AIDS Taskforce offers transgender outreach
by Christopher Coleman
Cleveland-At the end of 2001, the AIDS Taskforce of Cleveland received grant funding to do targeted outreach within the African American transgender community. Part of the information used to create this project came from a focus group held with African American transgender individuals and three Taskforce staff personnel.
Within the focus group, transgender individuals revealed some of the challenges they faced on a daily basis. These challenges ranged from proper information about hormoning, the looming dangers of drug use, prostitution within the transgender community, proper support systems, and other revelations about general safer sex practices.
The AIDS Taskforce currently employs two transgender outreach workers as part of the Brother2 Brother program. Brother2 Brother provides HIV/AIDS education and prevention services within the Cleveland-area African American MSM community.
Anton Hamilton, also known as The Lady Deception and Charles Earvin, better known as Ms. Isis Tiffany Soul, are the Taskforce's transgender outreach workers.
A native Clevelander, Isis attended Bishop College for three years in Dallas before finally returning to her hometown of Cleveland. Some of her titles include Ms. Gay Black Ohio, Ms. Akron Big and Beautiful, Ms. J.J.'s, and numerous others.
Chris Coleman: What are some of the important issues you see affecting today's transgender community?
Isis: Really, life in general. It's difficult to think about not only having to deal with being African American, but on top of that, a man who has sex with another man, and, on top of that, you wear a dress? None of these things are looked upon too highly in our
society, and I have to deal with all of them every day.
CC: How do you think HIV and AIDS have impacted this community?
Isis: I think the disease has had a disproportionately hard impact on our African American community as a whole. When I go out to do my outreach, the young kids think they are invincible, that they can't get this disease. The older "girls" just plain don't want to listen to what I'm trying to tell them
I think the 'girls' out there need to really take time and explore who they are and what it truly means to be transgender.
about safer sex practices. Then there's the African American church, which still does not want to talk about HIV within our community.
CC: What do you think the transgender community needs most now?
Isis: A better understanding of itself. I think the "girls" out there need to really take time and explore who they are and what it truly means to be transgender.
CC: Simply stated, how have you made it this far?
Isis: By being grounded. Going to work every day, and oh yes!-always practicing safe sex. I guess that's why I'm still here.
For more information on transgender outreach programs at the AIDS Taskforce, please contact Christopher Coleman at 216621-0766 ✓
Christopher Coleman is the capacitybuilding educator for the Brother2Brother program of the AIDS Taskforce of Cleveland.
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