"No Homo"- Blog by Peer Leader Marcos Garcilazo

I recently watched an organization's public service announcement that promoted condom use to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS. I remember the gist of it, but as a matter of fact, the makers of the video lost me within four seconds.

The video had very little dialogue, but they used Lil' Wayne's "Lollipop" as the background music for their video. If you are not familiar with the song, click on the following link and pay very close attention to the lyrics.

Lollipop

Did you catch it? It's four seconds into the video/song. If you're not used to having gay slurs thrown in your direction you might have missed it. Heck, even if you are you might have missed it. If you did miss it, click the link again and really try and hear it.

Four seconds in, he says "no homo." The expression, if you are unaware, is used to clarify that under no conditions is any of the following to be interpreted as gay. The expression is very common on most social websites like Twitter and Facebook. The expression bases itself in the fear that anything - describing a shirt or even the weather - may be interpreted as the speaker being gay, and implying that there is something inherently wrong or offensive about being gay. Once again our culture has found a away to put down gay individuals everywhere constantly - first it was "that's gay" and now it's "no homo."

When I heard that in a video, they lost me. I wasn't listening because I was wondering "How could an organization perpetuate a negative phrase against such a vast part of the community when they're supposed to be educating them about condom usage?" Gay men tend to be at a higher risk for HIV/AIDS, so I struggle to understand why they would use a song that marginalizes gay people within the first four seconds.

There are more rap songs out there than I care to count, and some just as popular (if not more popular) than Lil' Wayne's song. Now, it is hard to miss it but if someone is used to being harassed for their sexual orientation, they won't miss it. If one is constantly demonized, when that demonization makes it into a video that's supposed to encourage safe sex, they're not going to hear the message. They'll hear the homophobic remark at the very beginning.

As I said earlier, gay men are at a higher risk of HIV/AIDS if protection isn't used, so it troubles me that one of the more at-risk target populations is being ignored. Stigma is a cause of risky sexual behavior, so it's important to remember what our language is doing to a community. I should hope that organizations will think very carefully when deciding what content to include, and in so doing they will ensure that their message is actually heard by those who would benefit from hearing it. With so many gay youth completing suicide in recent months, it should be obvious that we need to be more sensitive about language and the words we use.

"I love boobies." Do you?

"I love boobies." The phrase makes my inner middle-schooler giggle.

All giggles aside, I am referring to a new trend sweeping California. In addition, the trend is for a really great cause; breast cancer awareness. The Carlsbad based nonprofit Keep A Breast decided the best way increase awareness among teens was to start producing rubber bracelets similar to the Lance Armstrong bracelets. The bracelets are bright pink (or pretty much any color you want if you go to their website) and have the tag line "I love boobies" in big, bold letters. 100% of the profits sold go to the Keep A Breast Foundation.

So what's the drama over this good cause? Many California schools and parents feel like the bracelets are "sexually suggestive" and should not be allowed on the wrists of tweens and teens. According to the ABC news story, Kelly Avants, the spokeperson for the Clovis school district, stated that the bracelets are in clear violation of the school dress code and they have been banned. Kelly McAtee from Keep A Breast fired back at Avants, saying that "boobies is not a four letter word."

With this recent news, there has been a sudden surge in popularity at the I Love Boobies Facebook group. The page is 2,000 members strong (maybe some of those people could "Like" the SCPOC page....) and the growth doesn't seem to be slowing down. Many of those contributing to the page are teens stating that they simply want to support friends and family members who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. One teen posted that his First Amendment rights had been violated. There's even a comment from a young adult that mentions that since more young women are being diagnosed with breast cancer, it is important for teens to know about the risks and start self-exams early.

I can understand the need to keep graphic and offensive sexual language out of classroom, but how many people really consider the word "boobies" offensive? Also, by not allowing young people to be passionate about a cause, are we saying that teens cannot be activists? For almost half a year I have been working with a group of dedicated, opinionated, and driven teens and young adults at the Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition. I would never dream of telling the Peer Leaders not to be outspoken about the causes of which they are passionate.

What happens when you start telling youth that they cannot be activists?

Sexting: Flirting or Felony?

"You should have seen the picture on his phone! She was completely naked!"

I overheard this at a party. Someone there was retelling a story about her stepson receiving a picture message on his cellphone. After learning that the recipient of the aforementioned picture message was thirteen years old, I began wonder how many teens were actually getting involved in sending sexually explicit text messages.

