HIV and MSM's in S.E. Asia

Rob Sutherland works for ACON (Aids Council of NSW) in Sydney, where he has recently returned from a 12-month placement within the UNAIDS Regional Support Team in Bangkok looking at the incidence of HIV among Men who have Sex with Men (MSM's), and the types of education and support programs in place.


Since his return Rob ran a report-back session to interested parties in Sydney last month. This session included:

1. The context of Men who have Sex with Men (MSM's) and the HIV epidemic in the Asia Pacific region
2. The organisational response occurring at a regional level
3. The ACON and Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand partnership and the collaborative work developed through this placement.

During his term in Bangkok Rob worked closely with various HIV support programs both in Thailand, as well as the Mekong delta regions of Laos and Vietnam.

And Rob discusses his findings with Allan on Orange Ribbon this week. He will talk about the 10-year epidemic projections for the Asian region if nothing is done vs. those same projections if "best practice" HIV programs are implemented.

But we also get to find out just a little about Rob himself, which provides an insight as to how and why he came to be involved in ACON and HIV-related activities in Sydney.

Join Allan and Rob for this somewhat different Orange Ribbon discussion this week on JOY 94.9 at 7:00pm.

This Week on Orange Ribbon Wednesday 1 July

This week we will be speaking to a Joy 94.9 presenter about his early life in Malaysia and moving to Australia.

David will talk about his Christian religion in Malaysia, coming to Australia and finding his relatives here had different ideas about their religion. He will tell us why he and his family moved to Melbourne and what they wanted to escape in Perth.

David's story is very interesting and he will tell you what happened when he decided to come out to friends, family and his parents.

This is a show you should not miss on Joy 94.9

This week... Interracial relationships

This week Hugh and Allan will be speaking with two current on-air JOY program presenters about their respective relationships.

Jade is Australian-born and lives with her American partner. And Alex is Scottish, and lives here in Melbourne with his Hong Kong Chinese partner.

The discussions will cover everything from the first meeting, parents and in-laws, moving in together, contact with families back home, sharing of household chores, cultural differences and adjusting to same, together with a number of other issues.

Many gays and lesbians in Melbourne, and around the world, live in interracial relationships and there are always some adjustments that need to be made on both sides when such relationships develope and mature.

Hear how Jade and Alex have addressed these issues during the development of their respective relationships. Join Hugh & Allan, with Jade & Alex... this Wednesday (24th June) at 7:00pm om JOY 94.9FM.

Multicultural alphabet soup... this week

Allan has just spent the past few days in Sydney, and while there he caught up with Ty and Min Chuan. Ty is the Australian owner and operator of the popular Sydney gay sauna located right next door to China Town, and Min Chuan is his Malaysian partner who has come to Sydney as a university student from Kuala Lumpur.

Here is a real story of opposites, and a good example of the multicultural soup that your Orange Ribbon team serves up each week on JOY. Here we have:

• an interacial relationship (Australian & Malaysian)
• a beefy/beary build Aussie vs. steretypical tall slim Asian guy
• an Aussie partner more than twice the age of his partner
• HIV+ partner living with an HIV- partner
• a working Aussie with a student partner

We get to discuss the various aspects of their lives, how they met (and this is certainly an interesting little story...), moving in together after two years of getting to know each other, living and sharing a life where one is HIV+ and how this disclosure came about, the often-assumed (but totally incorrect...) "sugar daddy" arrangement and how they deal with it, and a large number of other life topics.

This weeks story is a very typical multicultural alphabet soup story which your Orange Ribbon team has been trying to serve up over the past 11 years. And this week is JOY's annual radiothon, so we encourage all of our listeners (regular and occasional...) to continue to support JOY by becoming a member, or renewing your membership, or even adding an additional donation to your renewal.

Many thanks for your support of Orange Ribbon over the years, and please do join Allan on Wednesday night (17th June) to hear this great story about Ty and Min Chuan.

Our international alphabet soup

JOY's annual Radiothon is NOW ON.

The Orange Ribbon team strongly encourages all JOY listeners, and particularly regular Orange Ribbon listeners, to support the station during the Radiothon so that we can continue to bring you an interesting mix of interviews and discussions that cover the multicultural alphabet soup.

All of us at Orange Ribbon are volunteers, and are just a very small part of the much larger volunteer base that holds JOY together each week, who look after the technical, production, presentation, back office, website management, podcasts, blogs, and the innumerable other activities that are necessary to keep a community radio station on air 24/7. This huge volunteer base saves JOY millions of dollars in labour costs each year.

HOWEVER... even allowing for the huge volunteer labour base, there are still additional huge fixed costs necessary to keep JOY on air. Phone calls, rent, equipment maintenance, insurances, stationery, postage, printing, ISDN line costs, equipment replacements and upgrades etc. etc.

