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tebruary IB. 2ÛQ5x JllSt QUt 13
A n O unce
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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.