I discovered this is not an isolated incident. As cellphones have become more and more popular will teens and young adults, texting and picture messaging has exploded. This has also lead to the strange trend of "sexting"; sending nude or semi-nude photos by cellphone as a way of flirting. The latest studies show that sexing is on the rise. In 2008, between 25 and 30 percent of teens claimed to have engaged in sexting. The most recent study announced in July shows that number has climbed to 43 percent.

As a whole, it doesn't seem like too many people are raising eyebrows about sexting. Many of the teens surveyed commented that "No one gives it that much thought really" and that the photos are usually sent for no reason other than to be "fun or flirtatious." The most recent study also surveyed the parents of the teens and found that 28% of the parents engaged in sexting. Most parents said that sexting was "not a bad thing."

If you are a teen and you are reading this, you may be nodding your head in agreement. I mean, if the parents don't think it's serious, it must not be a big deal. Right?

So what are the risks?
If you are under the age of 18 and you either text or post nude pictures, you could face felony charges of child pornography. Does this sound far-fetched? Well, in 2009 a 14-year-old New Jersey girl posted dozens of sexually explicit photos of herself on her MySpace. She was arrested and charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.

If you are over 18, the consequences become a bit more severe. If you are caught texting or posting pictures of someone under the age of 18, not only could you face felony charges, you also may have to register as a sex offender. You may have heard about Phillip Alpert from Florida. At age 18, Phillip decided that the best way to get back at his ex-girlfriend was to forward an e-mail of her posing nude to dozens of people, including her parents. Phillip is now 20, and will have to register as a sex offender until he is 43 years old.

Phillip's story brings attention to another important point. Just because you text or e-mail a photo to a friend doesn't mean that your friend will keep the photo private. To give you a completely ridiculous example, while Halloween costume shopping with a friend, I snapped a photo on my iPhone of him wearing a giant fur coat and a cowboy hat. I posted the photo to Facebook and tagged him in the photo.

Within a matter of hours, over a dozen mutual friends had commented on the photo. They took the photo and circulated it all over Facebook. People were texting him and laughing about his new look. He also had neglected to shave that day so there was also a wealth of comments pertaining to his bizarre facial hair.

While my friend was in good spirits about this, think what had happened if this had been a sexually explicit photo. Once a photo is on the Internet, it is just a "right-click and save" away from distribution. This is what so many teens (and adults) seem to forget when it comes to sexting.

Even if texted photos never make it to MySpace or Facebook, there is still a possibility that they will get forwarded from phone to phone. It may seem like flirty, harmless fun, but do you really want everyone at school seeing that picture?

And as for the thirteen year old who ended up getting a surprise text? I'm sure the last though on the sender's mind was "Gee, I hope his parents find this picture."

Teen Mental Health A-Palooza!!!

The Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition has been BUSY. Aside from our regular duties of updating all of our social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace, we have also been busy with lots of other activities! Here's what we've been up to:

Updating Our Website

*whew!* That was hard work! For the past few weeks we have been building resource pages on the website. Do you want to know more about depression? What do you do if a friend has an eating disorder? Have you ever heard of K2? Do you know how to put on a condom correctly? What should you think about before you come out of the closet?

Did any one of those leave you scratching your head? Check out our resource page on the website to get all the facts. We're just calling it a "Teen Mental Health A-Palooza!"

Chillin' at the South Park Day and Night Festival

On Saturday, August 14, the Peer Leaders headed to Martin Luther King Jr. Park to promote the Peer Outreach Coalition. We handed out dozens of our new stickers, resource lists, and had a raffle for two tickets to Great America! The Festival was a blast too! The food was yummy and the day was full of non-stop music, dancing, and martial arts demonstrations. It was a great day!

Be sure to go to our Facebook page and check out the photos we posted!

Recording Radio Shows

What are you doing Sunday night? Well, if you are near a radio or computer, tune in to KRCB (Radio FM 91) to hear the Peer Outreach Coalition on the hit show Outbeat Youth! Peer Leaders Marcos Garcilazo, Jesús Guzman, and Vanessa Romero (along with group faciliator Shana Friedman) will be discussing their experiences with the POC and helping the LGBTQ community! The show airs at 8pm on August 22, and if radios are just too mid-nineties for you, you can stream the show online at the KRCB website.

So, feed your inquiring mind at our website resource page, check out our photos from the festival, and listen to us on the radio too! It's just another wonderful weekend with the Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition. Have a happy and healthy weekend!

Can you be both homophobic and a good counselor?

Happy Monday! Let's talk about the First Amendment. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution states, among other things, that the government shall make no law that interferes with freedom of speech or expression of religion.

