News A Revolting Article Poetry Contest Awards Psychologist’s Advice Queer as Folk How Dangerous is Oral Sex? From the Library of ACCEPT: "The History of Sexuality", by Michel Foucault Announcements Please note that the newxt issue of the newsletter will be double, covering both September and October, and will be published around September 30. Your contribution is welcome. Don't hesitate to write us at the address on the right ------------------------> or phone call us. Contact person: Bogdan Honciuc.

Emilia Stere takes you on a trip to the world of lesbian and gay movies of the nineties... On June 28 2000, the Romanian Chamber of Deputies agreed to repeal article 200 from the Penal Code. This autumn, the Senate is expected to make a decision in this respect, too. Until then, please read the reaction of ACCEPT (Bucharest Acceptance Group) to this event, specifically the press releases issued at the end of June.  Starting September 2000, Bogdan Honciuc is the new editor of this newsletter. Please welcome him with the same understanding and openness with which you welcomed me, one year and half ago... Wishing the best to all readers of the newsletter, Emilia Stere Newsletter of the ACCEPT Association Issue 34 / August 2000 Bucharest Editor: Emilia Stere Translations: Adrian Newell-Paun, Bogdan Honciuc, Emilia Stere The opinions published in this newsletter do not necessarily represent the point of view of ACCEPT. Your comments are more than welcome, whether you agree or not with the ideas in the newsletter. Writing for the newsletter does not in any way imply the sexual orientation of the author. We will be happy to receive your input and feedback at our address! ACCEPT - C.P. 34-56, BUCURESTI – ROMÂNIA Phone no. (+4 01) 252.16.37 Fax no. (+4 01) 252.56.20 E-mail address: accept@fx.ro   ACCEPT Site Map Information and Lobby "Accept" Newsletter, issue 32-33

A Few Lesbian&Gay Movies...

Emilia Stere

An Ideal Husband

Director: Oliver Parker, Oscar Wilde
Cast: Rupert Everett, Julianne Moore, Jeremy Northam, Cate Blanchett, Minnie Driver, John Wood, Lindsay Duncan, Peter Vaughan, Jeroen Krabb, Benjamin Pullen, Michael Culkin
Wickedly witty period comedy about decent politician being blackmailed by nasty divorcee. Fans of Oscar Wilde, 19th century satire should find the story’s impeccable drollery, subtle performances sublime amusement
 

As Good As It Gets  Director: James L. Brooks Cast: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Jr. Gooding, Shirley Knight, Skeet Ulrich Acerbic-yet-sentimental drama/comedy about bigoted, slightly deranged novelist rediscovering his humanity. Some moments of softball drama might turn off irony-hungry Brooks fans, but Nicholson’s performance won’t leave his devotees disappointed.

Carrington (1995)

Director: Christopher Hampton
Cast: Emma Thompson, Jonathan Pryce
Historical drama dissects relationships among members of England’s famed artist community. This talky Thompson vehicle pleases fans of in-depth character studies, lush period pieces who enjoy slow paced intellectual fare.
 

Henry and June (Henry si June - 1990) Director: Philip Kaufman Cast: Fred Ward, Uma Thurman Lavish, lengthy, sensual yet tasteful portrait of novelist Henry Miller and his coterie of free-spirited artists in 1930s Paris. Critics praised the jaunty lead performance. Pleases historical drama fans, literary devotees.

Les nuits fauves (Savage Nights - 1994)

Director: Cyril Collard
Cast: Cyril Collard, Romaine Bohringer
Controversial French drama about filmmaker’s continued promiscuity after discovering he’s HIV-positive. Appreciated by art-house fans looking for provocative yet poignant treatment of timely subject, blunt exploration of obsessive love.

The Wedding Banquet

Director: Ang Lee
Cast: Winston Chao, May Chin
Low-key romantic comedy about a gay Asian man who marries a Chinese girl to please his parents. Thrills art-house fans seeking a perceptive, lighthearted examination of cultural/sexual identity issues.
 

Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother – 1999) Director: Pedro Almodovar Casting: Cecilia Roth, Eloy Azorin, Marisa Paredes, Penelope Cruz, Candela Pena, Antonia San Juan A charming, humorous melodrama – Almodovar at his best! It is the story of a woman who lives with her teenage son in Madrid. When the boy starts asking questions about his father, she decided to tell him the truth, in the day of his 17th anniversary. Unfortunately, the boy dies in an accident – so she leaves for Barcelona, the city of her youth. She is looking for her ex, the man who became Lola…

News
 

A gay-friendly prince, in Norway.
The future king of Norway (Haakon) was granted a prize by the Norwegian gay/lesbian organisations (according to the Norway press agency NTB). Prince Haakon is an overt supporter of the human rights for homosexually oriented people. The committee who handed him the prize underlined the way in which he manages to approach the issue of homosexuality and gay subculture.

