HIV Retests

In a follow up to last weeks story the Ministry of Health has advised that up to 12,000 New Zealanders may have had an HIV test with the HIV test kit now withdrawn after a few false negative results in Europe.

The Ministry has advised that those people tested between July 1 last year and April 1996 should talk to their doctors or clinic who arranged their test to discuss the possibility of another test.

Canterbury Health announced that it had never used the the faulty HIV test.

Labour calls for HIV help

Pacific Islands HIV epidemic

The United Nations has warned of a growing HIV epidemic in the Pacific Islands. They point to social and cultural factors which make Pacific Island communities more vulnerable to the spread of HIV.

Devotion Money Lost

$2000 of the $10,000 bond paid by Devotion to the Events Centre has been withheld as a result of damage inflicted on floors by smokers. "It's disappointing," says Devotion board member Antonia Brown, pointing out that partygoers were warned on tickets and signs that the dance area was non-smoking. "That's money we could have given back to the community," says Brown, who describes negotiations over the bond as "pretty heavy."

Gay TV and Radio

Television

Express Report every Monday 10pm on ATV, Capital City, Coast to Coast, Southern and CTV.

Shortland St, TV2, Monday to Friday 7pm.

Radio

Regular gay and lesbian shows

Auckland - G & T Show, 810AM Access Radio, Thursday 7 to 8am
Auckland - This Way Out, 810AM Access Radio, Saturday 11:40am
Auckland - In The Pink, 95BFM Student Radio, Sunday 8 to 9pm
Auckland - Girls Own Show, 95BFM Student Radio, Sunday 7 to 8pm
Hamilton - Different Strokes, Contact 89FM, Sunday 6 to 8pm
Wellington - Gay BC, 783AM Access Radio, Gay BC, Saturdays 11:15 - 12:15
Wellington - Reading Lesbian Writers, 783AM Access Radio,Saturdays, 1.00 - 1.15
Wellington - Lesbian Radio Programme, 783AM Access Radio,Sundays, 10 - 11 am
Wellington - Boy Trouble, 89FM Student Radio, Sunday 6-7pm
Top of the South - Dyke FM, 99.4FM Fresh FM, Sunday 10am
Top of the South - Gaytime FM, 99.4FM Fresh FM, Sunday 11am
Christchurch - RDU 98.3FM Student Radio, has no specific queer show but does have queer news, play queer artists and all the rest as part of their daily programme.
Christchurch - Outwaves, Plains, 96.9FM , Monday 8pm
Christchurch - Lesbians on Air, Plains 96.9FM Monday 9.30 - 10pm (note 9-9.30pm from 18th March)
Dunedin -Dykes on Mikes, 91FM Radio One, Tuesday 8pm
Dunedin -Tea with the Boys, 91FM Radio One, Sundays 9-10pm

Reviews

Dunedin - Womens Dance, Bath St, 20th April.

This was the first Womens Dance of the year, the first ever held at an established venue, and was a total success. There was a turnout of 150-plus, the atmosphere was great, the music was great and the Go-Go dancers provided that little bit of extra entertainment that kept more than a few women on the floor all night! Oh, and be warned. Kay's shaker of the evening, a Dykes Delight, tasted like fruit punch but left most of us reeling...

Proceeds will be donated to various womens' groups around Dunedin. Don't forget Queer night, this Wednesday from 9pm.

Events - Upcoming

Events - Previews

Out Takes 96

Wellington's second queer film festival brings to our screens an abundance of films ranging far and wide across interests, identities and genres. Out Takes 96 - at the Paramount and City Cinema from May 10-22 - is twice the size of last year's festival, with 12 features and six programmes of shorts.

First up is a benefit screening (for the Awhina Centre) of the "very sweet" comedy 'Tokyo Cowboy', the tale of a Japanese man who leaves Tokyo for Canada to pursue dreams of cowboyhood with his lesbian childhood penpal .