At Augusta State University in Georgia, graduate student Jennifer Keeton has filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging that her First Amendment rights have been violated. Jennifer claims that the school has threatened to expel her for refusing to complete workshops that conflict with her religious beliefs. She also alleges that Augusta State is trying to force her to change her beliefs.

So what exactly are Jennifer Keeton's beliefs? Jennifer believes that homosexuality is both immoral and a lifestyle choice. Jennifer's classmates have also reported that she believes in "conversion therapy" for homosexual clients. Jennifer is also enrolled in a counseling Master's program. Since counselors may counsel clients from very diverse backgrounds, it is important for counselors to be sensitive to issues concerning multiculturalism, including sexual orientation. The professors and staff have told Jennifer that it is important to acquire these skills in order to be an effective counselor. Jennifer has responded by saying that her belief system will not impact her ability to counsel gay and lesbian clients.

I have previously mentioned that I recently completed a Master's in Counseling program. One of the required courses was titled Cross-Cultural Awareness in Counseling. This was a required course. If I did not complete this course, I would not be eligible for graduation or my degree. My opinion (which aligns with Jennifer Keeton's professors) is that one cannot effectively counsel other individuals without some understanding about how to be sensitive to issues surrounding gender, race, religion, age, socio-econmoic status, and sexual orientation.

Earlier this month, two gay men in Atlanta were beaten and robbed at gunpoint. Not three hours from Augusta, it is not outside the realm of possibility that one of these men could make a counseling appointment with Jennifer Keeton. Would she show unconditional positive regard and empathy, or would she tell him that he was robbed because of a "lifestyle choice" and that he should seek conversion therapy?

It takes a tremendous amount of courage to seek counseling. Many individuals who desperately need mental health services never seek them because of the fear of stigma and prejudice from friends, family and co-workers. How would you feel about going to a counselor who believed that the way you are is immoral and wrong?

Nothing says "trendy" like belly panels and bootcut maternity jeans

Do you shop at Forever 21? Although I am pretty far outside their demographic (trendy dressed tweens and teens) I will admit the store does have one quality I find appealing: dirt-cheap clothing.

Forever 21 just announced a new line of clothing and is promoting feverishly online. The website images are of a youthful blonde model wistfully looking down at her pregnant belly beneath the slogan "Meet the newest addition to our family"(See image above).

A pregnant model? That's right, Forever 21 is expanding their brand by including a new line of maternity wear. Called Love 21, the clothing line includes bootcut and skinny jeans that accommodate a pregnant belly, as well as a number of trendy tops and large purses designed to hold all of one's "Maternity Essentials." The clothing line is available in five states: Arizona, Alaska, California, Utah, and Texas. Bloggers at The Gloss pointed out that three of these states (Arizona, California, and Texas) have some of the highest teenage pregnancy rates nationwide.

How common is teen pregnancy? For starters, the United States has more teen pregnancies than any other industrialized nation. According to the CDC, there are about one-million teenage pregnancies annually. Most of these pregnancies are unintended.

Forever 21 is receiving a great deal of attention as a result of their new Love 21 line. On the Facebook page of The Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy, a debate has started about whether or not the clothing line is encouraging and/or glamorizing teen pregnancy. As of today at 12:15pm, the responses seem to indicate that most consumers feel that this relates to consumer demand, such as creating a line of plush-size clothing. One woman writes: "It does not promote teen pregnancy. No One [sic] with any fashion sense gets pregnant for the clothes! I agree it is a business that is simply looking to fill a niche in the market." Another contributor states "I think the visibility it is bringing to teen pregnancy makes people uncomfortable with the fact that it means there is a market."

With over one-million teen pregnancies a year, it does in fact seem like there is a market for maternity clothing. But just because there is a market, it does not mean that there should be a market. What are we doing to prevent teenage pregnancy?

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 2/3 of all teenagers who have a baby will not graduate high school. According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, the following needs to happen:

• Strengthen a culture of personal responsibility regarding sex, getting pregnant, and bringing children into the world, as well as strengthening the practice of always using contraception when you aren’t ready to have a child;


• Support responsible policies that will increase the use of contraception, particularly by those who cannot afford it and by those at greatest risk for having an unplanned pregnancy; and
  
• Provide more education to teens, parents, and young adults in their 20s that encourages them to take sex and pregnancy seriously, stresses personal responsibility and respectful relationships, and includes extensive information about contraception

Here's an idea: What if 100% of the profits of the Love 21 Maternity line was donated to organizations committed to comprehensive sex education, such as the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, and Planned Parenthood?

