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went very well. Extremely intense. Heartbreaking and painful as always. Please keep those we have lost in your thoughts and prayers this weekend.
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jtguy
08 November 2009 @ 07:47 pm
Sunday, November 15th is the start of Transgender Awareness Week! Kick off this important event with the TransFM charity podothon! From 6pm-10pm on Sunday, November 15th, we'll be raising money for the Transgender Emergency Fund (TEF). Guests will include Gunner Scott, Director of the Massachusetts Trqansgender Political Coalition (MTPC), Jesse Pack, co-founder of TEF, members of the current steering committee, and many more.
Tune in next Sunday to the TransFM broadcast and join us! To tune in, set your browsers to http://www.transfm. squarespace. com or listen directly at http://www.live365. com/stations/ ethanstp.
TransFM welcomes live callers, so dial up the studio at 978-518-1835!
For more info about the TEF, check out http://www.tgemerge ncyfund.org.
Tune in next Sunday to the TransFM broadcast and join us! To tune in, set your browsers to http://www.transfm. squarespace. com or listen directly at http://www.live365. com/stations/ ethanstp.
TransFM welcomes live callers, so dial up the studio at 978-518-1835!
For more info about the TEF, check out http://www.tgemerge ncyfund.org.
09 October 2009 @ 11:27 am
Viola Fields and the Dynamic Divas present Divas Live 2!
Featuring: Roxie Van Cartier, Gia Deveroux, Kim Fusion, Nikita Le Femme, Savannah Night, and Olivia Bouyea
$5 at the door, more donations welcome! 21+
The Hotel Vernon, Kelley Square, Worcester Massachusetts.
October 10th, 9PM
This is a benefit show for the Transgender Emergency Fund, which provides financial assistance for low-income transgender people living in Massachusetts. For more info about the Transgender Emergency Fund, visit:
http://www.tgemergencyfund.org
16 September 2009 @ 04:50 pm
So this summer I have really been toying with the idea of leaving HIV/AIDS work for good. In some ways (though not nearly as horrible as their experiences, imo) the experience of disillusionment and disappointment I've felt is similar to friends of mine who have gone to work as public school teachers. The levels of bureaucracy and having to bow down to "experts" who decide what you can and can't do for your community--particularly when they don't know shit about your community or bother to visit your community, even to do site visits to hold you accountable (ahem ahem), just really sucks. Like, mach 1 level of suckage. In all ugly honesty I'm irritated and disgusted by the flippant attitudes and completely unfocused approach of so called "leaders" in MSM prevention--in Boston, in New England, throughout the nation. I respect those who are behind the scenes doing the actual work and sweating blood trying to get funding and resources where they should go, rather than pissed away.
But now that I've got like 5 years under my belt I can actually see the differences that have been made. Like, big time changes that me and my colleagues have accomplished here. And I'm proud of that. I'm also proud to see youth in my community stepping up to take on this fight as well. It gives me a good deal of hope.
I still want to go back to school. One of my dreams is to get a doctorate. But now I don't think I want to run away screaming from this career in order to do that.
But now that I've got like 5 years under my belt I can actually see the differences that have been made. Like, big time changes that me and my colleagues have accomplished here. And I'm proud of that. I'm also proud to see youth in my community stepping up to take on this fight as well. It gives me a good deal of hope.
I still want to go back to school. One of my dreams is to get a doctorate. But now I don't think I want to run away screaming from this career in order to do that.
17 August 2009 @ 10:18 am
Transfabulous Brunch: A Benefit for the Transgender Emergency Fund
Sunday, August 23rd 2009, 11AM-2PM
86 Winter American Bistro, 65 Water Street, Worcester
$20.00 at the door, includes brunch and juice/coffee
About the Transgender Emergency Fund:
The Transgender Emergency Fund responds to the needs of transgender people living in Massachusetts by providing immediate, short-term financial assistance to help low-income transgender people with basic human needs.
The Transgender Emergency Fund is currently accepting donations. The fund has virtually no overhead costs. Every penny donated will go directly to people in need.
To donate to the fund, make out checks to AIDS Project Worcester with “Transgender Emergency Fund” written in the memo line. Send donations to:
Transgender Emergency Fund
c/o AIDS Project Worcester
85 Green Street
Worcester, MA 01604
OR make an online donation:
http://www.tgemergencyfund.org/id65.html
All donations are tax deductible!
