Hello! Introductions are always odd and never go exactly the way you want. My name is Rikki. I reside in San Diego and attend San Diego State University. I am a Child Development Major and a Gay and Lesbian Studies Minor. I work with kids and teens with autistic spectrum disorder. I love the 104 kids and teens I work with. My long term goals include pursing a career in play therapy and setting up a scholarship to help send future Child Development Students attend school. I would also like to refine the person I am becoming. I am not quite sure how I am going to do all this but everyday is a step towards my goals.? I’m just a normal guy with dreams of helping others and leaving this place a little better than it started. I have a philosophy, If you’ve made one person smile that day than that day wasn’t a waste. I identify as a homosexual male, but that isn’t my only identity, I am also a white male and an asian american, I am a college student, I am a Californian, I’m a future Consoler, I’m a peer educator.? I love seeing how people interact with each other. Getting to see that smile or twinkle in the eye when people connect and when dialogue is exchanged, makes my day. I like connecting with people because it reminds me I am alive. That is why I am here, I want to be there for people and I figured this would be a great way I could do that. I use to be scared to be who I was but I have came a long way and now I am ready to be who I am. My best quality is that I am able to find common ground with anyone, I am able to make a genuine connection with more people I meet. I want to help you any way I can. My hope for you is that you are able to ask me questions freely and openly. I am here for you. Take advantage of it; no questions are too personal or too out-of-the-box. ?
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The rationale behind why the Administration of the Milton Hershey School banned a 13-year-old boy who is positive for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus is dumb founded. I had to pause, comprehend what I just read and do a re-read when I first stumbled across the article.
In the United States we have laws that protect people from discrimination, and yet discrimination is still a big problem. I know that laws do not protect everyone and that people still break laws. It just sucks that this kid is denied an opportunity because of a medical condition.The school said today that its residential setting and the risk of sexual activity made the teen too much of a "threat."
(source: http://abcnews.go.com/US/hiv-positive-student-discusses-denial-admission-hershey-school/story?id=15074075#.Tv-oJSNWoc8)
I am an eternal optimist! This can be a great learning opportunity for this school. The Administration claims to be concerned because the students live at the school that sexual activity is feasible and because of the boy’s HIV status he can spread HIV to other students.
If this is really a concern of the Administration than they have the opportunity to give their students the tools to make informed decisions about their sexual health. The Milton Hershey School can provide their students with comprehensive sexual health education and resources such as condoms to help them make informed decisions about their sexual health.
Research has shown when young people have the resources and knowledge to make informed decision most young people choose abstinence until they feel they are ready to handle being sexually active.
However, I doubt that their primary concern is the possible sexual behaviors of their students.
TAKE ACTION, sign the petition!TAKE ACTION: Join Lawrence Stallworth II, a 20-year-old who learned he was HIV-positive while a senior in high school, by taking a stand against discrimination, stigma and fear. Demand that the Milton Hershey School publicly apologize for discriminating against a 13-year-old HIV-positive student.
Here is the link to the petition: TAKE ACTION
(source: http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/blogs-main/advocates-blog/1943-ten-ways-to-support-adolescent-health-a-rights)
807,615 voter signatures are required to repeal Proposition 8 (Prop 8) and there is so little time to collect them. Advocates and supporters of equal marriage rights for same gendered couples in California only have until May 14 to gather the required signatures for the initiative to appear on the November 2012 ballot.
Hopefully the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturns Prop 8 declaring that it impedes on the civil rights of Gay and Lesbian Californians. If the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals does not overturn Prop 8, Californians will take it back to the ballot.
This is an exciting time for California. Hopefully this time; we can win back our rights to marry. With May around the corner, there is no time to lose. If you live is California, think about getting involved. Getting involved can mean gathering signatures among your family and friends and sending them into an organization gathering signatures.
Love Honor Cherish (lovehonorcherish.org) is spearheading the initiative on gathering signatures. They have a really detailed instruction manual and have all the forms you need to gather signatures. This is a great way to empower individuals to get involved and gather support within their own communities.
The Fraternity I’m involved in, Alpha Delta Chapter of Delta Lambda Phi, will be gathering signatures in the San Diego Area to help out and get involved in a cause that hits home for all of us. Hopefully by the end of 2012 marriage will be a protected right for all California Citizens.
