Cambodia Pride Week 2010

We are proud to officially announce that plans for Cambodia Pride 2010 are well underway!

As with last year we will celebrate Cambodia Pride from the 11th-17th May, to coincide with International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) 2010.

We have a busy team of Cambodian and international volunteers working hard to make Cambodia Pride 2010 even more fabulous than 2009, if that’s possible! So get your dancing shoes on and get ready to paint Phnom Penh pink once again with a fab line- up of activities!

Pride last year was possible with the generous support from the LGBT groups and individuals from all over the globe from America to Russia to India. We would welcome support again, whether financial, technical or just a email to share the love ;o) Here are some ways….

• Can you volunteer any technical skills? Designing posters, DJs, dancers, photographers, camera crews, artists and fundraisers- please do share your time and skills with us!
• We need Cambodian LGBT volunteers, please contact us if you want to be involved and join our team!
• If you are a member of an LGBT group business, please consider running a fundraiser for us.
• Pride is a voluntary group and we rely on donations to keep events free for local LGBT- if you can make a donation towards this, it would be hugely appreciated by us.
• If you have any bright ideas or suggestions please let us know! And please invite all your LGBT friends to join the group, or anyone else who feels the Pride love!

Please watch this space this updates, as soon as the line-up in decided we will let you know. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible. Please contact us on facebook or email cambodiapride@hotmail.com .

Lots of love from

The Pride Committee xxx

Sharing your life as LGBT in your community in Cambodia

• Cambodia Pride Week 2009

During February-May 2009 a loose alliance of lgbt Cambodians, ex-patriots, NGO workers (working with MSM/HIV/AIDS NGOs) and gay business-owners worked together to plan and hold the first week-long Cambodia Pride 12-17^th May 2009 (supported in part by British Embassy funds). This was the 5^th Pride event in Cambodia but the first to last a week and embrace a range of activities and actors.

Following a successful week of events (workshops, art exhibition, film festival, social nights and networking) those involved have reflected on the experience and found lots of possibilities for building on Cambodia Pride week. Apart from large numbers of Cambodian lgbt enthusiastically participating in Pride week, the week highlighted both the level of willingness for activism and the level of need which exists in Cambodia’s still fledgling lgbt community and movement.

What services do exist for the community predominantly cater for MSM, or men who have sex with men, some of whom are gay. For Cambodian transgender few services exist beyond sexual health and safe sex support. Human rights abuses suffered by the trans community- who often earn a living as sex workers due to limited employment options- regularly go unreported and victims receive limited support due to a lack of resources and services, as well as a challenging human rights context.

Very little exists for lesbians. In fact this was one of the great successes of Cambodia Pride week as over 50 lesbians from 5 provinces traveled to PP to take part in the weekend section. They attended workshops and witnessed the level of organising currently in place for MSM. This inspired them to have such a vision for Cambodian lesbians too and since May two lesbian groups have self-organised, one in PP (over 200 members) and one in Kg Chnang (over 100 members) with support from Women’s Network for Unity (WNU).

For the NGOs who supported Cambodia Pride week the range of issues/needs raised by participants at the workshops was challenging as the NGO remit is solely a health service remit. As NGOs are currently the largest service provider to the lgbt community- or more accurately MSM community- the thinking and understanding of what it means to be ‘gay or lesbian’ is often reduced to the sexual health issues involved in having that identity rather than a broader exploration of what it means to be gay or lesbian or bi or trans in Cambodian society.

What also remains lacking is a broad range of services to support the most-times difficult personal journey involved in being lgbt- personal support like drop-in centres where people can meet and experience a sense of community and solidarity; support for coming out to family and friends; help-lines to break the isolation experienced by lgbt people especially in rural areas; life skills training, including personal development courses and specific job skills training; advocacy training to lobby for greater security for and understanding of lgbt people in Cambodia.