So we encourage all of our listeners to phone and and sign up as a new member during the course of our Radiothon. If you are already a member then we sincerely thank you, but why not renew during our Radiothon and your membership will be extended from its current expiry accordingly.

With thanks to our many business, and other, supporters there will be many thankyou gifts and prizes available to be won for every new/renewal membership. Keep tuned to JOY each day during this 10-day Radiothon and hear about the daily prizes.

And if you can make an additional donation as well as your new or renewed membership, then that would be absolutely fabulous.

Aline, Ka Fam, Hugh and Allan strongly encourage your support during JOY's current Radiothon, and that support will help keep Orange Ribbon, and all your other favourite JOY programs, on air at JOY...your favourite multicultural alphabet soup community radio station.

Oh... and in next weeks program we have a fascinating interview coming up which will be representative of some of the multicultural alphabet soup that Aline, Allan, Hugh and Ka Fam serve up for you each Wednesday night. (More details later.)

Italy... Yes, it's Italy again.

Three weeks ago we chatted to Cinzia (from Arcilesbica) and the The flag Sisters (Le Sorelle Bandiera) in the leadup to the major Italian GLBTIQ fund-raising social event.

Well, we're going back to Italy again this week because Cinzia's brother, Serafino, will be joining us in the studio for a chat. While brought up and educated in Australia, Serafino decided to return to Italy after completing university studies here, and has lived there ever since. But he tries to get back to Australia to visit the family on a semi-regular basis.

Serafino is back in town at the moment, but returns to Rome at the weekend. He runs two Pilates gymnasiums there, and also travels to various parts of the world training and lecturing on Pilates and general wellness issues. And we will hear about some of the celebrities who have used his services over the past few years.

Serafino knew he was gay well before he left Australia after completing university here, and says that he came out before his sister (Cinzia) did. Yes, a gay brother and gay sister in the one family!

Another really interesting chat coming up on Orange Ribbon this week. Let's talk about being gay, being Italian, comparison of living in Australia vs. Italy, and of course Pilates will get a going over as well.

Orange Ribbon... 7:00pm Wednesday 3rd June, on JOY 94.9

A Vietnamese heritage

He comes from a Vietnamese heritage, where his parents were Vietnamese boat people of the 1980's although they did not meet until after their respective arrivals in Australia. His parents later divorced, his gransparents later moved to Australia when they were in their 60's and did not then speak English. His grandparents were actually like parents to him.

He knew he must be gay from an early age, started listening to JOY when he was 16, and accepted that he was gay at 18. And he is a voice (and name...) that should be somewhat familiar to JOY listeners.

Who is he...? Listen in to Orange Ribbon this week and you will hear the full story.

Orange Ribbon... 7:00pm this Wednesday, 27th May, 2009.

Hong Kong update, and a familiar voice...

It's 4 months since we last chatted with Reggie Ho in Hong Kong. So this week, Hugh and Allan will get another update from Reggie about things that affect the tongzhi (queer) community in that metropolis. Topics to be covered include Idaho (International Day Against Homophobia) Day last Sunday, progress (or otherwise...?) on the promised anti discrimination legislation, and an embarassing reversal of totally unnecessary censorship at one of Hong Kong's universities.

Also this week... a voice from the past. Long-time Orange Ribbon listeners will be delighted to hear a familiar voice from the past... someone who was involved in the Orange Ribbon program for the first 7 years.
Who is it?


Well... you're going to have to listen in this Wednesday (20th May, 2009) between 7:00-8:00pm.

Orange Ribbon program on JOY 94.9FM

Arcilesbica, The Italian Lesbian group and The flag Sisters, Le Sorelle Bandiera

This week, we have Cinzia and Francesca from the Italian Lesbian group. They are looking forward to share with us what the group has done to break down barriers between community groups.

Arcilesbica is the organizer of the annual Italian GLBTIQ dance event. This year they are very excited to have the Flag Sisters, celebrities in Italy in the seventies, appeared in prime-time television. They will be joining us live in Joy94.9 studio. Below are two links to give you some idea of who the Flag Sisters are. Do join us on Wednesday, 13th of May, 7pm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTj5aq92nGM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5TrbcNLlhk

This Week on Orange Ribbon Wednesday 6th May 2009

Earlier this year, Hugh returned to his home country, Scotland, for several weeks of catching up with family and friends. While he was there, he recorded two interviews for Orange Ribbon.

This week Hugh presents the second of those two recorded interviews with Shelly from Livingston, a town outside of Edinburgh.

Shelly is 20 years old and decided to come out to her family so she did not have to hide the fact she is a lesbian. Shelly talks about living in a small town in Scotland, the reaction by her family when she came out and how easy it is when everyone knows.