Below is the language in the initiative proposed by Love Honor Cherish:
The Proposition
This amendment would amend an existing section of the California Constitution. Existing language proposed to be deleted is printed instrikeout type. Language proposed to be added is printed in underlined type.
Section 1. To protect religious freedom> no court shall interpret this measure to require any priest, minister, pastor, rabbi, or other person authorized to perform marriages by any religious denomination, church, or other non-profit religious institution to perform any marriage in violation of his or her religious beliefs. The refusal to perform a marriage under this provision shall not be the basis for lawsuit or liability, and shall not affect the tax-exempt status of any religious denomination, church or other religious institution.
Section2. To provide for fairness in the government’s issuance of marriage licenses, Section 7.5 of Article I of the California Constitution is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 7.5.Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.Marriage is between only two persons and shall not be restricted on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, or religion.
(source: http://lovehonorcherish.org)
The Federal Government needs to do something. Marriage is a Human Right and should not be left up to the states to decide. I have been getting really worked up about this because in California the only option I have is to get a domestic partnership. This means for me, if I ever leave California, I may or may not be recognized as “a spouse” to my husband. What kind of nonsense policy is that???
The under lying issue is that when individuals are not offered the same opportunities the system is weakened. For example this type of discrimination will affect the health outcomes of LGBTQIA people. It is worst when the discrimination is institutionalized. This may manifest in chronic stress which could affect productivity, cause feelings of worthlessness and maybe even aggression.
Granted these are just my speculations generalized from other studies done on cortisol levels and minorities. There has yet to be done a study regarding what I have just claimed. This is just my educated guess.
Progress is happening too slowly and at the extent of people's spirits and this could be damaging to the country. Marriage is a human right. The Federal Government needs to protect it.
I am super stocked that Andii was able to have a blast at her prom. I hope she had a great time.
I remember my prom, I was too scared to ask a guy I liked to go. It is really cool how far we have been coming along with High-School Acceptance. Granted we still have a long way to go.
Nurturance and human rights require each other.
Unfortunally I could not link the video to this post but here is the URL. Check it out!
Prom!
Rikki
Today we are gathered here to morn the death of gay marriage. So many people have been and will be affected by his death. He was so young, only a few years old; this California native was never able to reach his full potential. Now here we are dressed in our finest blacks. We should be celebrating weddings, instead we are here at a funeral.
It was only a few months ago, couples were discretely running to the nearest courthouse to get married to their significant other. After a few months, the cat was let out of the bag and our fellow Californians were outraged and wanted gay marriage out of the picture. Like a quick and steady disease Yes on Prop 8 rolled in like a thick and choking fog. We regrettably knew what was going to happen.
Roughly a long and drawn out year later full of canvassing and calling allies to help change the hearts and minds of sympathetic voters, Californians spoke up clearly and passed a death sentence on gay marriage. Despite knowing what gay marriage's fate was, the verdict still wounded our community. It was as if we were told we were no longer allowed to express our love.
Progressive California was no longer progressive. Yes on Prop 8 passed with a 5% majority. I was there at the Top of the Park Hotel with my fellow activist when gay marriage was prematurely taken from us, everyone in the room felt the sudden change in the feel and chemistry of the room. Everyone was hoping to be toasting to our victory, instead we were morning the death of a friend whom we would never get to know.
A friend, who I had dreamt about as a young child, was now forbidden to be my friend. Couples everywhere felt the sudden pain in our stomachs and our sinking hearts were melting away. I was grasping at anything, trying to catch my composure so I could be strong for those around me. I kept on thinking, that is what gay marriage would want, for us to keep on fighting the good fight, to eventually win. His memory depended on it.
Gay marriage would not want us here mopping over his death. He would want us to think about all the progress that came out of his death. Our brothers and sisters in New York, Washington DC, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont and New Hampshire are free to marry. Gay marriage would want us to celebrate.
Today we may be morning our lost friend, but someday we will be rejoicing because of the efforts of our community and our resilience in the face of adversity. Here is to his memory and to the fight ahead of us! May he rest in peace knowing we will survive and continue to live full and happy lives.
CC 2011 was fantastic!!!!!
Tabling and being around great friends was my favorite part!
Also I got to learn about a lot of new tricks!!!!
I don't know exactly if I love this but, I at least like it enough to share.
