Lesbian Gay Bisexual Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Newsletter - February 2000

8/8/2019 Lesbian Gay Bisexual Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Newsletter - February 2000

1/8

LGB RPCV NewsLetter - February 2000

1

NewsLetterFebruary 2000

In This Issueu PC'S Current HIV/AIDS

Programsuu AIDS Education in

Hondurasuu Bulgarian Closetsuu HIV/AIDS Fund Update

uu Financial Reportuu Membership Dues

Shining Stars: Peace Corps' HIV/AIDS Programs

...through the persever-ance of some amazing

volunteers, Peace Corpsis implementing HIVprevention and/or care

programs everywhere.

We begin the new year with an article by Kent Klindera about Peace

Corps HIV/AIDS related projects. q Jesy Goldhammer describes hertimes as an AIDS educator in Honduras. q Brian Hartig talks about com-

ing out to his Peace Corps colleagues in Bulgaria. q We have more information about

Peace Corps HIV/AIDS Fund. q Bill Erdmann reports on the state of our finances.

By Kent Klindera, RPCVI just received a report documenting

Peace Corps HIV prevention and careactivities from around the world. There

are some pretty creative people out thereand it gives me hope that maybe we are

winning the war against this tiny viruscalled HIV. In Moldova, PCVs actuallyhave helped create HIV awareness nights

at local roller discos. I guess OliviaNewton-John and Xanadu can also help in

the fight against AIDS!Back in the early 90s, I was honored tobe the first full-fledged HIV prevention

volunteer in Thailand. I currently workfor an international non-profit in Washing-

ton DC, focused on the sexual health ofadolescents. Peace Corps has not alwaysbeen a leader on HIV issues. However,

through the perseverance of some amazingvolunteers, practically every Peace Corps

country today is implementing HIVprevention and/or care programming.Many of us in the LGB RPCV group were

early pioneers in the effort to make PeaceCorps a leader, and after reviewing current

programming, we should celebrate oursuccesses.

As the LGB RPCV gang launches an

HIV-fund for Peace Corps Partnershipprogramming, the newsletter editor and I

thought it might be helpful to reviewcurrent Peace Corps HIV/AIDS program-ming. I am grateful to Ruth Mota (PC

AIDS Program Coordinator) for supplyingme with a recent overview of all HIV

programming. Peace Corps manages HIV

prevention programs in all three globalregions where volunteers serve. SinceAfrica has been hardest hit by the

epidemic, the largest number of HIV/AIDSprograms are being implemented in this

region.

There are basically four ways in which

HIV interventions have been implementedin Peace Corps countries. 1) A health

program may have a stand-alone AIDSproject, where HIV prevention and careservices are the primary focus of volun-

teers work. 2) An AIDS project may beintegrated into an existing health or water/

sanitation program as one of the healthtopics to be addressed by volunteers. 3)HIV prevention may be included as a

major goal in other sectors, such aseducation or youth. 4) Volunteers from

any sector may implement secondaryprojects in their communities that focuson HIV prevention or support.

Some of the highlights of theseprograms include the following programs:

Africa: In South Africa, education

PCVs have assisted teachers in incorporat-ing AIDS learning activities into theirlesson plans and reached hundreds of

additional students through festivals.Similarly, in Tanzania, volunteers have

begun implementing a program in whichthey serve as biology teachers part timeand work in HIV and health related

activities part time in their schools andcommunities. A Kenyan PCV has written

an HIV curriculum for deaf students.In Cameroon, in addition to developingwomens empowerment trainings aimed at

empowering them to talk to theirhusbands about HIV infection, they have

extensively implemented the Peace Corpsdeveloped Teach English/Prevent AIDScurriculum in secondary schools. In

Senegal, PCVs have produced an AIDSvideo in Wolof directed at truck-drivers

and chauffeurs. Finally, in Malawi,volunteers have implemented HIVinterventions through their Child Survival

Project by developing a local AIDSresource library, and PCVs have offered

HIV counseling training at testing sites.Through their support and care project,host-country volunteers have been trained

in home-based care, maintenance of arevolving drug fund and will-writing.