Other features include Bruce LaBruce's 'Hustler White', an odyssey through the sleaze and porn of Santa Monica Boulevard, and 'Fiction and Other Truths', a "beautifully crafted" documentary about novelist/activist Jane Rule, author of Desert of the Heart. 'Shinjuku Boys' documents the Japanese phenomenon of onnabes, women who live as men. Onnabes work in nightclubs where they play host to the female clients, acting as 'the perfect man'.

Uncompromising Australian movie 'Only the Brave' explores the stark world of two young Greek-Australian women; eye-opening documentary 'Not Angels, but Angels' reveals humour and despair in the lives of young rent boys in Prague. 'Costa Brava' is a whimsical Spanish comedy about two women's budding relationship; 'Postcards from America' takes a "violent, beautiful and often deeply disturbing" look at sex, desire and being gay in the 90s.

A group of HIV-positive men do a Robin Hood act in response to unethical drug company behaviour in 'Red Ribbon Blues'; 'Thin Ice' brings together lesbians, ice skating, white lies and seduction. 'The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk' is a fabulously funny action film from Hong Kong, with legendary martial arts hero Fong Sai Yuk and his even more legendary mother; 'World and Time Enough' is a quirky story of two gay men and their search for identity. And finally, 1992 Playgirl centrefold Dirk Shafer, once presented as 'the ideal man for all women,' examines image, exploitation and visibility in 'Man of the Year'.

There's also an extensive programme of short films, including a high-camp doll wedding in 'A Few Good Ken' and a formal Jewish lesbian one in 'Chicks in White Satin' (see the two mothers-of-the-brides waltz together!); San Francisco's lesbian SM community documented in 'BloodSisters'; a Maori-Pakeha love affair in colonial times in Stewart Main's 'Twilight of the God's; and fashion journeys from checked shirts to lipstick to leather in 'Framing Lesbian Fashion'.

Beacons of Hope

Two concurrent events kick off this year's Beacons of Hope in Wellington: an interdenominational church service at St Mary's of the Angels, and a multicultural memorial in Civic Square, both at 6pm. After a candlelight parade makes its way from the church to Frank Kitts Lagoon MC Pauline Gillespie will introduce speakers, songs, and lastly the beacons. As the flaming torches surround the water, you get the chance to call out the names of those who have died of Aids in what is always a powerful and moving ceremony; a spectacular fire sculpture in the lagoon and massed singing caps it all off. Says organiser Rachael Rachael, "It's an opportunity for the people of Wellington to both mourn and celebrate the lives of those lost to Aids while supporting those living with HIV/Aids."

Beacons of Hope, 6pm, Sun May 19 (rain day May 20)

Gay Switchboards and information lines

AIDS Hotline - Auckland +64-9-3580099 Toll free 0800-802-437 24 Hours
Whangarei Gay Help - +64-9-437-7620, Tuesday and Thursday 7 to 9.30pm
Auckland Gayline - +64-9-303-3584 10am to 10pm weekdays, 2pm to 10pm weekends.
Hamilton Gayline - +64-7-854-9631, Wednesday 8 to 10pm
Rotorua Gayline - +64-7-348-3598, Tuesday 7 to 9pm
Napier Gayline - +64-6-835-7482, 5pm to 8am.
Palmerston North - +64-6-358-5378 24 hour answerservice.
Wellington Switchboard - +64-4-385-0674, 7.30pm to 10pm
Wellington Lesbian Line - +64-4-389-8082 Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 7.30 to 10pm.
Greymouth/Reefton Gayline - +64-3-768-4366, Wednesday to Friday 6 to 9pm.
Westport Gayline - +64-3-789-6027, Friday 7-8.30pm
Hokitika Gayline - +64-3-755-6270, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 7-10pm
Christchurch Gayline - +64-3-379-4796 Mondays 8-9pm, Saturday 7.30 to 10pm
Christchurch Gay Information line - +64-3-379-3990 24 hour recorded service.
Dunedin Gayline - +64-3-477-2077 24 hour recorded service. Answered on Wednesday 5.30 to 7.30pm, Friday 7.30 to 10.30pm
Dunedin Lesbian Line - +64-3-477-2077 24 hour recorded service. Answered on Tuesday 5.30 to 7.30pm

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