MPIPP Newsletter
Vol. 2, Issue 8
MPIPP Update:
Anti-bullying -- On May 3rd, Dr. Judith Kovach and Sara Van Wormer hosted a lunch for legislative staffers from both houses that detailed the science-based research about bullying and the pressing need for protecting children and youth from the serious mental health consequences of bullying.
The lunch session was well attended and staffers were overwhelmingly supportive of the need for an anti-bullying law. A few weeks later, legislation passed out of the House and is currently awaiting a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
SPICE -- Sara Van Wormer met with Tamara Halliburton and Toya Troupe of SPICE, an organization dedicated to meeting the needs of African American LGBT women in the Detroit metro area. The May 11th meeting served as a good introduction between MPIPP and SPICE. Plans were made for further collaboration including possible participation in a health forum series they plan to host in late summer/early fall.
SAFE Initiative at Macomb Community College -- MPIPP continues to be involved in the SAFE initiative being developed at Macomb Community College. SAFE is designed to make the school more inclusive of both LGBT staff and students. MPIPP has compiled a list of every Michigan university and college that has an LGBT inclusive hiring policy which was then submitted to Macomb's president, Jim Jacobs by Sara Van Wormer. He has pledged his support for including sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to the school's Equal Employment Opportunity statement.
Transgender Day of Empowerment -- New MPIPP volunteers Kiefer Paterson and Alyssa Dudley of Macomb Community College's Gay Straight Alliance helped Sara Van Wormer host a table at the Transgender Day of Empowerment, held at Affirmations on May 15th. The event served as a great opportunity to connect with the transgender community and local advocacy groups and further introduced the work of MPIPP to the LGBT community at large.
New Study from Harvard shows higher rate of PTSD among gay men and lesbians:
A new study from researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Children's Hospital Boston has found that gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and heterosexuals who have ever had a same-sex sex partner are one-and-a-half to two times as likely to experience violent events, especially in childhood, than the general population and have double the risk of experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a consequence of these events. It is the first study to directly link higher rates of PTSD in those four groups (classified as sexual minorities) to greater violence exposure. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2010-releases/gay-men-and-lesbians-violent-events-and-subsequent-ptsd.html
Michigan Department of Corrections removes "conversion" therapy group, Corduroy Stone, from approved list
The Michigan Department of Corrections has taken a position that it will no longer recognize Corduroy Stone, an ex-gay therapy organization. For more information: http://michiganmessenger.com/37823/ex-gay-ministry-axed-from-dept-of-corrections-programming
NOTE: MPIPP has been contacted by various organizations (who are among our volunteers) to list upcoming events and opportunities. These are listed in deadline sequence:
Improve Your
Practice and Help Your
Community: Become a
Volunteer HIV Trainer!
June 1 deadline!
Sponsor:
American Psychological
Association;
Click here for details.
Training Institute for Jewish Educators, Agency and Youth Professionals in the Detroit Metropolitan Area: June 13 and 14, 2010; Sponsor: Jewish Gay Network of Michigan: Click here for flyer.
Call for Contributors for Advances in Lesbian Studies - Journal of Lesbian Studies; June 15 deadline; Issued by the Journal of Lesbian Studies: click here for more information.
Workplace Survey for LGBTQ-Identified Women; No deadline provided; Sponsor: University of Michigan, For more information, click here.