Europe, Mediterranean, and AsianRegions: In Kazakhstan, PCVs havewritten and received funding for various

AIDS prevention projects. One involvedsponsoring a three-day teacher training on

Continued on page 6


2/8


2

Out About AIDS in Honduras- by Jesy Goldhammer, RPCV

I missed tough womenwho wore mens clothes,

walked with heavy feet,

taking giant strides. Imissed the Americanlesbians, gays, tranies,drag queens, and artists

who had taught me tovalue open-mindedness,

honesty about being alesbian, and to be gratefulfor the past struggles that

have helped me be free.

I was with the first group of PeaceCorps Volunteers in Honduras in 1995

assigned the task of educating ourcommunities about HIV and AIDS. We

began with 22 health volunteers. At theend of our service more than two yearslater, only 8 of us had completed our

tours. Our most common complaint wasthat there were too many odds working

against us and no support or resources toget anything accomplished. During ourinitial three months of training in the

wealthy hills above the Capitol City,Tegucigalpa, we were taught the Spanish

words for HIV and AIDS, informationabout the virus, and how to utilize role-play in prevention education. What I

wanted to know was who was affected by

the virus, when and how the virus firstinfected people in Honduras, and whatwas being taught to people about HIV andAIDS. I knew this information was

necessary in order to implement preven-tion education on various levels in the

communities where we would live.The Honduran media mimicked the

mighty voice of much of the US to the

north, preaching that AIDS was a gaydisease. Their staunch Christian culture

went a step further, teaching that AIDSwas the punishment for the sin of beinggay. I was the first volunteer to serve in

Sabana de San Pedro, a rural town of 800in Departmento de Yoro. Before I arrived

two people had recently died of AIDSrelated illnesses. Most of the people in thetown had never seen a North American

woman, and I heard that people thought Ihad been sent by Christ himself to

condemn the sinners (gays) and praise theworthy (practicing Christians).

I had just barely come out as a lesbian

in my own country, and I hadnt reallyconsidered who I could and could not be in

Honduras. From the little I knew, Idecided to let go of my outer butch image

and get in touch with my inner femme orelse I might spend my entire time thereconvincing everyone that I was a woman,

which seemed like a huge waste of time. Igrew my hair and wore it back in a non-offensive ponytail. I left my fatigues and

combat boots at home and packed closed-toed sandals and large cardboard-like

dresses that made me feel so sexless. Youcouldnt tell if I was fat, thin, pregnant,curvy, pear-shaped, or large breasted, only

that I was a woman and was not easy

prey, and this felt safe. I had no idea that Iwas preparing to temporarily lose my

identity as a strong, independent, andeducated queer woman with unlimited

choices, opportunities, and freedom. I wasnot going to be the person I was here athome. I gave it all up to develop my

relationship with the people of my town.I had to experience life through their eyes,

and walking into their culture as anoutsider and a foreigner, my life was ontheir terms.

The men of my town had little to do

with me, unless they were in large groupsyelling out obscenities that really had

nothing to do with me, but was a way toget the approval they so desperatelyneeded from each other. It was dreadfully

humiliating, however, because I wouldhave clobbered these guys in my own

country. But here Peace Corps had taughtus to say gracias, which you couldnt

have paid me to say. They did bother meless over time. With the women Ideveloped deep loving relationships that

for the first time in my life were based ona power greater than sex. I experiencedintimacy that was not sexual, which was a

foreign concept to me. Eventually thewomen accepted me without a husband

and children and embraced me even thoughwith my white skin and green eyes werealmost ridiculous to them. I began to

realize how precious this experience was

and that Id better absorb every momentof it, because soon I would be gone and all

Id have would be these memories.I tried letting go of my fears and self-

centeredness, but this didnt happenovernight. I wasnt the free, independent,staunch and isolated lesbian that I had

come to depend on, or the image myculture taught me to paint on my exterior.

As women we shared together thesuffering of having fewer rights than dogs,and the joys and rewards of honoring each

other because nobody else was going to doit. They taught me about the wealth that

burns in their hearts no matter how emptytheir wallets. They graciously openedthemselves to me and showed me the

richness of their souls.

In return I attempted to educate bothwomen and men about HIV/AIDS, in away that they could understand. I spent alot of time in classrooms, churches, health

centers, and bars learning how they learn. Iencouraged open dialogue in monthly

workshops and proved to the people ofmy town that this virus will change theface of their lives and their community if

they didnt behave consciously.HIV is not a gay disease in Honduras.

