*FALL 1997*
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by ARIES CHEUNG , Asian Youth Peer Outreach
Counsellor
On June 1, we coordinated a table display at the Chinese Health
Fair in the China Town Centre. Outreach outcome showed that there
is an increase of Mandarin speaking population among the Chinese
community. In the near future, we are planning to conduct more
Mandarin specific outreach, such as presenting at Mandarin TV
or radio programs.
We have started actively outreaching to the youth in the Filipino
community. Working with youth peer leader Liv Velasco, we are
planning to conduct several workshops in September, October and
November this year. Contents will focus on dating/relationship,
sexual health and HIV/AIDS. If you are interested in becoming
a youth peer leader or just interested in attending these workshops,
please feel free to give us a call for more information.
We are coordinating a presentation at the Canadian Awareness
of the Filipino Experience (C.A.F.E.) at Ryerson on September
27. ACAS volunteers, Henry Fanugao and Alma Ramos will co-present
the impacts of HIV/AIDS on the Filipino community. The event
is organized by the Filipino-Canadian Association at Ryerson,
targeting to Filipino youth. We need volunteers to help staffing
a display table at the same location. Please contact us for more
information.
ASIAN CANADIAN ARTISTS AGAINST AIDS
Organized by the Asian Community AIDS Services and sponsored
by Canada's Year of Asian Pacific 1997, Asian Canadian Artists
Against AIDS is an event starting in this year's AIDS Awareness
Week. The aim of the exhibition is to increase the awareness
of H IV, AIDS and related issues among the Asian community through
visual art. The exhibition will be a first of its kind rotating
exhibition of Asian Canadian an work influenced and informed
by the AIDS epidemic. An official launch will be at the end of
September during AIDS Awareness Week. These an work will be rotated
to different community centres and public venues until the end
of November, closing at World AIDS Day, which is December 1.
Please call Aries for more information.
Thanks to Irene Trin, Ken Tran, Philip Fung, Cecile
Nguyen, Ben Leba, Tom Pham and Marilyn Jung who have volunteered
to help organize this event.
by PETER HO , Gay men's Education Outreach
Coordinator
JUNE 29, 1 997 - PRIDE DAY '97
ACAS' Queer by Nature (volunteers and staff) have done
it again! Another successful table display on Pride Day. This
year, we have a developed a new educational game called "Condom
Race" in which contestants have to demonstrate their ability
to put a condom on a wooden dildo quickly and accurately. Over
40 people have participated in this game.
ACAS would like to take this opportunity to thank the
tremendous help that we have received from our volunteers, especially
the following people who have donated their time and efforts
to make this event a success:
Bert H., Simon C., Philip F., Estalia A., Mika
M., Albert T., Ben N., Mimi, Calvin, Marcos C., Daniel L., Sum
W., Don R., Christopher. T., Daniel 1, Minh T., Sau C., and Edmond.
We would also like to thanks the following establishments
for their generous donations of prizes to ACAS's education and
outreach activities:
Julius Schmid of Canada LTD, Down Under Heath Food
Store, Woody's, Priape, Second Cup, Out On the Street, Mango
Restaurant, Glad Day Book Store, Spa on Maitland and 7-24 Videos.
Since May of 1997, ACAS' Ask Sexpert banner have been
located on Gay Asians Toronto's website
(Personal section). The objective of having this banner is to
provide a safe and confidential way for Asian men on the Net
to email question about HIV/AIDS information, safer sex and related
issues to ACAS. All of the questions will be responded by trained
Sexperts; however, since confidentiality and anonymous are priority
for ACAS, only one staff would have access to the sender's
name and email address. The response so far have been very positive.
After consulting with the Education and Outreach Committee,ACAS
have decided to post some of the questions ( withhold the
name and email address of the sender) and responses in the newsletter
so that others may benefit from it.
The following is one of the queries that ACAS have received
through email:
Question:
I am very first to [the] gay world. During my recent sex with
[a] white man, I sucked his dick and he ejaculated in my mouth.
He asked [me] to drink all [of his sperm. Is there any other
way to drink safely?