Hugh also speaks to Shelly's mother about how she reacted to the news that her daughter is a lesbian. She also talks about how she thinks other parents should react to their child being gay and how she could have done more to help Shelly.

Singapore's Pink Dot on May 16

Gay and lesbian Singaporeans, and friends and supporters, are being asked to come out on Saturday, May 16, to form a human Pink Dot at the field at Hong Lim Park. This is NOT being promoted as a protest, but a coming-together of all like-minded Singaporeans to show support for the freedom to love for all GLBTI Singaporeans.

All attendees are asked to wear something pink, and the objective is to take some ariel photographs to highlight the support for GLBTI Singaporeans to have the freedom to love. This Pink Dot is to be a celebration of diversity and equality, and a symbol of Singapore's more inclusive future.

Orange Ribbon supports this legal event to be held at the only location in Singapore where it is legal for public assembly and public discussion without requiring governmnet approval.

A discussion on human rights, racism and what you can do about it

Because the LGBT community spans all ethnicities, races, and cultures, we are unfortunately all too aware that discrimination on the basis of race exists within.

On this week's show we’ll look at the importance of racial tolerance and diversity, especially in our GLBT community which is already exposed to discrimination from homophobia.

Our guest this Wednesday is Senior Adviser, Human Rights Education, Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission, and ALSO President, Jason Rostant.

This week on Orange Ribbon Wednesday 22 April

In February this year, Hugh returned to his home country, Scotland, for several weeks of catching up with family and friends. While he was there, he recorded two interviews for our Orange Ribbon listeners.

This week Hugh presents the first of those two recorded interviews.

While he was in Edinburgh he interviewed local Scottish guy, Martin.

Martin's story is controversial, and may shock, and is a coming of age story from the sixties. In the interview Martin talks about:

• Being adopted, and his painstaking search for his birth mother.

• The sexual practices of young teens, and in his case pre-teens, in Scotland

• Frequenting bars and drinking alcohol at a young age (Some things have not changed in the past 40 years)

• What the gay scene (as it was still illegal then) was like in Edinburgh in the 60’s, and how it shaped his future life.

To hear Martin's story in full, tune in to Orange Ribbon on JOY 94.9 on Wednesday, 22nd April, from 7:00pm to 8:00pm.

This week on Orange Ribbon, Italia mama mia!

Do the older generation of Italians in Australia have chickens in their backyard? Do Italians still make tomato sauce in their backyard? These questions and more will be answered and finally put to rest!

Appearing on the show, Marco, Michael and Angelo from Italian and Gay, a social and support group in Melbourne. They will share with us their experience of being part of the group and what the group is all about.

So tune in to catch a bit of Italian flavour on Joy 94.9 on Wednesday,15th of April, 7pm.

This week on Orange Ribbon Wednesday 8th April

Have you ever listened to a show on Joy 94.9 and wondered what the presenter is like, or listened to the news and thought the news reader sound nice?

On Wednesday at 7.00pm on Orange Ribbon, you can find out what a presenter on Joy 94.9 and a news reader are both like. They are partners, met each other overseas, had a rough relationship at first and both went through a long period of ill health.

To find out who they are and what show the presenter does, you will have to tune in to Joy 94.9 and listen to Orange Ribbon on Wednesday 8 April at 7.00pm. They have a great story to tell, it's happy, sad and funny and it's a story worth listening to.

Tony Yap on this weeks program

PULSE is an exclusive short season of site-specific multimedia performances on the breath-taking JOY 94.9 CBD rooftop. The next season is coming up this coming Friday and Saturday (3rd & 4th April) featuring dance pieces by Yumi Umiamare and Tony Yap.

Tony and Umi have been collaborating through their unique styles over 14 years here in Australia, in Europe and in Eastern Asia. And this coming weekend is a further enhancement to that unique collaboratiuon. As a dancer Tony is influenced by his research into Asian sharmanistic trance dance and Butoh.

Tony Yap is Malaysian-born, but now well-established here in Australia on the contemporary dance scene. And he will be our special guest on Orange Ribbon this week (1st April). Tony will not only be talking about his upcoming event on thee JOY rooftop this coming weekend, but he will also talk about his life, from childhood in Malaysia, to his life in dance here in Australia,and all things in between.

So join the Orange Ribbon team at 7:00pm this coming Wednesday to hear about the life of this amazing artist, including some personal revelations of living in today's queer world.

This week on Orange Ribbon

This week we will be presenting an interview that Allan recorded in Hong Kong three weeks ago, with Chung To, the Founder and CEO of the Chi Heng Foundation. Complete details and background to this interview can be found in Allan's earlier post to this blog dated March 6th, 2009.