• Building on Cambodia Pride Week 2009

Regular meetings have followed Cambodia Pride Week- mostly monthly and sometimes bi-monthly. As a result of Cambodia Pride week there is now a greater number of lgbt people attending these meetings, Cambodian and ex-patriot. Some follow-up activities have happened already. These include:

- information sessions for students of Gender Studies in Pannasastra university

- self-organising of two lesbian groups (PP, Kg Chnang)

- preparation of Cambodia Pride promotional dvd (soon to be completed)

- monthly lgbt film nights at META House

- a post-Pride photo exhibition at META House

While ideas are already taking shape for a bigger and better Cambodia Pride Week 2010, there is a lot of momentum among Cambodian and ex-patriot lgbts to harness the connections and possibilities generated by this year’s Pride and strengthen the lgbt community/movement through developing activities/services/events other than Cambodia Pride Week.

This year, we will celebrate Pride Week from 11 to 17 May 2010.

About LGBT Health in Cambodia

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people have many of the same health concerns as anyone else, but cultural differences and the impact of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia mean that these health needs may be experienced quite differently. LGBT people also do not have the same access to health care that many Cambodians take for granted, as they often face several barriers when attempting to access health care.

Due in part to negative past experiences, many LGBT people may delay or avoid seeking health care altogether. They may choose to withhold personal information from health care providers as well, because of the fear that disclosure will lead to prejudice and discrimination. In addition, LGBT people have some unique health concerns and may be at increased risk for certain health issues. Most health care providers are not trained on these LGBT health needs and may not be sensitive to the particular health risks or knowledgeable about how to work with LGBT people.

In general, LGBT people end up receiving less quality health care than the population as a whole. A 2008 Ministry of Health through NCHADS study showed that gay men, lesbians and bisexuals were more likely than heterosexuals to report having had an unmet health care need in the past year. Often, this lack of access is compounded by membership in other groups which also face discrimination or other access problems including Aboriginal communities, people with disabilities, racial and ethnic minority groups, newcomers, rural communities and people living in poverty.

We all deserve to be healthy, and being healthy means taking care of our physical, emotional, sexual, psychological and spiritual needs.

The Healthy Gay Cambodia website is designed to provide information to help both LGBT people meet their health care providers who are friendly, gentle and expecially more aware of LGBT health issues:

• If you want to meet your health's need please come to visit our clinics

1) Clinic Marie Stopes Chba Ampov House # 15, Highway 1, Chba Ampov 2 Khan Mean Chey, Phnom Penh
Email: msm.ca@mariestopes.org.kh
Tel: 023 720 125

2) Clinic Marie Stopes Takhmao House # 538, St 210 Phum Takhmao, Srok Takhmao Kandal province
Email: msm.tk@mariestopes.org.kh
Tel: 023 425 710

3) Clinic Marie Stopes Koh Kong, Phum # 2, Srok Smach Meanchey Koh Kong province
Email: centerkk@mariestopes.org.kh
Tel: 035 936 238

4) Clinic Marie Stopes Battambang, House # 152 Highway # 5, Phum Romchak 4, Srok Battambang Battambang Province
Email: centerbb@mariestopes.org.kh
Tel: 053 953 107

5) Clinic Marie Stopes Kampong Thom, Phum 4, Khum Kampong Thom, Srok Stung Sen, Kampong Thom province
Email: centerkt@mariestopes.org.kh
Tel: 062 962 238

6/ Marie Stopes Siem Reap# 68, group 5, Tapon village, Svay Dongkum district, Siem Reap province
Email: msm.sr@mariestopes.org.kh
Tel: 063 963 454

• If you want to talk to very soft voice of the gently counsellors please call to (855)012 38 72 38; (855)012 53 43 67; (855) 099 33 80 09

Kindest Cut campaign

Today, MSI launched its Kindest Cut campaign. As part of the campaign, MSI has launched a new video on how Male Circumcision could be used in Malawi to help prevent the spread of HIV; developed a new section about Male Circumcision on the MSI website; produced a fact sheet; run a widespread press campaign and mailed all of our major donors, potential donors and other supporters the following will give you more information:

http://www.mariestopes.org/Health_programmes/HIV%c2%acSTIs/Male_Circumcision.aspx

LGBT movies: A Glimpse Of The Third Sex

Do you always think that the gay and the lesbians are ‘untouchables’? Are you always waiting for an opportunity to crack a rude joke on your lesbian colleague? If yes, then you need to understand that they are normal people like us. A classic LGBT movie can help you to dwell deeper in the unchartered waters of lesbianism.

