15. End Of Discussion

Reading groups—reading and discussion on any books HIV+ clients choose about anything, and one group to discuss reactions to HIV related articles and publications.

Forbidden Questions about HIV and HIV-care in San Francisco group--questions,not points. [The facillitator was going to give an example but got scared. We'll wait for feedback on what's already here first.]

Ethical Questions--thoughts on ethical issues regarding HIV or AIDS.

Political Action discussion group--Any political involvement of the agency, or representation by the agency will be limited to those issues in which we can say “We positive people,” as a whole, without listing divisions—not even all of them. But the discussion group itself is free and open to debate any HIV+ political topic from any angle. If this is an especially dynamic group, or not dynamic enough, a brave facilitator can be helpful. Actual tasks of political organizing will have to be done elsewhere if not in keeping with the agency’s embrace. (Human beings for marriage equality and adoption rights for human beings are issues in keeping with agency embrace.)

Housekeeping community forum--suggestions and complaints about the house.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ok--so for the Forbidden Questions group: If the "bisexual" men there are so many services for (here, San Francisco) really were bisexual, why wouldn't there be a single service of any kind--or reference, or brochure, or bit of research about their relationships with women? I got bumped up on a section 8 list for fitting into a "women-and-children"'s category even though I was single and had no children--which I did not think was fair. Is there some kind of similar fringe benefit (funding/service-wise) for gay men to call themselves "gay-and-bisexual"--or why do they do that?

Anonymous said...

For the Forbidden Questions group: Don't the positive services for "women-and-children" imply that there is some kind of contact sometimes between men-women-and-HIV that might warrant some (just some--not equal) attention?

the caretaker said...

Regarding the reading groups: I have on occasion seen bulletin board postings for reading/discussion for positive people, but they have all said "for gay and bisexual men" at the bottom. I still haven't found or been able to start one I can go to, BUT I'm happy to report that AIDS Health Project does offer a writing workshop for positive people that does not exclude people based on sexual orientation or gender, or anything else. The workshop is designed from the belief that "writing can be a powerful tool to increase wellbeing". The workshop is not focused on structural writing skills. It uses writing as a means "to explore and gain insight from key experiences" in the participants lives, and in the lives of each other. I found out about the present workshop too late to sign up for and report back on it, but another will be offered in the spring. If interested contact either Mary Beth Reticker at 415-502-4817 or Stephan Ouelette 415-514-3229.