08 April 2009 @ 02:50 pm
I am not happy with the new federally-funded prevention campaign. I think it's great that the Obama administration is funding prevention in this country--already a hell of a lot more than Bush ever bothered to do--but it misses the mark. For those who don't know I'm talking about the newly-released '9 and 1/2 minutes' ad campaign. You can see it here:
http://www.cdc.gov/nineandahalfminutes/
First of all the TV spots only say "get the facts about aids". Well, what are those facts? A little more information please? Not everyone is going to be able to log on to visit the fancy website to see those facts.There are no images of MSM, and the website only mentions MSM twice--once as "bearing the greatest burden" and one other time to get vaccinated for Hep A+B. MSM make up 53% of all new infections in this country! Therefore this messaging should speak to us! It doesn't--the website has tons of pictures of men and women together in what are (to me) obvious coupling situations. There are no such images of men together. There is only one image with two separate white men that look "stereotypical" but no men of color together.
That probably has to do with no-promo-homo still being on the books (thanks, Jesse Helms, I hope it's nice and warm where you are) but I still think it sucks. What a disappointment. I hope that our friends in DC and Atlanta can get it together and roll out a major campaign targeting MSM.
08 April 2009 @ 10:28 am
19 March 2009 @ 12:09 pm
I listened to a short but informative podcast about HIV risk and trans MSM. It's available for free here:
http://www.sfaf.org/
24 February 2009 @ 11:25 am
I've been into comics since I was young. Growing up, my favorite books were Daredevil and the Ninja Turtles (stop laughing at me!). I also red the Maxx in middle/high school, which looking back was a bit dark. I remember the big comics collecting bubble that grew and exploded in the early '90s. The good thing about that bubble is that now, if you know what to look for, you can pick up some good comics for less than the original cover price at collector's shops. My advice is to stay away from ebay unless you want to get screwed--you'll end up paying as much as the books if not more in shipping.
A good article about comic book speculation and the boom/bust of the early 90's can be found here: http://www.tcj.com/journalista/zarch2002
So I guess you can call me a comic collector in some ways (pannepictographists is the technical term according to wikipedia). I don't have a huge collection, just a few boxes of titles I've enjoyed reading over the years. Nowadays I only splurge on comics if I want a story line by a particular writer (like frank miller's early work, alan moore, etc) or for gay or HIV themes (North star, the first out gay superhero in the major titles, the green arrow with Speedy who is HIV+, etc). The past couple of years I've gotten into Green Lantern b/c I liked the socially conscious stories written by Judd Winick (Pedro Zamora's roomate on Real World San Francisco). That title has had some great writers over the decades; last fall I picked up cheapie reprints of the now-famous Green Arrow/Green Lantern series with progressive social themes (Neil/Adams).
Because I have a very particular taste I don't end up having to spend obscene amounts of money cuz most titles I look for fall into "bronze age" or "modern" categories--late '90's through the 80's-- or the 80's black and white glut. Most retailers are happy to get rid of these titles, that will sell at $1 or less typically. The exception to that for me has been Alan Moore's Swamp thing titles which can run about $3-15 a book, due to the current hype about him since his V for Vendetta hollywood splash.
16 February 2009 @ 07:55 pm
My friend sent me this link. Apparently this guy made 30-something videos that are on youtube. Lots of swearing--not worksafe.
14 February 2009 @ 09:11 pm
So this month has been crazy with video games. First, I had to replace my playstation 2 b/c my roomate stepped on it and broke it (ah!). That's when I realized I didn't want to live without a playstation and replaced it. That was a couple weeks ago. This weekend I bought a nintendo DS b/c I want to play legend of zelda and mario games again. When I move at the end of this month I won't have access to NES games. So I sucked it up and bought a little pink DS. The guy at the game stop was sure I wouldn't buy it when he said that he only had pink left. Like I give a shit.
I'm a little bit peeved b/c I am to make an appearance at a local church tomorrow b/c said church is inviting a trans pastor to speak. And of course I am expected to attend being one of three out transpeople in the county. However, the two people who are to give me rides have not gotten back to me. Oh well, I'll figure it out.
I'm a little bit peeved b/c I am to make an appearance at a local church tomorrow b/c said church is inviting a trans pastor to speak. And of course I am expected to attend being one of three out transpeople in the county. However, the two people who are to give me rides have not gotten back to me. Oh well, I'll figure it out.
11 February 2009 @ 05:02 pm
02 February 2009 @ 08:24 pm
Success!
The emergency fund's website is (for the most part) done! AND the online donation button works. yay!
Check it out here:
www.tgemergencyfund.org
The emergency fund's website is (for the most part) done! AND the online donation button works. yay!
Check it out here:
www.tgemergencyfund.org
26 January 2009 @ 10:10 am
The transfabulous brunch was a huge success! We had a wonderful turn out and sold a bunch of items in our silent auction. Thanks everyone who supported this great event! I continue to be impressed by the support this fund receives from all of our communities.