AIDS was first detected in the 80s afterAmerican and Central American soldierspoured into the country to train anti-

Sandinista forces in Nicaragua. Many ofthese soldiers had relationships with

Honduran women. One result was that bi-racial children were left behind. Anotherresult was that some of these children and

their mothers were some of the firstHondurans to be HIV infected. Today

HIV spreads mostly because of promiscu-ous sexual behavior (most men have awife, girlfriends, and visit prostitutes on

occasion). Young people also travel fromrural regions to the city to work in

sweatshops. They are often free fromsexual constraints for the first time, and

they return home infected.Condoms are considered only with

prostitutes, and prostitutes are the only

people the government protects somewhatthrough easy access to regular testing,education, and with condoms themselves.

In my town I taught men to use condomswith their girlfriends to protect their

wives. Although the local health centersupplied condoms, the men were tooembarrassed to get them there. I started

Continued on page 6


3/8


3

Cracking the Closet Door in Bulgaria- by By Brian Hartig, PCV

In the Marines theyused to tell us that the

front lines would fall andthat infantrymen woulddie without aid from the

support units. Its neverbefore been more pow-

erfully brought home to

me than here in PeaceCorps just how true that

maxim is.

During training toward the end of thelast month of summer I was outed here in

Bulgaria by another volunteer to a selectfew Bulgarian nationals. Dont get me

wrong. It was not really an intentionalouting. No one wanted anyone else to gethurt in the deal. In fact, it was done with a

sense of obligation, with a certain sense ofeducational duty felt by the outer. She

felt she could no longer stand by while herfamily casually spouted phobic remarks.

It was when those remarks turned

homo- phobic, though, that I eventuallybecame the example, the vehicle by which

to show a people unexposed or unused togreat differences and variances thatstereotypes were not always true, were

sometimes fallacious, and were often

unrepresentative. As a potential teacher,however, who would go on to teachkindergarten through 11th grade in CentralBulgaria, I knew that this unintentional

incident, unless countered, could verywell spell the demise of my service.

Deep down I didnt want to deny herwords. It went against everything that Idalways felt contributed to the life-

education of those who didnt realize theyknow us. But I had to place this outing

in perspective and consider the newsituation within which I found myselfwith Peace Corps. So I spoke with the

volunteer (and with another volunteer towhose family the news had spread),

expressed my views and asked them to dowhat they thought was best. They did.The final solution hurt. It hurt a lot. It was

a denial of my sexuality. The volunteerstated to her host parents that shed been

mistaken about me and that I was straightas the proverbial arrow. I felt Id justdeniedthrough a pander, no less

within the expanse of a weekend, who Iwas, and had regressed the movement and

had negated any educational valuepossible, to the point at which it had been

before our arrival.Once again, though, perspective

came floating back. I realized that it had

become the main issue in this incident andI knew that in the long run that the wisedecision had been made because of it; I

simply could not educate in Bulgaria if Idbeen sent back to America. And although,

Peace Corps, obviously, would never sendme back for being gay (it has a non-discrimination policy regarding sexual

orientation), I would very readily be sent

backor to another countryif I had, allof a sudden, become ineffective. And that,

gentle reader, was the bottom line.In a nutshell, this story has come to

represent the situation to me here inBulgaria for lesbians and gay men. Somehave equated Bulgaria to America in the

50s yet at a slightly accelerated pace. Nota whole lot different than what you might

experience in other East Europeancountries, though sparks of change,however, are apparent often in my daily

life. The personal opportunity to counterphobias and bias exists and allows me the

possibilities to make a difference inindividual lives.

But back to perspective. It being so

important, allow me to give you a bit of it

regarding my background. Before I enteredPeace Corps I was co-founder/ President/Executive Director of Louisianas first

non-profit group for lesbians and gay men,Louisiana Electorate of Gays And

Lesbians, Inc. (LEGAL, Inc.). We workedto bring about one of the Souths first

Hate Crimes laws, which was inclusive ofsexual orientation wording. We alsosuccessfully fought an amendment to

Louisianas Constitution to outlaw gaymarriages. No small potatoes according tome and according to those who told us not

to even fight that fight in Louisiana. Wewere also successful, amongst other

things, in organizing the various lesbianand gay student groups around the state.

