Florida Agenda

By Nicholas Snow

Oxford-based activist Dennis Hambridge founded the non-governmental organization (NGO)  Gay Activists Alliance International with prominent Nigerian activist Davis Mac-Iyalla in order to highlight inequality and human rights abuses towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and other gender variant people (LGBTI).   “We also highlight women’s rights regardless of sexuality and also the Worlds AIDS Campaign,” explained Dennis about the all-volunteer organization.

“Our activists work from home.  We don’t have official offices,” he added, “and our main communications are over the internet, with Messenger or Skype.  Due to severe homophobia and trans-phobia in many countries, some activists will use an alias for safety.”

Dennis stressed, “No matter in what country or continent, inequality and human rights abuses are no different.

We all have the common goal of making it a better and fairer world for the persons we campaign for.  How you tackle that from country to country or continent can significantly vary.  What we can do in a free society, you are not able to do in one that is not, or in ones that oppress LGBTIQ persons and women—such as being able to protest or seek funding for LGBTIQ groups in Africa or parts of Asia.”

“I identify myself as a gender queer,” clarified Dennis, who did not come out until 2003 after both his mother and stepfather had died.  “We are a very close knit family.  All my family and relatives have been so supportive.   I am not aware of any of them treating LGBTIQ persons any differently than heterosexual people.  I don’t think my mum would have approved had they treated LGBTIQ persons differently.”

“I believe I really knew about my sexuality when I was about ten years old,” Dennis continued.  “Like many in those days, I hid it.  I got married young.  I was so confused about my sexuality and hid behind alcohol.  I became over the years dependent on alcohol to help keep me hiding everything.  Eventually I could hide no more and confessed to my wife.”

Dennis learned of the beginnings of the Gay Activists Alliance when he was downloading gay symbols to give out at a pride event.  He learned about the Lambda symbol, the ancient Greek Spartan army and the Sacred Bands of Thebes, and studied philosophy.  “I then learned of the heroics of such people like Brenda Howard, Marsha P. Johnson, and Sylvia Rae Rivera, among other great names involved with the GAA after the Stonewall riots of 1969.”

“I have always strongly believed that there are three main topics that bring people together in harmony,” said Dennis, “Music, sport and the arts.  Regardless of gender or sexuality, sports stars and music stars need to come forward to be counted and take a stand for equality and human rights.”

“The GAAI needs assistance and funding in getting resources to our campaigners—this can range from educational literature on LGBTIQ issues and on HIV/AIDS, etc,” explained Dennis.  “We need to supply laptops for outreach work and find safe areas to use them in.  Currently many activists use internet cafes which leave them extremely vulnerable to being caught, beaten or even worse.  Those who do have laptops or other access to the internet can pay inordinate prices compared to their living means.”

Dennis stressed, “Most LGBTIQ persons in areas like Africa and Asia, once their sexuality, or Transgender or Intersex identity, are known, would be near unemployable and/or thrown out of their homes to fend for themselves.  We struggle to find the costs of a decent meal and first aid to those we assist who again would properly be out of work, penniless and under threat of violence,” Dennis added.

He told me about an experience that changed him. “At a conference in Austria, I stood up in the bar of the hotel and quoted the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu from an article for the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The African contingent stood, sang, and chanted Tutu’s name while doing their tribal dancing—I felt enormous pride, as they had never heard what Tutu had said.” Dennis paused. “My mother regularly used to say to me,” he continued, “‘No one is above you.’  One day I said back, ‘And no one is beneath me.  I am equal to all and all are equal to me.’”

For more information about Dennis and his colleagues, visit http://www.gayactivistsalliance.org.

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Nicholas Snow

Floridian Venus Perez, a forty-something Latina who has been HIV positive for over two decades holds among her role models, not surprisingly, her medical team.  About the 2nd edition of her sought-after book, “I’m Still Here,” she explained, “We have come so far yet we are not quite there.  Many lives were lost yet many still live.  Many know the means of transmission, yet many neglect to follow it.  Many of us live the fast life, looking for excitement, for success.”

Venus was swept away at the age of 19 by a 27-year-old man in the greater New York area where she had been born and raised.  “I allowed him into my life at a very vulnerable time…  The relationship became intimate, and I never practiced safe sex,” she confided.

Ultimately, as Venus explained, “I reluctantly broke off my relationship…  After the breakup, I never heard from or saw him again.”

In 1986 Venus met and began to date a nice guy. A year later, on February 14th, 1987–Valentine’s Day–her boyfriend delivered the life-shaking news: “After handing me a gift, he held my hand, and said to me, ‘I have very serious information. Your ex-boyfriend died of AIDS.’  I asked him to repeat what he had said, and he did. I was silent.  ‘This can’t be true,’ I thought.”