12 January 2009 @ 05:25 pm
The advocate has a pretty well-written article about the possible future development of PrEP for HIV prevention among MSM:
http://www.advocate.com/issue_story_ekti
While I'm happy that PrEP trials have finally been able to move forward in research this past year, I definitely have some mixed feelings about this issue.
In general, I'm getting sick of every couple of years there being a glbt and hiv-media buzz about up and coming prevention technologies. First it was the vaccines--none of which have worked. Then it was vaginal (and rectal) microbicides--which haven't worked either. Meanwhile, condoms and prevention messages have seemed to disappear from gay bars and clubs across the country and young people aren't even getting helpful HIV prevention messages in school or elsewhere. And conversations about rising HIV infection rates in our community seem to always melt into finger pointing and deflection about how "straight people get to bareback! don't oppress me". I am also not too keen on the idea of a young generation of gay and bi men popping ARVs without full knowledge of possible long-term side effects.
If PrEP does work that would be a powerful tool to add to our prevention arsenal. But I would hate to see it promoted at the expense of condom and behavioral interventions.
If PrEP is a part of our futures, I would like to see it incorporated in a holistic framework. Similar to women's sexual health as promoted by groups like planned parenthood.
But I'm not going to get my hopes up until I see the data--several sets from several trials that indicate that PrEP is both effective AND safe.
06 January 2009 @ 12:44 pm
Transfabulous Brunch: A Benefit for the Transgender Emergency Fund
Sunday, January 25th 2009, 11AM-2PM
86 Winter American Bistro, 65 Water Street, Worcester
$20.00 at the door, $15.00 advance tickets
Contact Jesse Pack at (508) 755-3773 or jessep@aidsprojectworcester.org if you would like to order advance tickets.
We are also requesting donations of art, crafts, and gift certificates to include in our silent auction taking place at the brunch. To donate art please contact Jesse at (508) 755-3773 or jessep@aidsprojectworcester.org to make arrangements. All donations are tax deductible!
About the Transgender Emergency Fund:
The Transgender Emergency Fund responds to the needs of transgender people living in Massachusetts by providing immediate, short-term financial assistance to help low-income transgender people with basic human needs.
The Transgender Emergency Fund is currently accepting donations. The fund has virtually no overhead costs. Every penny donated will go directly to people in need.
To donate to the fund, make out checks to AIDS Project Worcester with “Transgender Emergency Fund” written in the memo line. Send donations to:
Transgender Emergency Fund
c/o AIDS Project Worcester
85 Green Street
Worcester, MA 01604
All donations are tax deductible!
15 December 2008 @ 09:35 am
SAVE THE DATE!
TRANSFABULOUS BRUNCH & ART AUCTION
A Benefit for the Transgender Emergency Fund
Sunday, January 25th 2009, from 11AM-2PM
At 86 Winter American Bistro, 65 Water Street in Worcester
Tickets: $20.00
We are currently soliciting donations of art to be auctioned as well as items to be raffled off. All donations are tax deductible!
All proceeds will be donated to the Transgender Emergency Fund.
About the Transgender Emergency Fund: As a result of discrimination and abuse, transgender and transsexual people are more likely to be homeless, to be unemployed or underemployed, and to be the victims of abuse. The Transgender Emergency Fund responds to the needs of transgender people living in Massachusetts by providing short-term financial assistance to help low-income transgender people with basic human needs.The Transgender Emergency Fund operates with virtually no overhead costs in raising and distributing funds to transgender people who are most in need. Through the fund’s intervention, transgender people can maintain access to medical care and hormone therapy, avoid homelessness, and live with greater dignity and stability that discrimination too often denies them.
To donate to the fund,make out checks to AIDS Project Worcester with “Transgender Emergency Fund” written in the memo line. Send donations to:
Transgender Emergency Fund
c/o AIDS Project Worcester
85 Green Street
Worcester, MA 01604
All donations are tax deductible!
For more information about the Transgender Emergency Fund or our upcoming brunch event, contact Jesse Pack at (508) 755-3773 or jessep@aidsprojectworcester.org.
10 November 2008 @ 12:27 am
Saw nine inch nails tonight at dcu center. Good times. I hadn't been to an arena concert in a long time. I was struck by the large numbers of lit up screens from peoples' camera phones. I remember when it was just lighters in the audience. Great show though. Lots of well-done lights and visuals. Good times.
06 November 2008 @ 03:41 pm
Nice to know that at least gay folks in california aren't going to take gay marriage bans lying down. Last night there was a very large protest in the LA area that last until early this morning. There's some pretty good coverage of it here:
http://queertoday.ning.com/profiles/blog