So I just sent a message inviting people to attend Pink Triangle Foundation’s Fabulous Gala Dinner on the 12th December. If you didn’t know, PT Foundation is a community-based, voluntary non-profit making organisation providing HIV/AIDS education, prevention, care and support programmes, sexuality awareness and empowerment programmes for vulnerable communities in Malaysia mainly drug users, sex workers, transsexuals, men who have sex with men (MSM), and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).
PT has long been associated as an LGBT organisation simply because the communities it serves and who are affected most by HIV and AIDS are predominantly PLU or LGBTs. Back in the day it actually did provide a programme specifically for women run by women in the community. I think it was a counseling group. The reality is that because PTF are funded primarily by the Ministry of Health and the Malaysia AIDS Council the work that they do is always HIV/AIDS focus even though the services they often need to provide very often crosses into the boundaries of supporting LGBTs in general.
Which is what makes the organisation both vital and a major target for criticism depending on who’s perspective we are looking at it from. In my opinion, there is an opportunity here for PT Foundation to serve its core communities better. Although PT know they have their hands tied when it comes to working directly with LGBT issues, The Fabulous Gala Dinner is a major step in trying to build bridges between the LGBTs in Malaysia, especially lesbians, a demographic which has never really been on PT’s radar simply because statistically lesbians are at the lowest risk of being affected by HIV/AIDS. But actually, who has done the survey?
A lot of information is developed out of myth and not real research. Is there anyone in this country studying the lesbian demographic specifically to learn about lesbian health problems or social issues? Certainly nobody from the government that’s for sure. Health care specific to your individual needs is a human right and until society recognises that there may be a difference to what you require and what they think you need, your health, be it physical or mental, may actually be at risk. So how can we be recognised as a group which may or may not have specific needs when it comes to health or anything for that matter? We need to be represented and we need to start by representing ourselves.
To purchase tickets or for more info about the Fabulous Gala please email me theloudgirl@yahoo.co.uk
