Supporting Women In Need

We aren’t needy beings but women oriented group and organization list.. who doesn’t need them? Whatever your needs or wants are, having one is always handy. Listed in alphabetical orders community-based organizations and groups for your reference :

AWAM – All Women’s Action Society

Independent feminist organization committed to improving the lives of women in Malaysia with outreach, public education, helpline counseling, legal aid services, advocacy and empowerment.

BCWA – Breast Cancer Welfare Association Malaysia
Peer support for women with breast cancer providing emotional, social & material support for individuals with breast cancer, strengthen the capacity of individuals to self-manage during & after treatment and promoting public education on general health & breast health issues including early detection of breast cancer.

                 

Befrienders

A suicide prevention resource center providing emotional support to the distressed and suicidal at all times via phone call or face to face.  

eHomemakers

Community network that promotes working from home, teleworking & SOHO businesses and empowering women to embark on social-economic self-reliance.

EMPOWER – Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor

Helping in building a more democratic society by advancing women’s equality, inclusiveness, rights & needs based on the feminist human rights framework and empowering communities for change by training & programs.

                                                                         

ERA Consumer Malaysia

Nurturing alternative people centered development initiatives at community level for people to develop their full potentials and expand their choices in accordance with their needs and interests.

Health Equity Initiatives

Advancing the rights to health of marginalized populations which include community based health interventions, professional mental health services, research & monitoring activities and evidence based advocacy.

IPPF – The International Planned Parenthood Federation

Provides sexual & reproductive health information, education & services which include family planning, abortion, maternal & child health, STI & HIV treatment, prevention and care.

JAG – Joint Action Group for Gender Equality

A coalition of 9 women’s human rights groups all working for the betterment of women and children :

AWAM – All Women’s Action Society

EMPOWER – Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor

PSWS – Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor

PWW – Perak Women for Women Society

SAWO – Sabah Women’s Action-Resource Group

SIS – Sisters in Islam

Tenaganita

WAO - Women’s Aid Organization

WCC – Women’s Centre for Change, Penang

Justice for Sisters

Grassroots campaign to raise public awareness about issues surrounding violence and persecution against the Mak Nyah community in Malaysia.

MAKNA – National Cancer Council

Mobilizing resources to provide curative, preventive, research and support services to cancer patients & their families, high-risk groups & general public.

Malaysian SLE Association

Social & psychological support to SLE patients & family, campaigns, encourage & promote research, training & health care services and operates as a resource center for information on SLE & related MCTD (Mixed Connective Tissue Disease).

NCWO – National Council of Women’s Organisation

Uniting women’s organizations & cooperate with national, regional & international organizations in the commitments to a just society free from discrimination in which women at all levels enjoy equality through the promotions of their human rights.

NCSM – National Cancer Society Malaysia

Creating an understanding of cancer leading to prevention & early detection and providing the best possible care & support for those affected by cancer.

OUTDO

A bi-monthly safe & inclusive space for all women to meet, share experiences and exchange ideas about topics that matters to them.

Perak Women for Women Society

Providing assistance for battered women & children, promoting awareness, gender equality, advocacy, cultivating a culture of mutual respect & elevating women’s socio-economic status & independence and facilitating changes both in society & legal system for the betterment of women and children.

PSWS – Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor

Women workers’ support group working with plantation, electronic & domestic workers on health, safety, worker’s rights, training, empowerment and advocacy.

PT Foundation

Community-based organization that works closely with the 5 communities (drug users, msm, positive living, sex workers and transgenders) most affected by HIV/AIDS.

SAWO – Sabah Women’s Action-Resource Group

Working towards making society a more equal & just particularly for women & children, raising public awareness, advocating law & policy reforms that affects women, support services to women & children in need and capacity building activities to strengthen agencies & NGOs that work with women & children.

SCAS&FT – Spastic Children’s Association of Selangor & Federal Territory

Numerous services, facilities & activities such as free transportation, education, physiotherapy & hydrotherapy used to care & treat special children and awareness programs to educate public on the disorder & cerebral palsy.

SIS – Sisters in Islam

Promoting an understanding of Islam that recognizes the principles of justice, equality, freedom and dignity within a democratic nation state.

Tenaganita Women’s Force

Helping women workers in plantations & industrial sectors to gain rights for decent wages, decent living conditions, to stop discrimination & gender based violence, addressing issues of exploitation, discrimination and unequal treatment & violence against women, refugees, documented & undocumented migrant workers, trafficked person, domestic workers, sex workers & people living with HIV/AIDS.

The Malaysian Bar – Legal Aid Centres

Upholding the cause of justice without fear or favour, protecting & assisting the public in all matters touching ancillary or incidental to the law and many more.

