Midsummer's Dying Light

The petals are falling off the Blackberry blossoms as the fruits begin to form.

Just as Yule marks the return of the light, Midsummer marks the return of the darkness, which will come first in the sweet flesh of summer fruit and then in the dryness of seed.

Its in this liminal time that I seek intimacy with dying things.

My friend Kathleen Maier speaks about how our culture doesn't teach us how to give death to things.  So we carry our grief with us and it gets heavy and weighs us down.  Something I know all too well as a watery person who has spent most of my life burying emotion deep and holding it tightly -- even when the phlegm of grief clogged my lungs, and my liver grew hot and congested from the anger I refused to feel, and the tension of trying to hold it all in made my blood pressure rise.

Kathleen says that she makes time to grieve each year at the Autumn Equinox, releasing sadness and pain, giving death to that which has been lost, so that she will not need to carry it into winter's darkness.

In the space that is opened, new seeds can be planted, waiting to be wakened by sun and rain in springtime.  (Which, here on Vancouver Island, begins at Imbolc.)

For me, though, this year, Midsummer is the time to begin letting go of what I no longer want or need to give my life-force to, so I can reclaim it for the work I choose and the pleasure I desire in this world.

There is still enough light that I will not be overwhelmed by darkness -- remembering how pneumonia struck me last year at Samhain and at Yule when I waited until the nights were long and dark to begin turning inward.   But the dying of the year has already begun, so I will not be swimming against the tide.

In the cool, dark of the woods, Ghost Pipe is beginning to emerge, opening the way to the world beneath the forest floor.

But at the edge of the field, the last wild Roses still bloom, calling me back home with their sweetness when I begin to dive too deep.

The same gate opens in both directions.

What will you give death to here in Midsummer's dying light, that it might return to the earth before its time for seeds to fall to the ground?

The Stampede will go on! And so will "Condom on Your Cowboy" campaign!

The Stampede will go on! And so will the annual "Put a Condom on Your Cowboy" campaign!

We are proud to be working with our partners at the Calgary Coalition on HIV/AIDS (CCHA) again this year to help cowboys and cowgirls in our city to Stampede safe!

 Watch for these posters going up around the city again as we gear up for Stampede. Let us know if you'd like some, or if you want to help with poster distribution.

Along with our partners at CCHA, we'll also be handing out "Love Kit" condom packs during Stampede weekends. (July 5/6 and July 12/13)

We're looking for volunteers to join us for distributing these condom packs at various locations around the city. If you're interested in throwing on a cowboy hat and promoting condom use to stampede go-ers, please e-mail Emily at  eophus@calgarysexualhealth.ca for more info.


Happy Stampede everyone! We hope you can all get out there and enjoy this AMAZING city!


 
 
 

Calgary GSA Network: Summer Break from Roundtable Meetings

With the end of the school year, the Calgary Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Network will be taking a break from Roundtable Meetings over the summer.

Finding Support Over the Summer
Our last meeting before the summer break had been scheduled for June 20th, but given the extreme flooding emergencies in Calgary and area we decided to cancel the meeting. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience!

This meeting was going to be our "Summer Send-Off" meeting, with information and resources for finding community and things to do during the summer months outside of your schools. We encourage you to please continue to connect with us with any questions and we can point you to resources in the city.

Contact our team member Nick Moore at:  nmoore@calgarysexualhealth.ca


Other resources to check out:

• Calgary GSA Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/289834511050042/
• Calgary Outlink:  http://calgaryoutlink.ca/

We will be in touch regarding the next meeting later this summer in preparation for Pride and getting ramped up for the next school year.

 

Looking Back at a Great Year

In the meantime, we want to thank everyone for a great school year with the Calgary GSA Network!

 

We marked our one year anniversary and in that time our network has really grown! Check this previous post for our look back at the first year of the GSA network.

 

And here's some things from the year that a few of our GSA members wanted to share:

 

The Bowness GSA held a Popcorn Sale on Apr 17th, and it was a huge success! "It was both beneficial for the group members to show their GSA pride, and for Camp fYerfly to put that money to a great cause," said a student with the Bowness GSA. 

 

On April 18 and 19, West Island College held a two day event called "Be The Change". The first day consisted of promoting awareness and rights through silence, with 120 individuals taking part in being silent for a cause that they felt passionate for. Most participants were silent for LBGT rights and equality in general.

On the 19th we ended the silence as a school - we choose to celebrate and honour our differences, rather than letting them divide us.

Overall it was a highly successful event, which addressed issues and causes that many were not familiar with. Teachers had a very positive outlook on the event, which resulted in many students participating.

Although Common ground is a small group, we were able to put together a school wide event that celebrated and raised awareness for many minorities, in particular the LBGT community.

 

 

Sir Winston Churchill's GSA held thrift sales, bake sales and other activities - and donated $160 to CSHC! Thank you!!

 

 

Congratulations to all our GSA Network friends on a great year! Have a wonderful summer!

 

An Evening with Internationally Renowed Speaker: Dr. Shirley Steinberg

 

Please join us for an evening with internationally renowned speaker and teacher, Dr. Shirley Steinberg.

Dr. Steinberg is the Director and Chair of The Werklund Foundation Centre for Youth Leadership in Education, and a Professor of Youth Studies at the University of Calgary. She is the author and editor of many books in critical pedagogy, urban and youth culture, and cultural studies.

Dr. Steinberg’s work focuses on the cultural/social/educational development of youth. She is concerned with how society views young people, and her work creates an environment in which youth are viewed as positive democratic agents within society. The co-founder of the Paulo and Nita Freire International Project for Critical Pedagogy, she is the organizer of The Critical Pedagogical Congress.

She is committed to a global community of transformative educators and community workers engaged in radical love, social justice, and the situating of power within social and cultural contexts.