I was known by some as Louisianas

State Faggot, my picture on all of our road

maps right there next to the State Bird. Iwas out to the extent that I believed the

closet door could never have been shutagain as it had been removed from its

hinges.And so it was soon after starting

LEGAL that I had vowed never to allow

myself to be pushed around through fearof acknowledgment of who I was. That

ideal, held so dearly, however, because ofperspective, was altered here inBulgariaand rightly soin order to

further another cause. I realized that myfight was not here in Bulgaria. I could exist

closeted again and still be an effectiveperson. It may have been a decisionagainst my principles, but it was one that

was based on common sense. Sometimes

common sense wins over in such situa-tions when you are so far away fromhome and have so little recourse againstbigotry or ignorance.

Actually, my Dallas recruiter had evenasked me point blank if, considering my

background of six years as a gay rightsactivist in Louisiana, I would be able to goback into that closet I had known so

intimately for so long. That was a toughquestion that called for a well-thought-out

answer. I was ready for it, though, andhaving been closeted in the military beforeI knew what I was up against and had

decided that I could do it again. I knew theloneliness and, somehow, having already

existed through it, knew I could willingly(this time) do it again.

My time spent here can not truly be

described as totally closeted. As a matterof fact I realized soon after my arrival in

Bulgaria that my time here was not meantto be used solely as a vehicle for educationfor those Bulgarian students I was to

teach. Another way to educate regardingsexual orientation soon surfaced which,

although not evident coming in, made itselfquite evident during training. I think we as

Americans coming to other, less economi-cally developed countries, to teach andhelp bring about positive change,

sometimes forget that we ourselves arestill learning, growing, finding out who weare and learning how far we can mentally,

as well as physically, go.Most volunteers who enter Peace

Corps are right out of college, startingtheir careers and, quite often, looking fordirection, either professionally or

personally. Ive met many volunteers here


4/8


4

Cracking the Closet...

I chose not to hidemy sexual orientation tothe group, but at the

same time not to an-nounce it outright or

force it down anyonesthroat.

who, for lack of a better word, wereconfused not only about their career

path choices but also about who they areand how they fit into the whole system.

As a former Marine Corps officer, andhuman rights activist I did what I felt Icould to blend leadership with a positive

forward-thinking sense of self and did mybest with the other volunteers to lead by

example. What Id accepted withoutthinking about it over the past six years,suddenly had become something I would

have to consider deeply for the next twoyears. For starters, I knew I would have

to be careful with how I came out to othervolunteers.

I could tell you straight away (ahem)

how I did this and the complications it

presented, but instead Ill relay anotherlittle incident, which happened toward theend of training. One-day while sitting inBulgarian language class with a rather large

group of volunteers we were playing agame whereby we were asked personal,

yet general, questions. When it came tomy turn, the doozy was asked of me:Tell about your last love interest. As I

had taken the tack of not coming outguns ablazing and no-holds-barred to the

other volunteers (rather taking an as-it-comes approach), not everyoneincluding instructorsknew about me.

Answering this question in front of thegroup gave me the wonderful opportunity

to educate.Beginning my answer in Bulgarian I

started by using the word He. I was

quickly halted by the instructor whoexplained that I was using the male

pronoun and that what I wanted to usewas the Bulgarian word for She. So notone to be easily dismayed, I unabashedly

came out with the word He again, wasonce again stopped and corrected.

Obviously I continued onward usingHe. At long last, after several delayed

starts, it was understood, by everyonewho hadnt known already, that I knewwhat I was talking about. The laughter by

those in-the-know was contagious. Sooneveryone felt at ease and was joining in.

Later on in the day, however, a friend

who had obviously not had a clue aboutme, approached me and asked if he could

speak with me about something. He saidthat as I had revealed my sexual orienta-tion earlier that day he sat next to me

stunned, his feelings slowly turning to

anger and then to betrayal. He explainedthat he had felt I had hidden something

important from him and he didntunderstand why. I saw how he had taken

my coming out personally. As he hadthought about the situation further,though, he said, he realized how wrong he

was to feel this way. If I had come out toeveryone in the beginning, he reasoned, he

would have felt that I was flaunting mysexuality when there was no reason to doso.

He ended up telling me that he now

understood how fine a line lesbians andgay men walk when choosing whether or

not to be out about their sexual orienta-tions. He had just wanted to tell me thisand to thank me to helping him to learn

about something he had known littleabout. I felt personally fulfilled. Though it

is a very fine line, indeed, that we areforced to walk regarding how and whetherwe disclose our sexual identities to those

around us. I agree. Too far to one side andyoure labeled an outspoken, in-your-face

activist. Too far to the other and yourreticence challenges that of St.Augustines.

