Tag Archive for "HIV/AIDS"

Posts Tagged HIV/AIDS

Does the female condom empower women?

There is a floppy plastic packet hanging out somewhere in my sock drawer. Larger and more pliable than a conventional condom, packaging decorated with a pink “lady” sign, the female condom, which I must have picked up at my college women’s center once, lays in wait.

By Sesali B. • 11 years ago

Porn, Condoms, Feminism, and other internal conflicts

Many people who know me, know that I love (some) porn. And not just to get off. I’m the kind of girl who will curl up with a bag of popcorn and watch porn with friends. But that doesn’t negate the fact that like many feminists, I have some issues. There is a discourse to be had around the kind of public sex people have; and as always, a critical analysis is always key.

It is not a secret that many feminists have pointed out the “woman problem” within the porn industry. The images depicted in mainstream porn have become more and more hostile towards women. When you examine the role of women of color in the porn industry, it gets worse ...

Many people who know me, know that I love (some) porn. And not just to get off. I’m the kind of girl who will curl up with a bag of popcorn and watch porn with friends. But ...

By Maya Dusenbery • 11 years ago

Infographic: The US’s anti-prostitution pledge is hindering the war on AIDS

The Nation has some interesting infographics on the effect of the US’s anti-prostitution pledge. The US provides nearly 60 percent of global funds to fight the AIDS epidemic–money that low-income countries absolutely depend on. But, as Melissa Gira Grant explains, for the last decade, it’s comes with the catch–pushed by conservative Rep. Chris Smith but supported by some feminist organizations too–that any NGO receiving this funding must adopt an explicit policy opposing prostitution. And the pledge is so vague that it’s led many groups to stop providing any services to sex workers, out of fear of losing their funding.

Click here for larger image.

This terrible policy–Lori’s called it “senseless discrimination“–not only harms sex workers, who are ...

By Lori Adelman • 11 years ago

Today is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day: 5 Things You Can Do

Today is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. I could (and will, sigh, later in the post) cite some scary and infuriating statistics about the presence of HIV/AIDS in the black community. It’s true that HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects people of color, not only in the U.S. but around the world. And there are a number of reasons for that, not the least of which are the pervasive, systemic racism, classism, and sexism baked into our institutions including healthcare. But when I think of the pain in my community around this topic the first thing that comes to mind is the work of the brilliant Lani Buinier and Gerald Torres:

“Race, for us, is like the miner’s canary. Miners often carried a canary ...

By Sesali B. • 11 years ago

Photo of the Day: The really naked truth about budget cuts to HIV/AIDS programs

If there was ever a reason to take your clothes off for a Republican, this is it!

Three women were arrested yesterday after a direct action protest in which they, along with several men, got completely nude in House Speaker John Boehner’s office.

“Three women AIDS activists saying they wanted to highlight the ‘naked truth’ about potential spending cuts in HIV programs were arrested Tuesday after taking their clothes off in the lobby of House Speaker John Boehner’s office.

The trio had the words ‘AIDS cuts kill’ painted on their bodies and had linked arms with four men who also disrobed as part of the protest. The nude protesters, along with dozens of other clothed demonstrators chanted slogans, including: ‘People with AIDS ...

If there was ever a reason to take your clothes off for a Republican, this is it!

Three women were arrested yesterday after a direct action protest in which they, along with several men, got completely nude ...

By Jos Truitt • 12 years ago

Condom searches are being used to profile sex workers

You may remember the feminist blogosphere talking about laws that said carrying condoms could get you arrested. A new report from Human Rights Watch examines the issue: sex workers and people profiled as sex workers, especially trans women, are being targeted by the cops with condom searches in Prostitution Free Zones. This puts sex workers at risk, as they’re then reluctant to carry condoms. From the report:

In four of the nation’s major cities—New York, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and San Francisco—police stop, search, and arrest sex workers using condoms as evidence to support prostitution charges. For many sex workers, particularly transgender women, arrest means facing degrading treatment and abuse at the hands of the police. For immigrants, ...

By Vanessa • 12 years ago

What We Missed

Via.

In his newly-released budget plan, Paul Ryan tells the 99% to go fuck themselves.

Parents of transgender youth make an It Gets Better video.

A new report by the National Women’s Law Center shows that women are paying way more than men for health insurance — one billion dollars more for those getting coverage on the individual market.

Today is National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

While campaigning for her husband yesterday, Michelle Obama said that Supreme Court picks moving forward will determine whether Americans “can love whomever we choose.”

UK actor Dennis Waterman admitted he’s hit his ex-wife because she was too “intelligent,” adding that, “it’s not ...

Via.

In his newly-released budget plan, Paul Ryan tells the 99% to go fuck themselves.

Parents of transgender youth make an It Gets Better video.

A new report by the ...

By Chloe Angyal • 12 years ago

Quick hit: New Nigerian law would criminalize merely supporting gays and lesbians

Earlier this year, the Ugandan parliament re-opened debate on its now internationally infamous “Kill the Gays” bill. Now, we can add Nigeria to the list of countries proposing to ban being gay. The Guardian reports that a new bill making it illegal to marry someone of the same sex, or to witness such a wedding – the punishment would be a decade or more in prison.

Under the proposed law passed by the Senate, same-sex couples who marry could face up to 14 years each in prison. Witnesses or anyone who helps a marriage could be sentenced to 10 years. The bill also punishes the “public show of same-sex amorous relationships directly or indirectly” with 10 years in prison.

A ...