Dr. Steinberg's keynote address will follow our brief Annual General Meeting. Come celebrate a year of great successes, new initiatives, and community impact.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Venue 1008 (located at 1008 – 14 Street SE)


6:00 pm Reception

6:30 pm Annual General Meeting

7:00 pm Guest Speaker - Dr. Shirley Steinberg


Guests will enjoy substantial appetizers and refreshments. This is a free event - please RSVP as below.

Please RSVP by Wednesday, June 12
at http://cshc-agm2013.eventbrite.ca or call 403-283-5580 ext: 316

Our Flooded Office: In Photos

As you may have heard, our office has been closed for the past few weeks due to some flooding caused by burst pipes in our building on May 12. Its been quite an ordeal to get the extensive repairs underway. But our incredible staff have continued working all through this mess - their level of dedication and passion is a constant inspiration!

 

We expect the repairs to be completed in time for us to re-open the office by June 10th. We will post any updates if this timeline changes down the road.

 

In the meantime, our many programs and services will continue. Our staff are still out serving the community through our outreach and education programs. And we will continue to welcome counselling clients by appointment. (Please no walk-ins at this time - but call us at 403-283-5580 or email at generalmail@calgarysexualhealth.ca to connect with a counsellor. We will be checking messages regularly and will get back to you shortly.)

 

 

 

Thank you to those of you who have offered to donate furniture items and other equipment. We are unable to accept items of that nature at this time. The best way to support us remains your kind financial donations. You can find info on how to donate to us on our website.

 

 

These photos by Nancy Miller show a glimpse into the clean up that is ahead of us. It is a daunting challenge, but we've faced a few challenges in our 40+ years! ;) This one won't hold us back.

 

Pam surveys the damage in our lobby.

 

Copier room

 

Fans work at drying the hallway to some office spaces

 

Another view down the hallway from our lobby

 

Our library has seen better days...

 

Our number one fan! (groan.)

 

The lobby area completely cleared out for drying and repairs.

 

A look inside an office space.

 


Can you spot the fan?

 

And more fans...

 

Our resource centre gets some attention too.

 

Ah ha, this is where all the stuff is hiding!

 

The view from our Training Centre / board room into our kitchen area. Surprise, surprise...more fans!

Questions asked during Sex Ed Class - Part 2: Sex

My boyfriend and I just started having sex and I missed my period, is that normal?
If you are not using protection, there is a risk of pregnancy but there are other factors that can cause a person to miss a period.

Some questions to ask yourself are: Is my period normally regular? Could it be late? Am I feeling stressed out about life, school or even the possibility of being pregnant (sometimes stress can cause a delay in menstruation)?

If you are worried about an unplanned pregnancy, it is wise to get a pregnancy test. They are available at any pharmacy or free at our office.



Is it true if a girl doesn’t bleed the first time she isn’t a virgin?

No. Many people believe that if a woman has never had sex before, her hymen will tear the first time. (The hymen is a piece of skin that partially covers the opening to the vagina.) However not all women are born with a hymen, and the hymen can be very thin and stretch out with normal physical activity as a child (riding a bike or a horse, etc.) Some women have a hymen and still don't bleed the first time they have sex.

Every woman is a bit different. If a woman or girl doesn't bleed or doesn't have a hymen it does not mean she has had sex.



Can you get pregnant by masturbating beside each other?

For there to be a risk of pregnancy, pre-come and/or semen need to be on the vulva, in the vagina, or around the anus (because it is mere inches from the vagina). This is a very low risk activity for pregnancy and STIs, if the male partner ejaculates far from his partner's genitals, and washes his hands and body well afterwards.



If you are going to have sex for the first time and you are scared, what should you do?

Very good question. People should pay attention to how they feel inside and what their bodies are telling them. A bit of nervousness is normal but if you are feeling scared, pressured or find you are not aroused or turned on, then it is likely not the right time yet.

Remember if a person is not feeling comfortable she or he has the right to stop sex at ANY time. Consent means two people (or more) deciding to do the same thing at the same time, in the same way with each other. Any sexual act that is initiated upon someone without consent is illegal.

Sex without Regret: checking in with "Head, Heart, Body"

How do I know when I am ready for sex? How do I know what sexual activities I am comfortable with? How will I know what my boundaries are?

The answer to these questions is different for every person.

Deciding what you feel comfortable doing or “how far” you want to go is a personal choice that you have to make each and every time you become physically or emotionally involved with another person. Having a physical desire to enjoy sexual pleasure is not the same thing as being emotionally prepared for sex with another person.


Head, Heart, Body

A handy tool to help you with healthy sexual decision making! Basically, it means checking in with your thoughts, your feelings and your physical body.

To make a well considered decision about sexual activity, all three aspects need to be checked each time someone makes a decision to have sex:


Head – Ask yourself:
Why am I doing this?
Do I agree with what is going on?
Does this fit with my values?
How will I feel about this decision tomorrow?

Heart – Ask yourself:
Do I feel safe and comfortable with this person?
Does this feel right to me?
Do I like this person?
Can I trust them?

Body – Ask yourself:
What does my body want to do?
Are the juices flowing?
Do I like what’s happening?
Am I, and is my partner protected from STIs or pregnancy?


Watch our SexPerts walk us through their funny demonstration of "Head, Heart, Body" in this podcast:

It’s important to know you have the right to change your mind and stop a sexual activity at any point while its happening, and it is your partner’s responsibility to respect that.

Likewise, it is also your responsibility to check in with your partner and to respect their feelings about a situation if they want to stop, slow down or take a break to sort out their thoughts.

For more helpful tips, check our website at: http://www.calgarysexualhealth.ca/am_i_ready_for_sex.html