Hey all,
Another entry from me... whew, at least I got the blogging part right :-)
Today's activities kicked off with my first workshop, entitled: "$50,000 Workshop and Building Allies and Coalition." The purpose of which was to inform the people there about tobacco control initiatives that worked, didn't work, could possibly work, and would definitely need some more research. First, my disclaimer: due to an unforeseen amount of cold-switching, I've come to realize that I pushed my immune system to its limit - thus enabling me to view most things in a "wonk, wonk" Charlie Brown stylesque nature. Hence, most of what I'll say will probably make sense, but some might just be hilariously confusing. I'll let you decide. So, here we go.
After analyzing the data and information presented by Seattle's LGBT tobacco control group, we were asked for information on how they could use various ideas to improve their "stop smoking" effort. Besides the campaign posters, rallying of the usual troops, and many efforts to convince legislation that LGBT's are worth saving, I offered a suggestion... sad to say, though, that I can't remember what I said, but trust that it was informative and smart... I think. Oh wait, I think it had something to do with social changes. Ahh yes, I suggested making it hard for LGBT folks to participate in the smoking effort by gathering business people in the region together and evoking some sort of tobacco control intitiative vis-a-vi the "stop smoking" or "smoke free" route. Basically, it would involve many LGBT businesses joining together and banning smoking from their indoor facilities... a tactic that would be the complete reversal of what the tobacco industry has done. For years, many people in the LGBT community were susceptible to chemical pleasures, and as one presenter stated, cigarette smoking has not been "really" viewed as a substance that needs to be controlled and moderated. Although we're surrounded by control support for big alcohol, our efforts to stop the smoking in our area has been fought with strong resistance... by business owners! So, that's where the money is and that's where we need to start. As far as what else could be done as in a step-by-step nature, as Scout says, it's organic... everyone's community responds in different ways to different things. And as Robert Kiyosaki says, "I cannot tell you what to invest in or what to do... that is up to you."
The session continued with a small break and jumped into The LGBT Tobacco Control Networks' presentation on what we should and could do to increase the amount of funding to LGBT organizations, centers, and the like for efforts to promote smoking cessation within our community. The results of the presentation led me to believe that many of the things, which were thoroughly researched (thank goodness because I don't want to reinvent the wheel) led down a road to rejection by many of our people. Why? Well, if you don't know why you should stop smoking, then you'll probably never will stop. Education is key... know where your dollar is going. Why? Well, if you bought a hamburger at a particular restaurant, then later found out that that restaurant funded a major genocide effort in some foreign country... would you still buy the burger from there? No?! The same thing is happening with cigarettes. "Well, they gave our business money." Fine. So will the drug pushers, but you don't take money from them. Now, I'm in no way advocating folks to do this or that... I'm just saying that "I didn't know" is a fine reason, but a poor excuse. So, we need to get numbers, data, and anything else out there that we need to show that our community is in trouble and facing the fear of death one puff at a time. Is it extreme? Back to the example I gave above, would you still buy that hamburger even if you were hungry and it was the closest food place? Think about it. I've been hungry and decided to buy that "burger", but later decided that the risk of my [community's] health was no longer worth it. My solution? I preplanned when and where and how I was going to 'eat' - thus, eliminating the problem altogether. Sure, we cannot account for every hypothetical situation, but we can be as prepared as possible... don't we do that anyway when we put on our seatbelt, grab that jacket or umbrella, or throw on that extra blanket? It's that simple... I'm not asking for a miracle, just prevention - and a little thought.
Now, where was I before I stood on that soapbox? Ahh, the workshop. Okay, well while we were listening to solutions and possible interim implementations, lunch was served by a very nice and respectable gentleman... I have to give it to my peeps because our ethnic young brothers and sisters have been acting a little questionable lately. Well, we continued through lunch (which, due to my unpredictable stomach, I opted out) and I offered the suggestion of having big business do some work. Sure, there are "stop smoking" and "smoking cessation" programs around the country in all areas of business, but do they connect with the local programs in their community? Think about it. You buy their services and use their products, what are they doing to support your local organization or treatment facility? Are they LGBT-friendly? Do they have an anti-discrimination clause including sexual orientation or gender identity? Do they have their own smoking cessation program? If so, then ask yourself again, where are they in your community? I said that there are two big multimillion dollar businesses with headquarters in my region that boast both LGBT-friendly and inclusive language in their constitution and have various cessation/control programs. But as far as involvement in the LGBT community, they've been primarily absent (and PrideFests don't count). I'd like to see them sponsor a health seminar, and information workshop track, or do something with a local grassroot organization to help them go regional or national. Sometimes we look at these folks and stop, but it's high time we do what's needed to keep our community going and together - and they're a part of us.