WAO – Women’s Aid Organisation

Operates a shelter for both abused women & their children, counseling, child care center and advocating for law & policy reform on violence against women.

WCC – Women’s Centre for Change, Penang

Offer immediate assistance for women needing crisis intervention, temporary shelter for women & children, promote gender equality & social justice, eliminate violence against women, empowering women & children, research into social problems related to women & children and conduct talks, seminars, courses, information booths & exhibitions on violence against women.

P/s : I may not have all the information on organizations and groups catering to the needs of women in Malaysia so if you know any that’s not on my list, feel free to write me so I can keep this updated J

Let us not be sidelined!

Womyn Like Us - Womyn's Movie Month

*Disclaimer : Please note that I am just sharing the details of this event and not the organizer(s) so I do not own / hold any rights (creative or otherwise) to any of the information shared*

March 8th marks International Women's Day (IWD). The focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements.

Womyn are diverse. We come in all shapes and sizes, religions and ethnicities, classes and social backgrounds, as well as sexual orientations and gender expressions. 

However, a womyn who does not look or act the way society expects her to, who 'crosses' traditional gender roles, and challenges the stereotypical image of what a womyn should be, is in many cases discriminated. Being 'queer' invites persecution simply because it does not conform to social conventions. 

For this year's IWD, we bring you a month of very special movies around the themes of sexuality and gender expression - two of the most taboo and controlled aspects of a womyn's life.

1) 2 March - Circumstance

2) 9 March - Gendernauts

Gendernauts (march 9, 2013) Germany/U.S. 1999, 86 min, in English. 

Gendernauts explores phenomena of gender fluidity at the end of the millennium in the Bay Area, California. It is a film about cyborgs, people who alter their bodies and minds with new technologies and chemistry, with an emphasis on biological women who use the male sexual hormone testosterone. We get to know San Francisco's leading gender mixers:Max Wolf Valerio, who reads from his book, Max, A Man; Jordy Jones and his net art; Texas Tomboy and his video art; Safford, who explores new business venues and, together with Jordy Jones, organizes "Club Confidential," the world's leading gender bender event. We meet Hida, an intersexed woman, who happily inhabits the middle ground between male and female; and two extraordinary biological women who support transgender people: sex goddess Annie Sprinkle and ex-centerfold model Tornado, who was Stafford's lover and is the self proclaimed mother of Texas Tomboy. We take excursions into the life of the spotted hyena, a very special animal society. The female hyena has an enlarged clitoris that looks like a penis. Her bloodstream carries a large amount of testosterone especially when she's pregnant. Our tour guide for the journey through shifting gender identities is Sandy Stone, also known as the "Goddess of Cyberspace," Who is Director of the ACTLab at the University of Texas at Austin.

3) 16 March - Unveiled

4) 23 March - Children of Srikandi

5) 30 March - Word Is Out

Embrace and celebrate our diversity!

Screenings are free but are by invite only. For tickets please RSVP to queeriefilms@gmail.com.

Psstt.. Have you heard of this thing call safer sex?

(This is a very graphic post, please do not proceed if you are below 18, have a weak heart, easily upset stomach, religion told you not to do so, etc. Side effects might include nausea, dizziness and falling off chair.)

Hey... You there...

Yes... You...

Have you heard of this thing call safer sex?

No??

Come on over. Let’s talk.

You know when you have this butterfly in your stomach and you have this throbbing desire down the nether region that seeks sexual release?

Yeah, that’s right, that’s the one.

Some of you who are sexually active with your partner(s); with every lingering touch, it’d take you further down that sexy alley and you might expose yourself (pun intended) and your partner (unknowingly) to a myriad of sexual diseases.

Oh ya, do you know about the infamous STD / STI gang? Their most well-known members are Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Herpes and Syphilis whom, if you have close or multiple association with might bring you face to face with their most ruthless member yet : HIV.

Go to CDC and you can read up more about the other gang members and go through their fact sheets as well. Get familiarize with the data and stay away from them. Under no circumstances should you allow them to turn you into a card carrying member.

If you are vulnerable and exposed, always seek out Miss and Mister Condom. Any one of them might just save you or the day, one at a time. You don’t know how? Don’t you worry ok? Miss & Mister Condom have a few pictorials to share.

We’ll start it off with Mister Condom (the guild has higher membership, is cheaper and easier to use).