Her life changed forever.  After more dramatic twists and turns as revealed in her book, Venus explains, “I had to decide whether I was going to fight or give up.  Did I have enough fight in me to fight the good fight?  I had to find a feasible method to give it my best shot.  I didn’t want to give up.  I decided I wanted to live!  Even though the results were grim, I wanted to try.”

“Nobody would know by looking at me that I had HIV,” Venus shared about finding a support group.  “We were newly diagnosed individuals with HIV (asymptomatic, showing no symptoms of the disease).  There were fifteen people who attended that day.  I cannot express how it felt to experience the long suffering and sadness and then the newfound release. We developed meaningful friendships and relationships.  We supported each other through good times and bad.”

That was over two decades ago!

Venus wrote and published the first edition of her book in 2006 to help those around her living with HIV who were having difficulty coping.  With the recent edition, she’s added two chapters which speak about the history, testimony, education outcomes and strength of people living with HIV/AIDS and other STD’s.

“Everyone has a light that shines within.  My gifts and talents consist of singing, writing, and enjoying time with family and friends in addition to socializing with people.  I always enjoyed people.  I surround myself in environments and places where I can exercise my gifts.  I offer to the world my ability to learn and to teach others which involves the gifts of service.  I try to be a positive person in the world exercising generosity, joyfulness, being hospitable and humble and reminding individuals that their life counts.  I try to be a positive influence in a negative world,” Venus concluded.

And she is!  For her books, please visit most online booksellers or her web site at www.VenusPerez.com.

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By Nicholas Snow

My impression is that Gilles Denizot would never declare himself to be the “General” of the Red Ribbon Army (a Facebook page with an astounding membership of over 500,000), but you could in all honesty call him the communications officer. Not only does he often post breaking related news to the group, but each member is free to do the same – a true community service, social networking style.

Born in Geneva, Switzerland, and from a multicultural background, Gilles has both French and Swiss citizenships.  He now resides in Hamburg, Germany.

“I never officially came out,  as I never felt the need to,” explained Gilles. “I understand and respect the fact that many need to come out and tell. I commend their courage. I simply did not feel the need to tell to be approved or to build my identity. I am much more than my sexuality. And my sexuality does not define me.”

Gilles has many passions including opera, overturning the death penalty worldwide, and empowering the fight against HIV/AIDS. “I use my voice for equal human rights for all human beings,” he stressed.

“I was born in a family of artists,” elaborated Gilles. “My great-grandfather was a famous tenor and general manager of the Geneva Grand Théâtre.  My grandfather was a professional clarinet player. He taught me how to read a score before I knew how to write, and he also gave me my first lessons in violin, piano, and singing. I guess I was destined to become a singer too and rapidly began performing in major venues worldwide. I then was fortunate to grow into a voice teacher and also began staging opera.”

How has HIV/AIDS impacted and influenced Gilles’ life? When and for how long has he been an activist?

“I have been an activist against HIV/AIDS since 1992,” explained Gilles.  “In 1993, I traveled to New York to locate music by composers who were hit by HIV/AIDS. We have lost most of them now, but I keep their music alive by singing in the annual ‘NYC Day Without Art/World AIDS Day concert‘ I am also featured on the CD “Sudden Sunsets,” a 1995 live performance recorded at Lincoln Center NYC, with works by the late Chris DeBlasio on poetry by my friend Perry Brass.”

About his social networking success, Gilles shared, “In November 2008, we created the group ‘World AIDS Day 2008: Wear A Red Ribbon on Facebook!’ with the simple premise of spreading awareness of HIV/AIDS and remembering lost loved ones by switching our profile pictures collectively for December 1st (World AIDS Day or WAD). Note that we did it again in 2009 and we will do it again this year. The group quickly evolved, becoming not only a hub for information on HIV&AIDS, WAD initiatives and events worldwide, but also a place for members to share their experiences of HIV/AIDS and to leave tributes for loved ones they have lost.”

“On December 1st, 2008, less than four weeks after creation,” he continued, “the group was 240,000 strong and had to be turned into a page. The sea of red ribbons was amazing to see rippling across Facebook. We are now over 500,000 and I have also created Twitter and YouTube accounts for the RRA (Red Ribbon Army). I believe the RRA touches both PLWHA (People Living With HIV/AIDS) and individuals who simply want to learn more about HIV/AIDS and show solidarity.”

“Acceptance and respect for and from all RRA members is paramount,” stressed Gilles, “I strictly monitor the page to avoid heinous comments. I am proud to say that in most cases, RRA members reply immediately to such comments and I appreciate the high quality level of information they share.  To administrate a page with so many articulate and responsible members is the sign of a successful social network presence.”