I chose not to hide my sexual orienta-tion to the group, but at the same time not

to announce it outright or force it downanyones throat. In so doing I led by

example and taught some people, in apassively progressive way, about who weare, who I am. As the question came up I

gave it my honest answer; I didnt seekthem out, but I didnt run either. I foundthat when you come out this way, though,

that word does get around, but that wordgets around selectively and, as I presented

in my last incident, it got around quickerto some than to others. That, however, isthe nature of the beast.

After my gradual self-outing I realized

how everyone who had a story to tell me,and felt they could tell it, told it. In the

process, they were letting me know thatthey accepted me and that they under-

stoodas well as a straight personcouldthe difficulties I faced in my dailylife particularly now in Bulgaria. With

this newfound status our Peace CorpsMedical Officer eventually asked me if I

would feel comfortable giving a shortpresentation on being gay and living inBulgaria to the new group of incoming

volunteers. This self-outing I instantlyrecognized was to be a horse of a different

colora different way entirely from howI came out to my group. I pictured myselfinstantly being labeled by the new group

as the gay volunteer before even being

known as Brian the volunteer from B-8group. I suppose that slightly botheredme. Id known the feeling before, though.

I accepted the proposition, however,

and made a presentation to the new groupin two time periods. I slowly outed

myself, but over a much shorter period oftimehalf an hour. I learned many thingsin that half-hour, though. I learned that

everyone in the room knew someone whowas gay or lesbian, that the majority

respected not only my orientation but myspeaking to them about such a personalmatter, and that, in view of the average age

of incoming volunteers, many, as hetero-sexuals, were very happy to hear what

was presented because it allowed them tounderstand the pitfalls before they were tomeet themthereby their avoiding this

year with their group what had happenedto me last year with mine. They also

knew, as I presented the topic in this way,that the talk was not mainly directedtowards those who considered themselves

lesbian or gay. It was also, and in a waymore so, directed towards those in the

group who considered themselvesheterosexuals and for a very simple

reasonpeople like myself (and others inthe room who chose or chose not to revealtheir sexual orientations) needed to know

how to deal with the situation of being outor not (if and when it came up) and thattheir support would be not only appreci-

ated but also very necessary.My biggest lesson from that presenta-

tion came to me over the year as I workedas a member of our Volunteer SupportNetwork. I realized just how important it

was to have the topic brought up to the


5/8


5

Peace Corps' HIV Project FundOff and Running

new group and how much its simply beingbrought up by a leader from the group

before theirs lent it an air not only of PeaceCorpsand volunteer-sanctioned

authority but one of honesty and asensewhich some volunteers may nothave had previouslythat its OK to be

gay.I reveled in the applause I received at

the end of my speech but not for myself. Ismiled inwardly for those others who maynot have felt theyd feel comfortable being

out, but that they could, at least to anyone person in their group shed light on

their secret. And in so doing they couldreceive something that they would do wellto have over the two-year period in-

country: support.

Since my period of instruction, I havehad many volunteers approach me tothank me for speaking on the topic. Alsosince my presentation I have spoken with

volunteers who were having difficultydealing with gay sexuality and felt more

comfortable speaking to me personally. So,in a way, these volunteers were alreadyworking to provide support to others who

needed it. And in the end I suppose, thatswhat its all aboutsupport.

In the Marines they used to tell us thatthe front lines would fall and thatinfantrymen would die without aid from

the support units (supply, motortransportation, etc.). Its never before been

more powerfully brought home to me thanhere in Peace Corps just how true thatmaxim is. Just showing up, as Mark

Twain once said, is not 90 percent of thejob (at least not for volunteers in a foreign

country); support is. Now many others inPeace Corps know exactly how importantsupportor simply its availabilitycan

be.

Brian Hartig can be reached at

[[email protected]].