01. Take a good look at condom pack. No exceeding expiry or best before dates or broken seal.

02. Look ma, no teeth, sharp nails, scissors or knife. Only fingers J

03. Squeeze some water based (no oil please!) lubricant inside tip of Mister Condom. Go wild! Use flavored ones for fun!

04. Cap Officer Salute with Mister Condom & pinch out excess air at the tip 

05. Roll the rest of Mister Condom down Officer Salute’s base.

06. If Officer Salute has foreskin, roll down and cover all to base with skin pushed back. Push skin forward towards tip, allowing skin’s movement but without breaking Mister Condom.

 

07. Place more water based lubricants on outside of Mister Condom or entry point. The Wetter = The Better.

08. If Mister Condom got attacked (breaks or comes off), stop what you do and ask your partner to pull out. Officer Salute must shower and repeat above steps with a new Mister Condom.

09. Once Officer Salute reaches its final destination, hold Mister Condom’s base and pull out slowly. Make sure Office Salute is, well, saluting. Be handy, have some tissue nearby.

 

10. Tie up (optional) a filled Mister Condom and disposed in trash bins. Do not attempt to flush down into toilet, imagine your plumber’s face (or worse, your whole family) when unplugging.

The rarely exhibited Miss Condom (Lesser guild members though wider missy parts covered and at least 3 times more expensive than Mister Condom and also trickier to insert).

  

01. Take a good look at condom pack. No exceeding expiry or best before dates or broken seal. Look ma, no teeth, sharp nails, scissors or knife but fingers only and carefully tear package from top right.

02. Outer ring = covers area surrounding the opening of Provocative Peach. Inner ring = for insertion and help hold Miss Condom’s body in place during drill.

03. Hold Miss Condom’s closed buttock, grasp the flexible Inner Ring and squeeze with your thumb and second or middle finger, making it long and narrow.

04. Get into a comfortable insertion position. Raise one-leg (time to show off that yoga position J or you can use a chair), squat, sit or lie down.

  

  05. Slowly and gently insert Miss Condom’s Inner Ring into Provocative Peach (it comes pre-lubricated – unless necessary; such as the case of Sahara Desert, add more water or oil based lubricant). Feel it go up and move into place.

06. Insert your Index Finger on the inside of Miss Condom and push her Inner Ring up as far as it will go. 

07. Make sure her body is not twisted and that her Outer Ring should remain outside of Provocative Peach. If Outer Ring gets push in or pulled out from Provocative Peach, simply add more lubricant.

08. When you are ready, gently guide Officer Salute into Miss Condom’s opening; making sure he enters properly – be sure he didn’t come in between Miss Condom and Provocative Peach’s wall.

09. Once Officer Salute fired in the hole, remove Miss Condom by twisting her Outer Ring and gently pull her out. Keep tissues nearby, very handy indeed.

10. This is 1 dumping you avoid doing in a toilet. Unless you want to be the main star of a plumber or family gathering joke. Wrap Miss Condom back in her pack or use tissues and throw it in the trash bin.

  

More sexy tips :

1. No twins zone

Please do not layer condoms or use 2 at the same time.

 

2. No in-fighting

Never use both Mister and Miss Condom at the same time.

Why : Both condoms will cause either and each other to slip, tear or rip. Too much of a good thing is bad, in this case.

3. Keeping it wet

Use only water based lubricant for Mister Condom.

Why : Oil based lubricants such as skin lotion, baby oil, Vaseline or cold cream will weaken Mister Condom’s Latex. If you must use oil based lubricant, get polyurethane condoms.

4. K-9? No! It’s N-9

Do not think or bother with N-9 (Nonoxynol-9) Spermicides.

Why : Not only does it not keep away STD / STI but when used regularly will cause genital lesions hence increasing your risk of infections, especially HIV. Read more :

A. Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines 2010

B. Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines 2006

C. The Scandal of Nonoxynol-9

D. N-9 Protection against HIV Doubtful

E. Condoms, Contraceptives and Nonoxynol-9: Complex Issues Obscured by Ideology

F. Spermicidal Condoms – Nonoxynol-9 (N-9)

5. Don’t be cheap

Every time Officer Salute and Provocative Peach get together, use a brand new Mister or Miss Condom

Why : Risk reduction for unintended pregnancy and STD / STI infections.

6. Oral time

Get flavored or a polyurethane Mister Condom for Officer Salute if the smell / taste bothers you. Lay on top of Provocative Peach with a dental dam or a cut up Miss Condom. Layer flavored lubricant for added fun.

Why : STD / STI infection is possible through oral activity. Remember that STD / STI gang mentioned above. Yeah, all that.

7. Is that your finger up there?

There’s something call finger cot or informally, a finger condom.

Why : Added protection while stimulating those prostate glands (male or female), need I say more?

