Positive Sexuality Coalition

by Darrell Gordon

Chicago --The Coalition for Positive Sexuality (CPS), the guerrilla-style HIV prevention and birth control outreach organization, has been under attack by Bishop Henry Trotter of Sweet Holy Spirit Full Gospel Baptist Church for distributing "Just Say Yes" booklets to Chicago Public School youth. He held two press confer-ences expressing his objection to "Just Say Yes" because he thinks CPS is forcing the material onto students, that the material is too graphic, and that it is promoting homosexuality. Trotter is starting a campaign to stop CPS handing out information to youth in front of the schools.

CPS is an organization made up of AIDS and pro-choice activists, students and educators that came together in 1992 out of the need for a quality sex-ed cur-riculum, which is lacking in Chicago schools, and con-dom availability. The Family Life material used in the schools is not sufficient to the needs of youth. "Just Say Yes" addresses sex-ed, birth control information from a pro-sex, feminist and queer point of view in teen lingo along with condoms to hand out to students as they enter into school.

CPS wants to force the Chicago Public Schools to come up with a comprehensive sexed program that is pro-sex, pro-queer, feminist and culturally sensitive. We believe it’s great to be proud of one’s sexual orientation regard-less of whether one is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgen-dered or heterosexual and that one’s sexual orientation is a state of being, not a lifestyle choice. The booklet also discloses resources for teens in the city and across the country. It’s harder for queer teens of color who live out-side of the predominantly white queer ghetto on the North Side to find allies or support due to an absence of a queer movement on the West Side and South Side, and they face greater retribution due to isolation. CPS believes it is okay to be sexual as long as it is consensual and responsible.

If you want further info about CPS phone (312)604-1654.

This article was originally printed in News & Letters. For subscription information, contact News and Letters Committees, 59 E. Van Buren St. - Room 707, Chicago, IL 60605, USA, TEL 312 663 0839, FAX 312 663 9069, email: nandl@igc.apc.org , Website: http://www.newsandletters.org

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