And of course, my standard question, “What gives you courage and hope?”

“I have courage because I am not alone,” responded Gilles. “I have hope because I see others joining to make our world better for us all. We are all connected even if you don’t see that we are.  As my friend Bill Pelke always says, ‘The answer is love and compassion for all of humanity.’”

You may follow Gilles at gillesdenizot.com/blog, and I would like to invite you to enlist in the force where there
is no Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy, Facebook.com/TheRedRibbonArmy.

SnowBiz Florida Agenda

Follow Nicholas Snow online at  www.Facebook.com/SnowbizNow, www.Twitter.com/SnowbizNow, and at www.SnowbizNow.com. Follow “The Power To Be Strong” HIV Testing/ Safer Sex Awareness Campaign at www.Facebook.com/PowerToBeStrong.

By Nicholas Snow

My West, the latest release from world-renowned and celebrated author Patricia Nell Warren (of The Front Runner fame), is “a sagebrush bouquet of 47 favorites on everything from agriculture to zest, by way of cooking, ethnicity, history, politics, sexuality and other subjects.” In his foreword, noted author/filmmaker Gregory Hinton, himself a born Westerner, says the book is “a masterwork by one of our most gifted storytellers. Patricia’s deeply evocative stories will quickly transport even the most dug-in urban reader to the heartland that is the American West.”

In our exclusive interview, my good friend Patricia explained that her “core audience” is both gay and non-gay, and that for both, “the open discussion of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people in the American West, both past and present” is a new topic.

“I was inspired to do this book, by the way, in which the Autry National Center in L.A. stepped forward last year to become the first museum in the U.S. that directly addresses this subject. They did it when they put the two iconic Brokeback Mountain cowboy shirts on display in their gallery devoted to classic Western films.

Its action opened the door to producer Gregory Hinton’s ‘Out West’ program which is ongoing at the museum now, and promotes study and discussion of this theme in a really wonderful way. Gregory is also taking the ‘Out West’ series to other cities and states, mostly to museums, public libraries and other cultural institutions.”

The stories in My West are in sections which include among many Gender, Politics, Sexuality and Spirituality.  In the Gender section about native American berdaches, Patricia writes, “To understand how a Two-Spirit saw himself/herself, and how others in the tribe or band saw this person as well, a twentieth century American has to put aside all the traditional Judeo-Christian beliefs about sexuality, and even the western European non-Christian humanistic notions of sexuality.  We have to step through the looking glass, into a different world.”

In “It’s My History Too” in the Sexuality section, Patricia explains, “Though many Americans today think of the West as the phalanx of ‘red states’ on the TV map during election night, the West can surprise with its sudden shiftings of spiritual sunlight and shadow, its social landslides that can reveal unsuspected layerings of raw experience and ideological challenge. In fact, the West’s essential quirkiness has enabled all kinds of LGBT people to find something out here – from hiding places to homes. At times, we have not only survived here, but thrived here.”

In her own My West introduction, Patricia explains, “So my body of Western writing is rayed through a changing perspective over half a century – as I evolved from young hopeful college scribbler to published best-selling author. As I left Christianity to become an ever-questioning pagan. As I came out to live the life of a gay woman.”

In “Moments of Stillness” in the Zest section, Patricia gives us the perfect reason to curl up with My West: “SCW (severe communications withdrawal) is my term for what I experienced,” she explained about being isolated in a western bed & breakfast. “It’s a syndrome not yet studied by western medicine – but it does exist. Many of us live with multiple TVs in our homes; television even invades our cars now, where it compounds the uproar from radios, cell phones and CDs. Many of us spend the day with phone headsets on, or walk around with cell phones glued to our ears. We’re suffering from CA (communications addiction).”

Patricia concluded my interview by explaining, “So many people think of me as a fiction writer. But I’m also passionate about nonfiction – not just political commentary, but history as well. I love the challenge of thinking about how I have experienced Western history from childhood, and how I’ve come to have my own perspective on it.  Part of that history is how we LGBT people have been semi-hidden out there in the dust, and now we’re becoming visible.”

And for some breaking and fantastic news, My West, The Front Runner and other of Patricia’s titles will be available soon on Amazon’s Kindle.

SnowBiz Florida Agenda

Follow Nicholas Snow online at  www.Facebook.com/SnowbizNow, www.Twitter.com/SnowbizNow, and at www.SnowbizNow.com. Follow “The Power To Be Strong” HIV Testing/ Safer Sex Awareness Campaign at www.Facebook.com/PowerToBeStrong.