GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE April 23, 2010

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AIDS candlelight vigil set for May 16

by Robert Meeker

Canton "Many Lights for Human Rights" is the theme for this year's International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, a program of the Global Health Council, one of the oldest and largest grassroots mobilization campaigns for HIV and AIDS awareness in the world.

To commemorate this special occasion, a candlelight vigil hosted by community volunteers and the Stark County Regional Advisory Group will be held on Sunday, May 16 at 7 p.m. at New Vision, 3129 North Market Ave., Canton. Started in 1983, the Candlelight Memorial is held on the third Sunday in May with 115 countries hosting 2,000 memorials that honor the lost and

raise social consciousness about the disease.

The memorial began at a time when little was known about HIV. Today, an estimated 25 million people have died as a result of AIDS and 40 million are currently estimated to be infected with the disease. The Candlelight Memorial remains one of the most important civil society-led efforts as it demonstrates the invaluable role communities play in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

Focus for this year's vigil includes reducing stigma and discrimination; ensuring access to treatment, prevention and care; increasing resources for AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other related issues and promoting greater involvement by affected communities.

All are welcome and encouraged to attend the candlelight vigil. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the vigil starting at 7 p.m. This year's speakers are Janet Creighton, William Hoppes and Bobby Rudder. Music will be provided by Justine Chenault, Aaron Darr, Jerusalem Choir, MeLissa Franjesh, David Price and Jay Spencer. A dessert social hour will follow. Admission is free. A paper product donation to 5 CHAPS is welcomed. 5 CHAPS distributes personal hygiene products to people with HIV.

If you have any questions, contact Robert Meeker at 330-453-0146 ext. 118 or meekerre@stark.redcross.org.

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Robert Meeker is an HIV risk reduction specialist with the Red Cross of Stark County.

Info and skills workshops return to CLAW

Cleveland-The ninth annual Cleveland Leather Awareness Weekend-this weekend-will be filled with the parties, camaraderie, brotherhood, sisterhood and charity fundraising that have marked the first eight installments.

Also returning to the April 22-25 event are the educational and skills workshops, split between the main location, the Wyndham Hotel in Playhouse Square, and the Flex Bathhouse at East 26th and Hamilton.

The workshops run the range from 12-step programs in the leather community and LGBT advocacy in the new millennium to BDSM techniques and even a workshop to make your own dildo.

With the traditional presence of International Mr. Leather, this year CLAW presents "Inside the Leather

Naney Marcus. S.J.D.

Attorney at Law

Berkman, Gordon, Murray & DeVan

Constitutional Law and Civil Rights

Criminal Defense

Trial and Appellate Practice

Personal Injury

Medical Malpractice General Civil Practice

Free Initial Consultation

(216) 781-5245

www.bgmdlaw.com

nmarcus@bgmdlaw.com 55 Public Square, Suite 2200 Cleveland, OH 44113-1949

Studio" with IML 31 Jeffrey Payne in a discussion moderated by CLAW board member Mike Zuhl. Questions from the audience are encouraged. A videotape of the interview will be placed at the Leather Archives and Museum.

There will also be an IML contestant seminar with Doug O'Keefe, producer and host of the Leather Archives and Museum's "Inside Leather History: A Fireside Chat" series, Mistress Joanne, the now-retired Mistress of IML, IML 2004 Jason Hendrix, and Mr. D.C. Eagle 2001 Darrell Moyers, who was a first runner-up at IML.

This panel discussion will help provide information to IML contestants for a better understanding of what to expect at IML in May 2010 from examples of interview questions all the way to what to expect on stage.

Speaking of "Inside Leather History, A Fireside Chat," O'Keefe will bring his live interview project in which Leather community participants share their histories and experiences in a liveon-stage talk show format to CLAW. In a special installment, Dave Rhodes of The Leather Journal will participate in an interview which is sure to get people talking. After his formal interview, the floor will open for audience questions.

This year will also see a panel discussion on the fundamentals of planning fund-raisers for charities within the community, including information on holding CLAW Nation events. CLAW Nation parties have raised over

News Briefs

Continued from page 3

The race saw a great deal of gay-baiting, and a local church posted a message on the sign in front of their building saying, "No Homo Mayor."

When the local news outlets questioned if the church was violating its tax-exempt status by opposing a specific candidate, the church simply removed the word "Mayor," leaving just "No Homo."

The phrase "no homo" is used in popular parlance after one says something that could be misconstrued as being gaily sexually suggestive. Rappers like Cam'ron have popularized the phrase. Byron Crawford's blog suggests that more churches should use the phrase, such as with, "Suffer the little children to come unto me. No homo."

Lowe, a progressive city commissioner, faced a conservative window cleaner, Don Marsh, in the run-off election. The thirdplace candidate got nearly 25 percent of the vote, and Lowe received 40 percent in the election.

Not even death stops anti-gay abuse

Thies, Senegal-Anti-gay sentiment in Africa has gotten so pervasive, not even a dead man is safe from homophobic mobs.

According to the Associated Press, angry hordes in Senegal have dug up the graves of at least four men suspected of being gay in the last two years, including the May 2,

$75,000 in the past two years, and enjoy strong support from Recon, Mr-SLeather, Square Peg Toys and other sponsors. Learn plan a party for your charities.

The panel will be held by John David Elam, International Mr. Bear 2009, Jackie Thompson, Ms. Capital Pride Leather 2009, and Steve Tompa, an active fund-raiser in the bear and leather communities.

Jackie Thompson will also co-host the No H8 workshop with Mr. MidAtlantic 2010 Matt Bamford.

This is not your typical workshop, it is instead a brief history behind the "No H8" campaign, leather and political activism. The bulk of this 30-minute workshop will be doing a little political activism of your own! We will be providing the first 30 participants with "No H8" tattoos and a unique opportunity to be a part of the "No H8" campaign.

With HIV and AIDS still such a factor in the LGBT community, “HIV: Beyond the Basics" with topics including serosorting and serodiscordant relationships, stigma of HIV and infection rates, how to bring up HIV, and an introduction of "Mr. Friendly." The workshop will be led by Dave Watt.

The workshops listed above are just a small fraction of the ones being offered along the course of the CLAW weekend, April 22 to 25. For a full listing and more information, go to www.clawinfo.org.

2009 desecration of the remains of Madieye Diallo, whose body was spat on, dragged away and dumped in front of his parents' house.

Anti-gay violence in what had been regarded as a relatively tolerant nation increased after a 2008 summit of Muslim Inations was hosted in Senegal. Coupled with rhetoric linking prostitution, homosexuality and the rising cost of food, conservative clerics whipped the populace into an anti-gay frenzy.

Diallo was a leader of a gay equal rights organization, HIV-positive and on antiretroviral medications when his picture was printed in newspapers in 2008, along with other men taking part in a commitment ceremony.

Diallo was forced into hiding, limiting his access to doctors. Without his medication, his health failed and he died.

One man who lived near the cemetery where Diallo's parents buried him told the Associated Press, "A man that's known as being a homosexual can't be buried in a cemetery. His body needs to be thrown away like trash. His parents knew that he was gay and they did nothing about it. So when he died we wanted to make sure he was punished."

Compiled by Brian DeWitt, Anthony Glassman and Patti Harris.

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