In our last issue we described theestablishment of the HIV/AIDS Preven-

tion and Education Fund to be adminis-

tered by the Peace Corps PartnershipProgram. LGB RPCVs initial contribu-tion of $1000 and a $1000 match from acouple of our members has since been

increased by a dozen or more contribu-tions made by our members as a result of

our solicitation in the November 1999newsletter. On January 30, the Bay AreaLBG RPCV group voted to contribute an

additional $300.In the meantime, Vic Basile, the Peace

Corps manager who oversees thePartnership Program, has announced theavailability of funds for HIV/AIDS related

projects to Country Directors, other on-site staff, and the Peace Corps world in

general. Our organization is given creditfor initiating the fund. He wrote, thisfunding is available immediately to any

Partnership Project with a focus on HIV/AIDS prevention and education. As an

example of such a project, Basiledescribes a recent successful PartnershipProgram project in Malawi where a

Peace Corps Volunteer helped the localcommunity build an HIV/AIDS Informa-

tion, Prevention and Care Center. This

center provides information and services,such as patient counseling and transmis-sion prevention, as well as outreachprograms for five neighboring villages.

We have also learned that the Partner-ship Program has begun soliciting

foundation and corporate contributions forthe fund. LGB RPCVs contributions are,of course, part of the membership dues,

we solicit each year, either as an affiliatemember of the NPCA, or as members of

LGB RPCVs alone. Please consider thisnow with our MEMBERSHIP SOLICI-TATION that youll receive with this

issue or with your NPCA membershiprenewal when it is due. A special thanks

to all of those members who madeadditional individual contributions to thefund.

If youd like an email copy of thePartnership Program announcement,

contact Mike Learned with that request on[[email protected]].

Contributions to the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Education

Fund should be made out to the Peace Corps Partnership

Program. On the check memo line write HIV Fund. Contribu-tions can be deducted as charitable contributions.

Mail your check to:

Eric Zander, Program Manager

Peace Corps Partnership Program

1111 20th Street NW, Room 8301E

Washington, D.C., 20526

Keep up with the latest LGB Peace Corps Alumni news, information,and informal discussions, as well as the latest from Peace CorpsWashington and the National Peace Corps Association by subscrib-

ing to our e-mail listserv. The listserv is also a great way to makecontact with other LGB Peace Corps Alumni in your area andaround the world. All you have to do to subscribe is send an emptye-mail (no content) to: [[email protected]].

Sign Up for the Listserv


6/8


6

Honduras...

HIV instruction for 20 teachers, and the

other an anti-AIDS poster competitionthat attracted 300 applicants and lots of

media attention. Many materials likepamphlets, pocket calendars andbookmarkers with HIV prevention

messages were also printed in Russian andKazakh. Other programs include

developing harm reduction/peer educationstrategies for young injecting drug users,and the program hopes to be working

directly with people living with HIV soon.In Moldova PCVs developed a 30-minute

radio program (Side by Side) thatreaches 95% of the territory in Moldova.It has been developed and presented by

teenagers. On the air the youth are able tocorrect misinformation about HIV and

other health topics of interest to adoles-cents, while they talk about the conse-quences of unhealthy behaviors. In

addition, volunteers with youth peereducators conduct week-long camp

training on reproductive health and HIVissues. Finally, PCVs have assisted insponsoring weekly Anti-AIDS Discos

in various clubs and roller-rinks.Inter-America and Pacific Region:

In the Dominican Republic, most PCVshave focused HIV prevention work onyouth, working through elementary school

presentations, youth symposia, parent-child communication classes, and an AIDS

Day Rallies. In Jamaica, HIV issues aretaught in life-skill courses in communica-tion and goal-setting, and other life-

planning abilities, which protect themfrom health risks including exposure to

HIV/AIDS. Using a peer education model,Jamaican PCVs are working to reachmarginalized young men. In Ecuador, in

addition to teacher training, volunteerswork with commercial sex workers

regarding condom promotion, and somevolunteers are involved in a prevention

program for immigrant populations. OnePCV works specifically with the issue ofdomestic violence and HIV.

As you can see, there is some prettycreative thinking going on in the minds ofPCVs and host country nationals. These

programs are pretty remarkable, and havebegun to be a shining star in terms of

Peace Corps programming in general.There is an amazing amount of effort outthere by some amazing folks. It is

interesting to me, however, that none ofthe activities cited in this recent Peace

Corps report on HIV programs mentionsprogramming targeted specifically at

LGBT people. There are some PeaceCorps countries where openly LGBTfolks live, and in other places, as we all

know, there is definitely same-sexbehavior. It seems to me it may be an

issue that we might want to bring up withthose at Peace Corps headquarters. Arethe needs of LGBT people being met

throughout the world? I bet not!As we begin this new venture of

funding HIV-related projects throughPeace Corps Partnership programs, itseems our money will be well spent. As

an RPCV group, however, we must assist

Peace Corps in recognizing the needs ofour LGBT sisters and brothers worldwide.Reading the recent report, I am encouragedto see that the creative spirit of Peace

Corps Volunteers and their host countrycolleagues lives into this new millennium.