I thought it was great that he was speaking out and informing people!
Rikki
Three years ago I started volunteering in a mock LGBT Center set up by the Pride Action Committee (PAC), a student organization at San Diego State University. Originally, I got involved because I wanted to meet more gay people, none of my friends were gay. After a few months of volunteering, I realized the importance of keeping this little student organization, that was trying so hard to be a resource center, open. Thus, my journey began. I started getting more involved, tabling, attending meetings, and helping out with events.
The first big event that I did was World AIDS Day. I was able to branch out to the San Diego LGBT Community and get condoms, lube and safe sex information to hand out with red ribbons and HIV facts on World AIDS day. A friend of mine, who is living with AIDS, came and spoke about his experience later that day at the World AIDS candle light vigil. Despite it being a small event, it was fun and amazing to see all the people who thought like I did that this event and day were important.
My next major event was taking responsibility for the Speakers Bureau at San Diego State University. I have been organizing and setting up the panels for two years now. It is always a surprise who I get to do a panel and what questions the class seems to come up with. The Speakers Bureau is an amazing way to make the LGBT community on campus visible. The Speakers Bureau has even been at Patrick Henry High School. I have been trying to get other high schools to host a panel with LGBTQIA college students, but have not yet been successful.
Last spring, as the Outreach Coordinator of PAC, I was in charge of PrideFest, which is a CASE co-sponsored event that took place after the Queer People of Color conference. I was able to get twenty different organizations, some LGBT, some not, as well as some from the college and community involved with tabling that night. For me, I feel the only reason I am still involved is because I feel that the only way we are going to be equal is by being visible. We also need to have allies and friends who are LGBT friendly. PrideFest is all about inclusion and visibility as well as having a good time.
This coming Spring Semester I will be the Associated Students (AS) representative for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Student Union (LGBTSU). I am excited because I will be able to make a bigger splash in the SDSU pool and make the LGBT community on campus even more visible. Things are going great on campus, we have an LGBT minor and possibly a major and the LGBTSU and PAC groups are working together to get students on campus involved with campus and community life. My next big goal is to get Coming Out Day part of the Aztec Nights Welcome Back Month during the fall semester. I really feel if the whole campus is involved with coming out day, it will set the tone for tolerance. Thank you Advocates for Youth!
Hopefully, Prop 8 is repealed...it has been a very long engagement.
I think if Prop 8 is repealed, maybe a lot of people will realize, it is my hope, that it is OKAY to be gay.
Rikki
This was an interesting article.
Briefly, it is about Treasure Island Media featuring an HIV- and HIV+ couple that barebacks.
It raises a lot of questions, such as should it be Treasure Island Media’s responsibility to educate people about the risk of HIV, or are they simply able to be entertainment source selling their product to an audience?
I feel if you are going to present an audience with an image and that image could potentiality normalize what they are present, and in fact can be harmful to ones health. Then yes you are responsible for present some sort of disclaimer. Secondly, I do agree it is everyone’s responsibility to be formed and to know about the risk they are taking when engaging in unprotected sex with a partner. BUT, we still have a social responsibility to inform people about HIV/AIDS.
I understand about bottom-lines and making your business profitable and I get the regulation of business is not the “
Yes, maybe it is a good idea to make HIV not so a taboo subject, but this is the way to go about, especially if you consider porn’s target audience. Also, I hate to say but a lot of young people do not have great track records of staying together. So exposing yourself to HIV, especially when it is an in the moment sort of decision is not decision people should make.
My point is we should use this situation to open up dialogue about HIV.
Here are some quick facts about HIV.
You have got to have HIV to spread it. You have got to contract HIV from a HIV+ person to get HIV.
HIV stands for Human Immuno-deficiency Virus
HIV can be contracted from:
Blood
Semen
Vaginal Fluids
Breast Milk
Rubber Condoms protect against HIV
Here is the article:
The pornography company Treasure Island Media is promoting a couple that includes an HIV-negative and an HIV-positive partner having unprotected sex as "role models." They are believed to be the first sero-discordant barebacking couple to be advertised as porn stars.
According to a Treasure Island statement, the acting couple’s James Roscoe is HIV-positive, while Brad McGuire is HIV-negative. In a scene featuring Roscoe and McGuire on a Treasure Island website, Roscoe is the receptive anal sex partner or bottom.
