Womyn's Supplement Random acts of sexuality Gweny Wong In order for Asian womyn to make successful informed choices about their sexual health, information needs to be widely accessible and available. To facilitate this process and have some fun at the same time, Asian Society for the Interven- tion of AIDS [ASIA] has decided to provide an opportunity for Asian womyn and friends to get together for a womyn-only dance event titled Random Acts of Sexuality. Denise Tang, Program Coordinator of ASIA, says that in putting the dance together, they are using a variety of strategies taken from popular theatre, where safer sex infor- mation will be provided in an entertaining and fun way throughout the entire evening. Examples include satirical skits where skilled volunteers act out scenarios and performers roam around the club giving out informative packages. Random Acts of Sexuality is organized by the Asian Womyn's Outreach Project, a project of ASIA. The goal of the project is to empower Asian womyn to achieve wellness in their lives. “We need to make informed choices about our physical, emotional, social and spiritual health,” explains Tomiye Ishida, ASIA’s Asian Womyn's Outreach Educator. “This event is innova- tive for its interactive strategies in getting the message of safer sex across.” Paulina Tin, also a planning committee member of the event, continues, “This event is different from work- shops or other on-stage enter- tainment. Information is pre- sented in a way to start us all thinking about what we need to do to take care of ourselves and to keep ourselves healthy.” This event promises to deliver safer sex information in a fun and entertaining way. There'll be tasty fortunes, sensual delights, (of course) random acts of sexuality, door prizes to pamper yourself...HIV intervention has never been so titillating! The evening will be innovative and interactive as a celebration of healthy sexuality for all womyn, in addition to the main goal of empowering Asian womyn to maintain or achieve greater sexual well-being and health in their lives. As a community development and health promotion initiative, ASIA encourages informed choices and access through partnerships with the broader womyn’'s community. So, advocate to all your Asian womyn friends, acquaint- ances, students, teachers and staff members to go [maybe theyll think to take you?]. I bet this evening will be exhilarating and heck, who knows, perhaps you will catch some glimpses of me there, since I do have a job promoting healthy sexuality. Random Acts of Sexuality: A womyn-only dance event promoting healthy sexuality for Asian womyn and their friends will be at Club 23, 23 West Cordova, on Saturday, March 13, 1999. The event will begin at 8 ' pm. Tickets are $5 at Little Sister's, Harry's Off Commercial and East End Book Company. For further information on the event or on ASIA's support and outreach programs, call Denise Tang at 669-5567. G00 UT. Toe sae FAT GRRRLS!!! Gweny Wong So many of us are very politi- cally aware of the myriad of liberation issues that are out there. Did anyone know and realise that being fat is consid- ered a social crime? Here are some answers from fat, fully fleshed womyn that you've always wanted to know, but were afraid to ask. WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM YOUR NON-FAT ALLIES & WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO KNOW? e What we want from everyone is to be accepted for who we are and not to be made fun of by others like family and friends. Fat womyn feel the hurt more when it’s someone they know like a brother, uncle, aunt, grandmother, cousin who does the insulting. e We want to be respected and to have our needs consid- ered. We want to be able to talk about who we are in terms of what our size and life is, not to be shut up by false reassurances and nutritional advice. We also want you to stop talking about how we're too fat and using fat- phobic language. e We want people to stop expecting lower end fat womyn to pass. Responses such as oh, you're not really fat are totally unacceptable when we are calling ourselves fat. Don't assume that we are feeling guilty, hate ourselves or what- ever over how we look and that we are trying to lose weight. Fat womyn do not want to hear how it is fine for us to be fat but those allies would never be happy with being so big. What this is telling us is that allies are working hard not to be like us, and not to be so surprised when we are offended by your behav- iours. e Fat womyn want to be hugged, loved, kissed, and cuddled up to like any other person. They are not blocks of | wood that don’t require your affection or loving attention since even many plants receive ~ kindness, love, attention and good conversation. Fat womyn want to be recognised as exist- ing on this planet and not to be ignored as gross, unappetising scenes of huminity. We want you to learn that there is such thing continued page 8 Ce Nt RE Starving Student DISCOUNT NIGHT Just show your student ID card to participating retailers when you shop the first Thursday of each month from 5pm to 9pm. ‘List of participating stores available at Customer Service, South Mall. To make life a little easier, Coquitlam Centre is offering Douglas College students, staff and faculty a ‘student discount shopping night’. a av COQUITLAM CENTRE making life a little easier 464 8357 Cantel ~ Look for these Savings and much more! 20% off New York Fries 25% off Pearle Vision 30% off Devon Shoes 15% off 2nd Look Studios 10% off Services Only Mappins Jewellers 10% off Tabi International 10% off McBean’s (upstairs) 25% off regular priced merchandise Taco Don 10% off Shefield & Sons 5% off zippo lighters & box of 25 cigars Kazari Boutique 10% off regular priced merchandise OHM Drycleaners 20% off Alive Health Centre 15% off regular priced merchandise the Other Press March 10 1999 Discounts not valid with any other promotions. Offers good at Coquitlam Centre only.