwest regions, experience with national and/or state organizing and excellent training skills. This mid-level position reports to the National Field Director.

A few months ago, Sarah from Advocates for Youth sent me an email about an inspiring story and a victory for the fight for LGBTQ rights in Cuba. It was the story of Mariela Castro, the daughter of Cuban Head of State Raul Castro (brother of Fidel Castro), and her success in convincing the Cuban government to perform state sponsored sex reassignment surgery. These surgeries have been going on now since 2008 and they represent a dramatic shift in the treatment of the LGBTQ community. Castro has been fighting for this change for years now through her organization CENESEX that works for sex education and LGBTQ rights in Cuba.

The dark history of gays and their perscution by the state in Cuba started shortly after the revolution. University of Toronto historians chronicled the persecution that homosexuals in Cuba faced as they were arrested and put into forced labor and re-education camps. As renowned poets and activists such as famous American writer Allen Ginsburg and the French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre denounced these actions, Fidel Castro responded to the allegations: 

Finally, in response to these charges, Castro took a clear position in 1965 during an interview with the U.S. journalist Lee Lockwood (quoted in Lockwood,
1967: 92):

".....And yet we would never come to believe that a homosexual could embody the conditions and requirements of conduct that would enable us to consider him a true Revolutionary, a true Communist militant. A deviation of that nature clashes with the concept we have of what a militant Communist should be."

Homosexuals were confined to the two worst wards of El Morro: these wards
were below ground at the lowest level, and water seeped into the cells at high
tide. It was a sweltering place without a bathroom. Gays were not treated like
human beings, they were treated like beasts.They were the last ones to come
out for meals, so we saw them walk by, and the most insignificant incident was
an excuse to beat them mercilessly.The soldiers guarding us, who called themselves combatientes, were army recruits sent here as a sort of punishment; they found some release for their rage by taking it out on the homosexuals. Of course, nobody called them homosexuals; they were called fairies, faggots, queers, or at best, gays.The wards for fairies were really the last circle of hell.

Part of V-day is preventing sexual violence in our own communities. One of the issues on my campus is communication and consent, So my incredible roommate, of show me your wits fame, came up with the idea to collect sexy ways to ask for consent from students, and then give them the V-day stamp of approval. These are up all over campus; here are our favorites:

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Hello Everyone,

So by now I hope you are all well aware of the fact that Advocates for Youth & Youth Resource are representing at this year's Creating Change Conference in the great state of Texas! We have all been working and learning and growing in our knowledge of Queer issues.

Today's Institute on Best Practices for Queer Youth Work had some great discussion on youth empowerment and equitable partnerships between adults and youth. As someone who works in the youth development field, I found the discussion to be quite exciting. I think what we have come to realize is that a lot of work still needs to be done in this area and it's especially difficult to achieve equatiable relationships in youth work within organizations that have been long established. Nontheless, we do need to come to a greater understanding and embrace the idea that youth development IS community organizing! That idea right there was my "AHA" moment of the workshop!

A shout-out is well deserved to the folks from The Boston Alliance of GLBT Youth and FIERCE for putting on a great discussion.

On a side note, all of us here (William, Daniel, Ernesto and myself) have jumped on the social networking bandwagon as a tool for social change and are Facebooking, Twittering, Youtubing, blogging and so forth while we are here in Texas. Keep up with all of us here on Amplify or through our videos on YouTube!

Until Laters World Changers!!

Ariel

Hey everyone,

This is an interview with Russell Roybal who is the Executive Deputy Director of External Relations for NGLTF. He tells us what Creating Change is and what it stands for. Enjoy!!