Alright, down from my soapbox again, we'll switch to after the session: I went into the workshop "From the Medical Gaze to 'Sublime Mutations': Reviewing Images of Non-Standard Bodies and their Ethical Implications." Seeing that I grew up super critical of my body (especially in those delicate teenage years), I had to go see what this workshop offered. Well, the first thing that smacked me in the face when I entered was two naked bodies. Then underneath the pictures, the word "female" enclosed in parenthesis, followed by a description. I looked back at the bodies, they appeared completely male. I looked again down at the tiny description, which appeared to say that they both had testes (undescended, I believe), and were considered medical oddities. As I listened, I began to feel the all-too-familiar sense of "this is a medical guy that's totally detached from reality" feeling. As a matter of fact and contrary to what presenter Brian Singer was sounding like, the people were being photographed for pleasure. The intending viewers wanted to look, laugh, and even humiliate others for their own self-gratification. Then findingin out that this was all happening so that one can feel normal - eventhough no one cared to identify
what normal is. Then I thought, "they tell me everything I'm not supposed to look like, what about what I am supposed to have?" According to the speaker, and I would agree, whatever you were born with.
Afterwards, I attended a short film showing. The first film, "eVokability" highlights the use of interactive media devices for people of varying abilities to promote the use of these gadgets in performance art pieces. At first, one must start to erase away the prejudices in the mind... that these people are being made fun of. I say this because in my years of working with people of varying abilities (both physical and mental), I find myself including these people in a box. That box says, "Oh, something's different about you [from me or my perception of 'normal'], so you don't see the world the way I do. Let me be careful because I might [theoretically] step on your toes." Well, let me tell you that none of that is true. As a matter of fact, more people will treat you meaner for treating them with this sort of "kid glove" approach.
The film was more than interesting, it was relaxing to see various ability people dealing with the 'pink elephant' of disabilities. The woman in the wheelchair knew she was in the wheelchair and it was just a fact. The device did not seem to make her feel 'less than'... it was just a tool for peformance. The same with the woman who had difficulties walking and the person who appeared to have advanced muscular issues. It made them appear normal in what an otherwise societal culture would deem as "special needs."
The next film, was "Tear-Water Tea". It spoke on the use of pain to make something beautiful. Although I thought that the idea of intentionally using pain to make tea (as something to enjoy), was a bit odd and strange, the film made grief/pain seem so normal, mundane and ordinary. As the main character goes throughout her day, she carries with her a teapot to collect her tears which, at the end, she uses to make tea. A beautiful "make lemons into lemonade" concept with a twist (pardon the pun).
Afterwards was an experienced film industry's guru take on an "Overdue Conversation" - a conversation between him and a friend about a past sexual escapade. It was literally the two individuals talking to each other and filming the other with digital cameras. It was touching, yet raw, and made you feel like you were really in on the conversation as, eventually, the individuals' focus started to move away from the camera into conversation, then back again. I enjoyed the creator talking about how he just took the cameras and did this to show how anyone could just "normally" produce a film - that film production is nothing really reserved for the "special".
Finally, the film "farm-in-the-city" documented the interview of a colleague about her idealistic commune concept and how great it felt to her. At the same time, shots of two female friends playing very lovingly with each other in the snow back in the days where homosexuality was less insinuated between close female companions. It gave the idea of how this whole concept should be thought of as normal. The commune society. The female friends jumping and playing with each other in the snow. The whole nostalgic feeling of it all. All of this was somewhat an otherworldly concept that was quite warming.
All in all, the films turned out to be intriguing to some of us and I especially enjoyed hearing the filmmakers, producers, and presenters talk about how the defining of normality seemed to be the underlying issue (or problem) of today's society and how their film solicited a concept that, in the mind of the creator, should be, and is, "normal".
I'm sad to say that after this wonderful film experience and my energetic LGBT Tobacco Control Network course, the "It's Not About the Clothes... usually" workshop on Leather, BDSM and it's connection to kink's spiritual dimensions was canceled. It seemed like a fun workshop to go to and the presenters that were replacing the workshop said that it would have been very popular (pending the amount of people they had to turn away who were looking for the workshop). However, I got a chance to blog to you good folks while Blue's in the middle of her "Sound Healing" class. She's got loads to tell ya'll when she gets back... so stay tuned to her and other folks' blogs in the National LGBT Tobacco Network blogspot.
We'll talk again soon.