What do you think? Is Forever 21 glamorizing pregnancy or simply filling a niche in the market?

More Sex Education Controversy

This time of year schools nationwide are making adjustments to curriculum and various school policies. Last week the Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition told you about Provincetown school district and the school's proposed policy to allow access to condoms to all students, even those as young as 6 years old. Now the school district is facing harsh criticism from parents and local politicians and is rethinking the entire policy.

So now let's take a look at Helena, Montana. Helena Public Schools has proposed a new health curriculum that outlines comprehensive sex education for grades K through 12. Highlights of the curriculum include:

First grade: Students are taught that people can love people of the same gender

Second grade: Students are taught that it is wrong to make fun of people by saying the words "gay" and "queer"

Third grade: Students are taught that the media often presents an unrealistic image of marriage, love, and what it means to be male and female

Fourth grade: Students are taught about the risks of online chatting

Fifth grade: Students are taught about vaginal, oral, and anal intercourse

6th-8th grades: Students are taught about abortion, STIs, and contraception

9th-12th grades: Students are taught about erotic images in art can reflect society's views on sexuality

Wow! The curriculum as a whole is quite comprehensive. More than anything I love the fact that students are being taught from early on the importance of tolerance and cultural sensitivity. Teachers can be truly instrumental in halting hate-driven language in classrooms. Teaching this to children early on can prevent problems in middle school and high school.

Of course, the entire curriculum is sparking controversy. Some feel that the language for fifth graders is too mature. Others commented that the curriculum conflicts with religious views about premarital sex and marriage, mainly in regards to the open discussion about homosexuality and sexual preference.

If you need some reading material, here is a PDF of the entire curriculum. The sex education curriculum is on page 45.

What do you think? Is this curriculum appropriate or has Helena Public Schools gone too far?

Should first graders have access to condoms?

I had no idea what a condom was when I was in first grade. Did you?

One June 10 a Cape Cod community school board approved a new condom distribution policy for the school district. According to the new policy, students as young as 6 years old would be allowed to obtain a condom from the school nurse without fear of the school notifying their parents. The new policy has parents, politicians, and members of the community in an uproar.

Beth Singer, Superintendent of the Provincetown school district states that "The intent is to protect kids." She added: "We know that sexual experimentation is not limited to an age, so how does one put an age on it?"

She may have a point. According to the Kinsey Institute, 25 percent of boys and 26 percent of girls have sexual intercourse for the first time before the age of 15. With so many teens having sex before high school, doesn't it seem wise to allow access to birth control and protection against STIs?

For years we have heard the argument that giving teens access to condoms does nothing but encourage sex. Studies have now shown this is simply not the case. The non-profit Advocates for Youth has complied research from a variety of sources including the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics hat shows that "condom availability programs encourage sexually active teens to use condoms more often and more consistently than do their sexually active peers who are without condom availability programs." In addition, Advocates for Youth reports that "studies show that condom availability programs do not encourage teens to initiate sex and do not cause sexually active teens to have sex more often or with more partners."

So what do you think? Should kids in first grade have access to condoms at school? Does the school need to inform parents if their child asks for condoms? Most importantly, can we expect elementary school students to use the phrase "No glove, no love?"

Pride weekend and National HIV Testing Month! June is a busy month!

And….we’re back! I am especially excited to be back just in time for Pride Weekend in San Francisco! In case you did not know, June is LGBQT Pride month. I also found out today from The National Youth Advocacy Coalition that June is also National HIV Testing Month.

The SCPOC wants to know how you are celebrating Pride month. Tell us! What are your plans? Are you going to celebrate this weekend?

Also, the best way to advocate for HIV testing and awareness is to get tested. June 27th is National HIV Testing Day. Are you going to go get tested?

Ask us ANYTHING!

Anything? Really? Do you mean that?

We just made added a new feature to our website called "So Shana..." Click on the link on the page to send an e-mail to the Mental Health Program Specialist for the Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition.

You e-mail will be kept completely confidential. We will post the answer on the "Ask us Anything" page of the website. What do you want to ask us?
Ask us anything! Ask us about depression, stress, dating, situations with friends, things that bum you out or make you angry, sex, concerns....ANYTHING!
What are you waiting for? Come check us out and get answers to your questions!

Risky business...

Can you name the risk factor that makes teenage girls:

THREE TIMES more likely to have sex before the age of 13

THIRTY PERCENT more likely to have more than three sex partners

and TWENTY PERCENT less likely to use condoms?

Click on the photo to find out!