An LGBT movie( Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Trans gender) explores the emotional aspect of the relationships which are not considered normal by the societies across the world. The issues of unusual sexual preferences of people has always been a clandestine affair. However these movies have brought it to forefront and depicted these relationships in a very educating light.

Two of the greatest works in this field are “I can’t think straight” and “The World Unseen”. The first movie shows you how women across the world are liberating themselves from age old beliefs and going great lengths to find their lady love. “The World unseen” is a period drama set against the apartheid ravaged South Africa in 1950. This movie speaks strongly about women liberation as well as the clutches of racism.

Enlightenment Films provide healthy LGTB entertainment. Enlightenment Productions have many new exciting assignments in the pipeline. You can log on to www.enlightenment-productions.com to know more about the company.

Creating a Healthy LGBT Relationship

When You Meet Someone Special
It takes time, respect and nurture to create a healthy relationship. Being in a relationship can provide support and comfort in a society that can be isolating. Yet, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender couples often begin relationships without role models or social acceptance. This brochure offers suggestions to help your relationship have the best foundation possible.

Laying the Groundwork
It is important to begin a relationship without unfinished business. Ideally, each person should enter the relationship from a place of acceptance of their sexual orientation or gender identity. It would be helpful to work through internalized homophobia or transphobia prior to coming together. If you cannot feel good about yourself, it will be harder to feel good about your relationship.

Each couple will need to decide how out to be. Where different levels of being out exist, frustration can develop. If one partner is used to being open about their orientation or identity and the other person has reasons to not disclose, discussing where to be out and where to be judicious can help.

Each person should have a good support system in place. This support will help you deal with external bias and discrimination. A good support system will encourage your relationship to flourish when outside society may undermine it.

Creating What Works
Here are some qualities to look for:

Time: It is a red flag when relationships move too fast. It takes time to learn about a potential partner: What do other people say about him or her? How does she interact with her family? How is he when things do not go his way? Has she ever been arrested? Is he or she in financial trouble?

Family and Friends: Your partner understands and encourages you to spend time with the people you care about. She or he is secure.

Give and Take: Both partners give. Both partners take. No one is being used. No one is being neglected. Responsibilities are not lopsided.

Equality: One person does not have the power and control.

Negotiation: Each person will concede or apologize and do what is best for the relationship. Agreements are renegotiable. Both people take responsibility to make the relationship work.

Decisions: Partners make important decisions together. One person is not deciding everything. Each person makes their own decisions on minor things, but both opinions and preferences are considered in major things. Compromises are made.

Peaceful problem-solving: Disagreements and problems are solved peacefully, without violence. Thoughts can be voiced and heard. There are no personal attacks. After the argument, you both make efforts to resolve the issue. Apologies are made and neither person carries the blame. The resolution is satisfying to both people.

Finances: You work together to manage finances and needs in a mutually agreeable way. There are communicated understandings and goals that you both work toward. No one is hiding information or ignoring concerns.

Sex: As a couple you decide how monogamous to be and you keep the agreement. If you say no to a sex act, that is respected. If you say wait, then your partner waits.

Feelings: You feel good about yourself and your relationship. You want to be in the relationship because you are with the right person, not because it is better than being alone or you fear leaving.

Safety: Both people feel safe and free from threat. There is the absence of physical, verbal and emotional violence. No one is threatening to harm him or herself as a means of manipulation or control. If you choose to keep your orientation private, your partner holds that as sacred.

Challenges in Committed Relationships
LGBT couples begin relationships without clearly defined roles. This is an advantage and a challenge. Each couple can create what works best, yet will have to negotiate things that other couples may take for granted.


Both people may have been socialized to take the lead, but it can be freeing to let go and decide roles based upon each other’s strengths and on what is best for the couple.


LGBT relationships also lack full legal protection in Cambodia. Canbodian law provides protections around health care and finances. There is a health crisis, a partner may not be able to decide things or even visit.

For more information and the brochure about your relationship have the best foundation possible please go to http://www.ewu.edu/x59423.xml