Issue 3: December 2014/January 2015 Merry Chrsmas NewsletterAl Serving all aspects of sexuality and gender diversity within Staffordshire. Formerly: SGD Life Read More on Page 5 PROUD And A Hapy New Year WORLD AIDS DAY A Time To Remember Friends Past & Present and to Pray For An End to HIV & AIDS World AIDS Day has been held on 1st December each year since 1988 the first ever awareness ribbon and has launched the release of other and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against awareness ribbons such as the pink ribbon for breast cancer. Twelve HIV. It is also a day to show our support for people living with HIV and artists came together in New York’s East Village to create and art to commemorate people who have died of HIV related illness and AIDS. project to raise awareness. The group itself comprised of all the arts So many of us in the community will have lost someone or know photographers, painters, film makers and costume designers with the someone living with this decease. Therefore it is important for us to aim to get people talking about the epidemic. In 1991the epidemic was remember those who have passed, those still with us and to pray that still widely referred to as the “gay cancer” and was highly stigmatised this virus will end in our life time. Current statistics show that their are with those living with the disease left to suffer behind closed doors, too 100,000 people currently living with HIV in the UK and globally the scared to even tell their loved ones they were living with the virus. The number is estimated as 34 million. More than 35 million people have ribbon was used to create a visual expression of compassion for these died from the virus since it was discovered and this makes it one of the people living with, and affected by, HIV. The inspiration behind the most destructive pandemics in world history. Today, many scientific ribbon itself was the yellow ribbons tied on trees to denote support for advances have been made in HIV treatment but theere is still no cure the US military fighting in the Gulf War at the time. The colour was and people are still dying daily. We have come a long way since the first much harder to decide upon with pink and the rainbow colours being World AIDS Day in the UK there are now laws to protect people living decided against as they were to linked with the gay community. This with HIV. Unfortunately however many do not know the facts about how was because the artists wanted to convey that HIV went beyond the to protect themselves and others from HIV, and stigma and gay community and was relevant to everyone. The final decision of the discrimination remain a reality for many people living with HIV. Last colour Red was because it was bold and as well as associated with month, it was reported that HIV diagnoses in the UK reached a record passion, the heart and love. The artists made the ribbons themselves high in 2013, with diagnoses among 15 to 24-year-olds having doubled and distributed them around the New York art scene and dropped them in the last ten years. In this age group in studies many are reporting to off at theaters. Initially there was an explanation that went with it, to believe you are able to identify those with the disease and there will explain why they were being worn, but eventually this was dropped as soon be a cure. World AIDS Day is therefore important as it reminds the its symbolism no longer needed an explanation. Closely linked with the community, the public and the Government that HIV has not gone away New York Art Scene and the East Village many stars including pop there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight queen Madonna received one of the first and began to wear it raising prejudice and improve education. awareness further for the campaign. Within just a few weeks of the Facts You May Not Know About HIV & AIDS artists giving life to the Red Ribbon world-famous actors starting People living with HIV have a normal life span if diagnosed and treated wearing the red ribbon to high-profile award ceremonies such as the in time.Treatment can also mean that people living with HIV are no Oscars and talking about why it was important. The media also longer infectious. supported the idea and it was widely discussed on talk shows • There is no job which someone can’t do specifically because they becoming a world wide universal symbol that was recognised and have HIV and people with HIV can work up until retirement without grew in popularity. issue. Further Information Locally • 90% of people with HIV were infected through sexual contact. For further information on HIV and AIDS in staffordshire find • You can now get tested for HIV using a saliva sample and you can staffordshire buddies on facebook or visit their webpage at get the results of an HIV test in just 15-20 minutes. www.staffordshirebuddies.co.uk • Only 1% of babies born to HIV positive mothers have HIV so men Remembrance Events 1st December and women living with HIV can become parents of an HIV free baby. Quilt of Life Staffordshire Buddies Hanley Centre – 3pm onwards • There is no vaccine and no cure for HIV. World AIDS Day Candlelight Vigil - Fountain Square, Hanley 5.30pm. All • People living with HIV still face stigma and discrimination with one in are welcome three people living with HIV have faced discrimination of some type. Piccadilly Project,Chill, relax, celebrate and see what the latest is The Red Ribbon Meaning around HIV services in the City and County. Open door 6-9pm The ribbon was created in 1991 a decade after the emergence of HIV Lichfield Cathedral World AIDS Day Service, 7.30 pm. and has since become a universal sign of support and remembrance World Aids Day 80’s Night at Gossip 8pm till Late £2 Admission for those who live with or have died from the virus. When created it was proceeds go to Stoke on Trent Pride & Staffordshire Buddies Inside this Issue Whats On Scene Guide & Events Page 7 Page 5 A Quick History of Sexuality and Gender Page 2 LGBT Education In Schools Diversity Part 3 (1920-1930) It Will Be Lonely This Christmas Why the Name Change Understanding Gender Queer Page 3 Page 6 Page 8 Christmas & New Year In Staffordshire LGBT Police Update Bar Staff Of Stoke Nom Restaurant & Bar In Review Out and about In Manchester - New Union Pride Team Update Page 4 Hotel & Show bar Contacts, Contributors and Sponsors Local Support Groups Contacts A to Z Gaylife One Stop Testing Provision IT WILL BE LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Extend Your Family This Christmas Let’s Tackle Depression in the Community this Season Research has shown in the sexual and Statistics gender diverse community depression, When looking at statistic it is hard anxiety and suicidal thoughts increase to get definitive numbers on the by 400% in the community at issue however a recent study Christmas Time. This in particular is a carried out by UK based mental rough time for those alone with no health organisations did have some family to visit for christmas but for those revealing numbers. In December with family it can be a difficult and 2013 they carried out a month long stressful time also. Even many couples conversation using social media on find Christmas tough, especially where all aspects of mental health in the they have unresolved issues with their conversation depression and anxiety for two thirds of he conversations. families. For these couples its particularly Whereas the issue of christmas was raised in the context of the difficult as often they not spend Christmas together because of discussions a number of time accounting for three quarters of these problems, and unsympathetic or rejecting families put extra conversation in the reason for the depression or anxiety. The pressure on couples. organisations involved concluded that christmas raised depression and We would like to encourage everyone to reach out a supporting hand to anxiety in three quarters of their contacts and lead to suicidal or friends you know will be alone this year or have a difficult time and for thoughts of self harm in a third of those contacts. those having a difficult time we encourage you to also reach out to friends. By launching a Campaign of “Extend Your Family This North Staffs Mind Christmas”. The fantastic and extremely The Season has become a difficult supportive North Staffs Mind were time for many people in our asked for their thoughts on community. For those of us who don't depression at christmas. Diane have difficulties at this time of year, it's Collingwood Head of Counseling an opportunity to reach out to those Services for the charity wrote: who become depressed at this time “As outlined in the article, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time mostly due to being alone when for people who are alone or feeling isolated from family and friends for everyone else is with family and any reason. Everyone’s mental health is affected by a whole variety of friends. For those who are alone at factors; money worries, relationship issues, discrimination, lack of Christmas and feeling depressed, this is an opportunity to take action to support, trauma, issues from the past etc.