If all these words doesn’t convince or do it for you, maybe an animation on safe sex would help change your mind :

AIDES GRAFFITI

Do you know your ABC of HIV/AIDS?

A hit on the search button should tell you what HIV / AIDS stands for. How many of us really understand the meaning of these words?

HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus

- Is the virus that causes AIDS and can’t grow or reproduce on its own. It infects cells of living organism in order to replicate.

- Infection happened through another infected person’s bodily fluid : blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate, pregnancy, perinatal transmission (transmission of infected mother to her baby at birth), breast milk and enters your bloodstream.

- Can happen through contaminated needle sharing, unsafe sexual activity (oral sex, tip of penis, vagina & rectum), blood transfusion or contact with open wound.

- Attacks our immune system by killing CD4 T lymphocyte or T cell (T cells are the quarterbacks of the immune system).

- There’s 2 main types : HIV 1 & HIV 2.

- Is for life.

AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

- Is a medical condition caused by HIV if infected people were left untreated.

- The most advance stage of HIV infection.

Common Myth & Misconception of HIV Transmission

- Sexual intercourse with virgin will cure AIDS.

- HIV only infects gay men and drug users.

- Any act of anal intercourse between gay men can lead to AIDS infection.

- Open discussion of sexuality and HIV / AIDS will lead to increased rate of homosexuality and HIV / AIDS.

- Transmit through shaking hands, hugging, kissing and sharing food and drinks with a HIV / AIDS person or being sneezed, cough or spit on by a HIV / AIDS person.

- Spread through toilet seats, doorknobs, dishes, drinking glasses used by person with HIV / AIDS.

- Insect bites e.g. mosquito, flea or tick.

Why should women be concerned?

Because most people still think HIV / AIDS is a “homosexual disease”; so long you are a heterosexual, it wouldn’t affect / concern you. However, statistic released by Malaysian AIDS Council will show you otherwise.

As women, we are biologically more vulnerable and factors such as these should be taken into consideration :

- Income bracket

- Social status

- Lack of education

- Traditional gender roles

- Inability / lack of empowerment to negotiate condom use

- Consumption / implementation of family planning pills or devices

- Subjection to non-consensual sex

- Drug use

Not only that, our childbearing role means we might have to contend with issues such as mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Further burden of caring for any ill parents, children or husband will automatically fall under the responsibility of women who might also be the sole breadwinner.

Active roles women can play

- Research, read and understand more about HIV / AIDS

- Find out if there’s any HIV / AIDS Drop in Center or Resource Center near you

- Always practice safer sex – learn the proper usage of male / female condom and use them whenever you engage in any sexual activity

- Do not allow your partner to pressure you into having sex, especially if you are not ready

- Go to your gynaecologist annually and get pap smear and HIV/AIDS test done (or every 6 months for HIV / AIDS test if you are sexually active)

- Visit PT Foundation or Safe Clinic for free Anonymous HIV tests

More news on women + HIV/AIDS

- Widow finds new meaning in life after HIV

- Time to take action

- Jakim cetak 10,000 naskhah Manual Islam, HIV/AIDS

- Positive Rights

- Human Rights in HIV

- HIVpositively in love

- Need for support and understanding

- HIV and AIDS in Malaysia

HIV / AIDS event

Event            : International AIDS Memorial Day

Date             : 17.05

Symbol         : Red Ribbon

History       : The original International AIDS Candlelight Memorial was held in 1983, when the cause of AIDS was unknown and no more than a few thousand AIDS deaths had been recorded. The organizers wished to honor the memory of those lost to AIDS and to demonstrate support for those living with AIDS. That remains the focus of the event today.

Find out more :

- http://www.candlelightmemorial.org/press/

- http://www.candlelightmemorial.org/aboutus.php

- http://ptfoundation.blogspot.com/2010/05/international-aids-memorial-day-iamd_18.html

- http://www.ptfmalaysia.org/news.php?id=32

Event            : World AIDS Day

Date             : 01.12

Symbol         : Red Ribbon

History         : World AIDS Day was first conceived in August 1987 by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, two public information officers for the Global Programme on AIDS at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Bunn and Netter took their idea to Dr. Jonathan Mann, Director of the Global Programme on AIDS (now known as UNAIDS). Dr. Mann liked the concept, approved it, and agreed with the recommendation that the first observance of World AIDS Day should be 1 December, 1988.

Find out more :

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_AIDS_Day

- http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/world-aids-day/history-of-world-aids-day/

This year’s theme is “Getting to Zero”; I plead with you, don’t let ignorance or lack of knowledge ruin you. Keep yourself safe : STOP AIDS, KEEP THE PROMISE.