Kent Klindera, volunteered in Thailand

from 1988-92. He currently lives in Our

Nations Capitol and is Acting Director of

International Programs at Advocates for

Youth [[email protected]].

secretly dispensing them out of my home

and was regularly visited by both men and

women. It was through these visits thatmy relationships with the local menslowly developed enough that I was ableto run a few workshops for them. This

would have been an impossible undertak-ing my first year.

Initially my work was seen by most asintriguing and curious. There were thosewho were deeply offended that I would be

inviting discussions and formal educationabout topics that were so un-Christian. In

addition to HIV/AIDS, I also leadworkshops on empowering youth andwomen, and trained community health

workers and midwives. I also taughtfamily planning, basic math, literacy, and

about using traditional healing andmedicine. Yet there were many whosupported me completely. The funny

thing was that my supporters came fromevery aspect of the community: church,

school, health center, and bars. This wasto my advantage because all theseinstitutions were essential to get my work

accomplished.When I left La Sabana in April 1997, I

was totally exhausted and hungered forfamiliarity. I missed tough women whowore mens clothes, walked with heavy

feet, taking giant strides. I missed theAmerican lesbians, gays, tranies, drag

queens, and artists who had taught me tovalue open-mindedness, honesty aboutbeing a lesbian, and to be grateful for the

past struggles that have helped me be free.I was so tired of being la gringa. I had

never come out as a lesbian in Hondurasbecause I thought it would be unsafe to doso. At first I thought that I had lacked the

courage to do this, but I have begun tothink that being gay in Central America is

really so much more complicated than Iever wanted to admit. Maybe it was a

courageous thing not to come out there.What I am sure of is that my experiencesin Honduras were rich. They have changed

my life, and I am a smarter and morepatient lesbian because of them.

Jesy Goldhammer left the world of HIV/

AIDS counseling in 1998 to be a landscape

gardener in Oakland, CA. This month she

celebrates one year clean and sober. You

can contact her at [[email protected]].

Continued from page 2 Continued from page 1

HIV/AIDS Programs...

PO Box 14332

San Francisco CA 94114-4332

[email protected]://www.geocities.com/lgbrpcv

Editor Mike Learned

Layout Kevin H . Souza

The LGB RPCV Newsletter is

published quarterly by the Lesbian,

Gay, Bisexual RPCV Organization,

an affiliate of the National Peace

Corps Association. We exist to

promote Peace Corps ideals and

acceptance of gays and lesbians

throughout the world. Submission

of articles or graphics to be pub-

lished in the newsletter is encour-

aged. The right to use or edit

materials remains with the editor.

Copyright remains with the author.

Send submissions or inquires to the

above postal or e-mail address.


7/8


7

1999 Annual Financial ReportIts that time of year again when we let

you know where we get the money to

keep this group going and how yourmoney is spent to support our activities.

We are almost totally dependent on youfor our funds. Almost all of our incomelast year came from membership dues,

either when you joined the National PeaceCorps Association (NPCA) and desig-

nated us as your affiliate group, or whenyou sent us membership dues directly. Ifyoure a member of the NPCA, please

remember to designate LGB RPCVs asyour affiliate RPCV group when you

renew your membership. If you arent amember of the NPCA, please respondnow to our enclosed request for dues.

Our biggest expense supports the

printing and mailing of our quarterly,award-winning newsletter. Thepublication goes not only to our RPCVmembers, but also to volunteers in the

field who request it, Peace Corps staff inevery country where Peace Corps has a

presence, Peace Corps Recruiting Offices,and to Washington Peace Corps staff.

Thanks to the continued efforts and

long hours spent by Kevin Souza, ourWeb site and e-mail address dont cost

much money, although they remain amongour most important communication tools.

Supporting regional affiliate groups is

our next most significant expense. If youlive in an area with a local LGB RPCV

chapter, half of your dues automaticallygo that chapter. Local chapters arecurrently active in San Francisco, Seattle,

Southern California, and Washington D.C.Expenses exceeded income this year,

because of a significant drop in member-ship income and our $1000 contributionthat initiated the Peace Corps Partnership

Programs HIV/AIDS Prevention andEducation Fund. As always, we welcome

any ideas you have about how yourmembership dues should be spent.