Answer:
There are few things to keep in mind when u "drink
sperm" (swallow semen). This sexual activity is considered
as low risk, which means that there are a few reported cases
of people have been infected with HIV virus through drinking
sperm. You can reduce the risk of infection of HIV by:
1)Abstains from swallow semen or drink sperm a least 2
hours before or after you brush your teeth, since brushing can
cause bleeding gum which is an opening for the virus to enter
the blood system( infection).
2)lf your partner ejaculated in your mouth, either swallow
it or spit it out right away. Avoid prolong semen in your mouth.
In addition, use mouth wash to rinse your mouth afterward.
3)Avoid having oral sex (give head, drink sperm, blow job)
if u have cut, sore, cancer sore or bleeding gum.
Sexpert just want to let you know that not all gay men
or men have sex with men are into sucking or drinking sperm.
If you do not feel comfortable about drink sperm or any other
sexual activities, you can either said no or suggest to your
partner other less risky sexual activities such as kissing, massage
or masturbation. In addition, sex is more fun when it is mutual.
You can ask your partner(s) what he/ she likes but also tell
him/ her what turn you on as well so that you both can satisfy
each other.
by STEVE NGUYEN , Asian Sex Trade Project Coordinator
I first met T in May of this year at a massage parlor in West
End Toronto while doing outreach.1 was leaving after a brief
conversation with two Asian massage attendants, one male and
one female. I noticed a third person sitting quietly in a corner
of the resting room, obviously listening but seemed reluctant
to join in. I was about to leave then T called and asked whether
I was working for a community agency. I said yes. T asked for
a phone number. I gave him ACAS' phone number and the conversation
ended there. I debated whether to pursue the conversation but
decided not to as I saw the embarrassment on his face even when
asking for a phone number..
I got a telephone call from T the beginning of June. He wanted
to talk to me. We met in a coffee shop that same evening.
T was originally from Saigon, Vietnam. T came to Canada two
years ago from a refugee camp at the age 25. He worked at a factory
for year and lost his job. He then received Unemployment Insurance
until three months before when benefits ran out. T told me how
he became a massage attendant.
"My mother is sixty eight and cannot do anything to make
money. My two sisters have their own families to support. They
help my parents occasionally but cannot afford to provide on-going
support. They help my parents occasionally but cannot afford
to provide on-going support, My mother is not demanding and keeps
assuring me that she is okay. But I know she needs help. When
I had a job and when I was on Unemployment Insurance, I kept
enough for bare necessities like rent, food, bus fares and clothes
and sent the rest home to my mother. It was difficult but I managed.
I spent three months looking for a job when my Ul ran out but
could not find one. I finally answered an ad on a Vietnamese
magazine for a massage attendant and got a job there."
T said he is ashamed of being a massage attendant because
in the community, massage attendant means prostitute. And in
fact most massage attendants are involved in sexual activities.
"I don't mind doing massage so much. But every customer
wants some sex, at least a hand job. Some want oral sex and even
anal sex. I let them touch me and I masturbate them. I sometime
let customers do oral sex on me. I don't go any further than
that. I don't really like doing these things but income is good
and I can help my family better. When I think of what I do for
my customers, I am really scared. I don't know if I have caught
any diseases. I want to check with my family doctor but I am
so embarrassed. I don't know what to do."
T's problem is very common among massage attendants even thought
it seems simple to many of us who are familiar with the support
resources in the community and have access to information about
health issues. Many sex trade workers enter the profession for
income, not because they want to. They don't like doing it but
find it hard to leave because it's not easy to find a job that
pays as well and requires no specific skills. Many of them are
recent immigrants or come here to work on a visa for three months
from Asian countries. They have limited knowledge of the risk
associated with unprotected sexual activities and do not know
that support and help are available in the community.
Getting back to my meeting with T, I talked to him briefly
about ACAS, the Asian Sex Trade Outreach/ Education Project,
and left him some pamphlets and invited him to our workshops.
T showed up once and I never heard and saw him again. I hope
T is working where he is happy and able to help his family better.
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