Chung To is a most interesting, yet quietly-spoken, person, with a passion to provide living and education expenses for poor children in China who have been affected by the Aids epidemic. His organization now provides financial support for around 7,000 children in China, and the fundraising required for this support is substantial. Chung has given up his banking career for the past 5 years in order to provide volunteer support for his Foundation, and the children it supports.

Listen in to Orange Ribbon at 7pm on JOY 94.9 (Melbourne, Australia) this coming Wednesday evening (25th March) to hear this amazing story of a very dedicated and passionate human being.

DJ Beaker

Mel, known as DJ Beaker was born in Australia to Chinese parents, although her mother came from Papua new guinea.

Described by some as an Asian Grace Jones, Mel is a self declared bogasian and many members of her family are gay and bisexual. Mel confess not speaking Mandarin and when she tries she often gets the tones embarrassingly wrong.

She moved from Sydney to Melbourne just over 12mths ago. Promoter and Co-founder of Miss Concubine, Beaker, has been spinning in the Sydney G&L scene for over 10 years and has played at various parties including Mardi Gras, Sleaze Ball....

More at 7pm tomorrow...

Allan reports from Hong Kong (again...)

Yes, I know that I seem to have spent a lot of time up here in Hong Kong, but I do love the place, and I have many great friends up here as well. My partner, Pete, and I flew up here just two weeks ago for our umpteenth visit. However, Pete flew out of Hong Kong earlier this morning on his way back home to Melbourne, in order to attend the Daylesford Chill-Out Festival this coming weekend, and then he is off to Sydney and then Brisbane for a few days. In the meantime, I will remain on here in Hong Kong for the next 10 days. We will both meet up back at home (in Melbourne) gain on Monday 16th when I return from Hong Kong.

I have lost count of my visits here to Hong Kong, in particular over the past two years, but it is proba

bly 10-11 visits, totaling probably 6-7 months. Goodness...! I suddenly realized that this means I have spent upwards of 25% of my time here in just the last two years, ignoring various other visits I made here prior to the last two years.

Regular listeners to Orange Ribbon will know that we occasionally chat with Reggie Ho here in Hong Kong, and who gives us an update on what's been happening for the gay & lesbian scene here. Reggie was last on Orange Ribbon on 17th January. (If you missed it, you can click on the "Podcasts" tab on the JOY website, search for "Orange Ribbon" program, click on "Previous episodes...", then search for the program edition for 17th January.) Well, I hope to catch up with Reggie next week sometime for lunch/dinner and no doubt I will get some more local news I can report on when I return.

However, last Monday I caught up with Chung To, the Founder and Chairperson of the Chi Heng Foundation (www.chihengfoundation.com). Although born in Hong Kong, Chung moved with his family to the U.S.A. when he was 15. He subsequently went to college (university), obtained a Graduate and Masters degree in business finance, and then worked in merchant banking in New York for several years. At the age of 27 years he was then transferred to Hong Kong with his banking employer to take up a senior role here. But as will be revealed in an upcoming interview, Chung got involved in helping Aids-affected children in Hong Kong, and more extensively in mainland China. He started the Chi Heng Foundation which (among many other activities) now provides financial support for living and schooling expenses for around 7,000 Aids-affected children in Mainland China.

His work with Chi Heng Foundation became a full-time role, and so a few years ago he gave up his banking career and now works full-time as the volunteer Chairperson for his Chi Heng Foundation. But he hopes to be able to get back to some (personal) income-producing activities at some stage as he can't live forever with no income to support himself.

Chung To is an amazing Chinese gay and Aids activist, with a deep concern and interest in the welfare of mainland Chinese children who have been affected in some way by Aids... either by having parents or siblings living with (or have died of) Aids, or who themselves are living with HIV.

Chung is a very busy man, and travels a lot through mainland China keeping touch with the work that the Chi Heng Foundation undertakes. However, he set aside an hour for me last Monday afternoon to record an interview which I will be presenting on Orange Ribbon after I return to Melbourne... most probably it will be the program for 25th March.

So please stay tuned for updates, and the most likely date of 25th March when I will present to you my interview with this deeply driven and concerned local who has set aside his own career (and stable income...) in order to start the Chi Heng Foundation and to assist so many children in mainland China.

I will be returning to Melbourne on 16th March, almost immediately to the Melbourne Queer Film Festival which I shall be attending for most sessions, so I probably won't be on Orange Ribbon until the 25th March when I will present to you my recent chat with Chung To. Looking forward to talking to you all then.

Allan Smales in Hong Kong

Yasmin

This Wednesday on Orange Ribbon, Yasmin will be joining us to chat about her truly multicultural background. Born in Australia but of Serbian, German, Austrian and Chinese descent, Yasmin will tell us about going to a Chinese school in Australia, discovering the Serbian underground scene only a few months ago, being busted by her mum kissing a girl, studying engineering and much much more...