IncomeMembership dues from NPCA 1,725

Individual dues 1,730T-shirts 70Total Income $3,525

Expenses

Newsletters 2,207HIV Fund Contribution 1,000NPCA dues, fees 565

NPCA conference 125Group chapters 323

Other 181Total Expenses $4,401

Year End Balance $3,942

Each February we enclose our annualdues solicitation with our newsletter for

those members of LGB RPCV who arenot also members of the National PeaceCorps Association (NPCA). We have two

categories of membership in our organiza-

tion. Those who have joined the NPCAhave the opportunity to join one of itsaffiliate organizations (like LGB RPCVs).Half of our members reach us through this

route. If youre a member of the NPCApay your membership dues when they

notify you (this can be any month of theyear), and please remember to indicateLGB RPCVs as your affiliate group.

If youre a member of LGB RPCVsalone, we ask for your membership dues

each February, and you have received amembership coupon with this issue of thenewsletter. The other half of our members

fall into this category. We also have anumber of people on our mailing list who

are a year or more behind in dues, either asmembers of the NPCA or LGB RPCVsalone. These people are also receiving a

membership dues coupon with this issue.Our membership numbers have slipped

in the past year. We have lost about 100dues paying members. About two thirdsof these were NPCA members, one third

LGB RPCV members alone. We plan a

major membership renewal drive later thisspring to boost our membership numbers.

We have existed as an organization fornine years, and have had many accom-plishments over that time. We were

instrumental in getting Peace Corps to add

sexual orientation to its equal employ-ment opportunity policy. We have beenactive participators in five NPCAconferences. We produce an award

winning quarterly newsletter and host asuperb web site. We have an active mentor

program, where we connect lesbian andgay Peace Corps applicants with ourmembers. We provide materials for and

participate in Peace Corps recruitingefforts at Pride Events around the country

each summer. We initiated the Peace CorpsPartnership Programs HIV Preventionand Education Fund late last year. We are

entirely dependent on our your dues andcontributions to be able to accomplish our

goals and fund our activities.If you have received a membership

solicitation with this newsletter, please

take the time now to fill out the duescoupon, write us a check for $15, and mail

them to us. If youre a member of theNPCA, please rejoin when your member-ship is due, and identify LGB RPCVs as

your affiliate group.

Membership Dues Needed for 2000


8/8


8

Were an organization of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and others who are former Peace Corps volun-

teers, current volunteers, former and current staff members, and friends. Founded in Washington D.C. in1991, we have several hundred members throughout the country and around the world who have served in

the Peace Corps since its beginning in 1961.

We are composed of a national steering committee, together with regional chapters. We currently have

local chapters in San Francisco, Southern California, Seattle and Washington D.C. We are an affiliate

member of the National Peace Corps Association.

We promote Peace Corps ideals and acceptance of lesbians, gays and bisexuals throughout the world.

uu Provide support to our national members and current volunteers.uu Facilitate the creation of regional chapters.uu Actively involve ourselves as an affiliate of the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA).uu Promote policies and projects that support Peace Corps ideals and the acceptance and active

involvement of lesbians, gays and bisexuals within the Peace Corps.

uu Take an active part in Gay Pride events around the country encouraging gays, lesbians and bisexu-

als to consider the Peace Corps experience.

uu Offer our members as informational resources and mentors for lesbians, gays and bisexuals who

have been offered a Peace Corps assignment.

uu Host social events for our members.

uu Communicate regularly with our members and others through a quarterly newsletter and our web site.

Lesbian, Gay & BisexualReturned Peace Corps Volunteers

Who are we?

Whats our purpose?

What do we do?

New MemberChange of Address/Renewal

I would talk with applicants

about my experience.

New Membership * Address Change Form

Name:

Street:

City: State: Zip:

Phone/Fax/E-mail:

Country of Service: Years:

PC Project: Current Work:

Membership: $15 for LGB RPCV Affiliate Only or FREE to Current Volunteers$40 for LGB RPCV Plus the National Peace Corps Association

LGB RPCVs; PO Box 14332; San Francisco, CA 94114-4332

E-mail: [email protected] * http://www.geocities.com/lgbrpcv

Documents

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Newsletter - February 2000