Gay Pride at the CIA.
For the second year in a row, CIA organised a Gay Pride for its employees, in its general headquarter in Virginia. CIA shows openness – and also makes sure that its gay employees cannot be easily blackmailed… Beginning with 1996, the latter are part of an organisation ANGLE (Agency Network of Gay and Lesbian Employees).

Buenos Aires, Argentina, wants teachers to be more gay-supportive.
The city council unanimously passed a resolution urging the secretary of education to “implement specific actions of teacher training at all educational levels to eliminate attitudes and conduct that explain divergent sexual identities as illness, perversions or pathologies.” The council also suggested that classroom study on discrimination-related issues “include themes relevant to sexual minorities, for the purpose of eliminating homophobic conduct in our society.”

Swedish events.
The Swedish United Nations Federation has approved a conference proposal to hold a Scandinavian United Nations Conference in Stockholm in December, 2001, in order to prepare for a UN Declaration on Political, Social and Cultural Rights of LGBT. The initiative has been forcefully promoted through Canadian-Scandinavian-French co-operation during the UN Millennium Forum last week in New York and Amnesty International is asked to participate.

Azerbaidjan lifts ban on sex between men.
Gay activists in Azerbaidjan report that the ban on sexual relationships between men in that country has been lifted. A special edition of “Azerbaidjan”, the official newspaper of the Parliament, published on 28 May, reports that the Parliament has approved a new Criminal Code, and that the President has signed a decree bringing it into force in September. The text of the new Criminal Code is also published.  From this it is clear that the old Article 113 (inherited from the Soviet era, and which punished anal sex between men with three years imprisonment) has been replaced with a new Article 150, which bans only forcible sexual acts.
 

On Article 200, in Press Releases

June 28, 2000

ACCEPT welcomes the decision made by the Romanian Chamber of Deputies to abolish article 200, in the broader context of the reform of the Penal Code. ACCEPT hopes that the Senate will agree with this amendment, thus eventually observing one of Romania’s commitments, namely of harmonising the Romanian legislation with the European standards in this field.
 The effect of abolishing article 200 will consist in instituting the equality by law of the Romanian citizens, regardless of their sexual orientation.
 Nevertheless, ACCEPT is highlighting the newly approved wording of article 201 from the Penal Code regarding sexual perversions. We consider that the lack of precise definition of the terms “sexual perversions” and “unnatural acts” might lead to further abuses made by the police or the magistrates.

Florin Buhuceanu
President of ACCEPT
 

June 29, 2000
Dear friends,

We are living a historic moment for the lesbian and gay community in Romania. Yesterday, June 28, 2000, the Romanian Chamber of Deputies, the lower chamber of the Parliament, adopted a law to modify the Romanian Penal Code. The changes include the elimination of the notorious article 200 incriminating same sex relations.
 Before being effective, the same changes have to be approved by the Romanian Senate, afterwards, the law having to be promulgated by the President of Romania. The Romanian Senate will be on vacations after tomorrow, Friday 30 June 2000. Unless the Senate deals with this law in an extraordinary session, Senators will have the law on their agenda in the autumn as earliest.
 ACCEPT has a lot of attention from the media these days. So far, in less than 48 hours we had 5 interviews with press agencies, 6 with newspapers, 4 with radio stations and 1 live transmission FROM THE ACCEPT CENTRE on Antena 1, a TV station covering the whole country.
 For a more detailed information please see two ACCEPT press releases of 27 June 2000 (one day before the adoption of the la) and one of 28 June after the adoption of the law. You will notice our reserves about the vagueness of a new article on sexual perversions.
 This half way victory is equally yours not only ours. Thank you for your continuos interest and help to ACCEPT
 Tonight at 9:00 p.m. Romanian time I will participate in a debate which will be transmitted live on Tele 7abc, another national channel. I will have the “honour” to have in the studio Mr. Dumitru Balaet, Deputy of the Great Romania Party, the strongest opponent of yesterday changes.

