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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 2005)
nrTmwmnews tebruary IB. 2ÛQ5x JllSt QUt 13 A n O unce of P revention Q-LAND lands $12,500 contract for bar testing, celebrates first anniversary by Sarah Dougher LAURELHURST DENTISTRY C larice J ohnston & d . m . d . ASSOCIATES • Treatment explained and discussed • Teeth whitening Q-LAND director Bart Church (center) with the Eagle’s Karl Wilgus (left) and Mr. Oregon State Leather Andy Mangels • New patients welcome ueer Love Action Network for Q 503/233-3622 2520 East Burnside p A ba ■ vw RED LIGHT • CASH FOR CLOTHES • RED LIGHT • CASH FOR CLOTHES RED LIGHT • CASH FOR CLOTHES • RED LIGHT • CASH FOR CLOTHES • RED as homophobia, depression, sex addiction, Discovery (Q-LAND), a queer drug/alcohol addiction and anxiety. In addition men’s wellness and HIV/STD to bar testing, Q-LAND provides queer men prevention organization serving with alternative support systems that address the Portland metro area, marks their needs for fun, intimacy and wellness. Pro its first anniversary this month. To celebrate, the bar and online outreach, a “men grams include nonprofit will continue to expand its successful touching with heart” workshop, a men’s thera HIV/STD bar testing program to the youth and peutic yoga class, a men’s film salon as well as leather communities. A major goal of the or wellness information and referrals. ganization is to get men who have more than “We are creating a community of leaders that one sex partner to get tested every three months empower queer men to be well, have fun and as a matter of course. fully contribute their many gifts,” says As part of a larger amount from the state that Q-LAND’s director, Bart Church. By focusing was divided among a number of HIV/STD well leadership on queer men, Q-LAND hopes to ness and prevention organizations, Multnomah nurture a grassroots organization that reflects County recently granted Q-LAND a $12,500 the values of wellness in the community itself. contract to provide bar testing events from Jan Church perceives a gap in HIV/STD services uary through June. The project is a collabora for men having sex with men in Multnomah tion with the Sexual Minority Youth Resource County, in part citing the turnover of three dif Center, Multnomah County Health Depart ferent prevention coordinators at Cascade AIDS ment and Outside In, as well as many local Project in the past year. He blames a lack of con entertainers, venues and publications (including sistency in HIV prevention services targeted this one). toward queer men. Nevertheless, this assertion is Also in February, Q-LAND’s advocacy proj contradicted by CAP’s annual report, which ect, Men’s Prevention Advocacy Campaign and notes that 65 percent of its clients are gay and bi Team (M-PACT), has set the goal to interview men, as are 63 percent of its prevention educa 1,000 queer men in the Portland metro area. The tion clients. In addition, CAP has recently survey will ask about perceptions of HIV/STD restructured its gay and hi men’s wellness and prevention in the queer male community and prevention department to increase and strength will log suggestions about how to get queer men en the resources that it offers this community. more involved in leading these efforts. Former There are, unfortunately, more than enough No on Constitutional Amendment 36 can queer male clients to go around for each of these vassers will conduct the survey in gay bars and programs, and the many others that find their other queer men’s social venues. It will also be place in the Portland metro area. jH available online. Q-LAND will throw a Juliet & Romeo Party on Feb. 19 at Escape arid a Uniforms & Buzzcuts G etting T ested ou many wonder what happens when you Party on Feb. 26 at the Eagle. For more get tested in a bar. Each person who is test information call 503-223-8822, e-mail ed receives between 10 and 30 minutes of coun info@qland.org or visit www.qland.org. seling, and about 15 guys are tested each night The O regon AIDS H otline is 503-223-AIDS. the team goes out. (Many more wait in line.) You are tested by someone from the Multnomah Scary statistics or Washington County Health Departments or Outside In. About one week later, you call to get 72 percent: The number of newly reported your results and for more counseling. When you cases of HIV from men who have sex with men get tested, you have to be sober enough to give in Multnomah County. There are between 170 informed consent, and you are screened by two and 180 new cases each year. These men consti tute 97 percent of syphilis cases, 57 percent of people for sobriety before getting tested. Q-LAND’s mission is to address HIV, male gonorrhea cases and 27 percent of publicly syphilis, gonorrhea, barebacking and crystal funded HIV tests. It is not just the younger set: 30 percent of meth/party drugs among gay and bi men. The goal of these programs is to work with the root the syphilis cases in Multnomah County were in causes of these problems, which Q-LAND sees men between 30 and 50 years old.