Adrian Coman
Executive Director ACCEPT

A Revolting Article
Alina Nistor
Vice-president of ACCEPT

    In the beginning of June, I had the opportunity to talk to Robert Witlox, a representative of a LGBT Dutch organisation. Meeting him was a very interesting experience for me, given the huge differences – in terms of legislation and people’s mentality – between Romania and Holland. Two worlds, which have nothing in common.
 Amsterdam has a population of about one million people; among them, it is estimated that 12% are gay. Quite a small town – Bucharest is much larger and hosts far many people. However, there are no less than 80 bars for gays and lesbians there! There are hundreds of national organisations, each of them dedicated to a different aspect of the gay life: sport, art, medical or psychological counselling, lobby and so on. The only problem Dutch gays seem to complain about is that of adoptions. A gay couple cannot adopt a child, in the Netherlands. At least not yet – I honestly doubt that in a country where being different is in no way tantamount to being a bad person, the situation cannot change.
 However, the problems we are facing today in Romania existed in the Dutch society, too. 30 years ago! And it will probably take Romanians another 30 years to understand what equality means. Even if tomorrow, the Parliament shall abolish Article 200 of the Penal Code, the common man will not change his/her mind overnight.
 I had a bitter confirmation of this reality while reading an article published by the „Atitudini” magazine (issue 5/2000). The article was named „Puncte de vedere” (Points of view) and signed by Cristian Grecu – and represented a really fascinating lecture for anyone interested in human rights.
 

. „We are anxious to see our sons of daughters going to school and debating (of course, because they are between 14 and 18 years old and consequently have the age of consent) different aspects of sexual libertinism, such as: paedophilia, homosexuality, sadism, masochism, exhibitionism, transvestism, fetishism, zoophilia, necrophilia and so on.” (C.G.)

„In a few years, the kids whose anus or intestines were not perforated by a sunflower stalk will really be thrilled when the friends from ATTITUDE and ACCEPT will „kiss them on the nape” or „fondle them under the table”.” (C.G.)

    Are you concerned about the fate of teenagers between 14 and 18 years old, Mr. Grecu? You have all the reasons to be so. The kind of society you militate for is a world in which equality and tolerance are mere words in a dictionary, words without meaning.
 First of all, homosexuality is not a kind of „sexual libertinism”. And you cannot include it between „paedophilia, sadism, masochism, exhibitionism, fetishism, zoophilia, necrophilia and so on”. Starting with 1973, homosexuality is no longer an item in the International Classification of Diseases. Check the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association for details. Homosexuality is not a disease – it is a sexual orientation!
 Homosexuals are not „corrupting minors”, neither „paedophilic-oriented people”, despite some allegations of the Romanian media. Newspapers are haunting for the sensational in the attempt to increase selling, after all. There are lots of statistics and scientific studies to prove that homosexuality is in no way a pathological issue and it not related to paedophilia or compulsory crimes.
 Well, you just haven’t done your homework. Otherwise, you would have found out that homosexuality cannot be „acquired”. Consequently, one cannot „convert to homosexuality”. Stop worrying. There are, of course, cases of circumstantial homosexuality (same-sex relations in prisons or monasteries), but this is a whole different story. One is simply born a homosexual – or left-handed, or having blue eyes.
 ACCEPT asked the Romanian Parliament to abolish Article 200 of the Penal Code, because it denies homo/bisexually oriented people in Romania basic rights and liberties, such as the right to private life, the right to free expression or to free association.
ACCEPT agrees that homosexual relations should be punished, when they are associated with crimes – such as rape or paedophilia. The members of sexual minorities are not demanding special rights or privileges. We just want to be treated like human beings.
 In its actual form, Article 200 of the Penal Code contradicts the Romanian Constitution – article 16, paragraph 1, and article 26, paragraph 2. Read them carefully, Mr Grecu!
 Human rights cannot be negotiated.
 Your article is an obvious example of homophobia. The fact that you dislike homosexuals has a bad influence on your objectivity.
 Well... all the "friends from ATTITUDE and ACCEPT" wish you the best.

Psychologist’s Advice
Georgeta Bondarencu
Psychologist of ACCEPT

E.M. (29 years) writes us that until now, he had no connections with the gay community. Two years ago, he met a young man whom he helped in a certain problem. After some time, he realised that the boy in question had developed some “odd” feelings towards him. He was calling E.M. more and more often – and finally, he disclosed his feelings and suggested that they should start a relationship. As E.M. refused him, the young man started spreading rumours. He told everybody that they were involved, by thus ruining both the professional and the social life of E.M. Although he finally took back his allegations, some people continued to believe that there was some true in this. The real reason of concern for E.M. is that given this incident, he realised that gay men considered him attractive; moreover, he says, “I started to admire handsome men, too”. He is actually so troubled, that he even considered “trying” a relationship with a man, although he considers himself straight and had never doubted his sexual orientation before.
Answer: In my opinion, you are right when you say, “no one should do something just for the society’s sake”. When the young man you are talking about fell in love with you, your first question was ”Why did this happen? Is it because of me?” I don’t think it happened because of you – more likely, because of the fact that people in the gay community cannot easily find each other and sometimes, loneliness can be so hard to bear that they accept compromises. As you are straight and don’t know anything about homosexuality, you are uncomfortable when another man shows you signs of affection. On the other hand, there is a widespread conception in our society, regarding the “transmission” of homosexuality; for this reason, many avoid any contact with gays or lesbians. If this was true, than one could change one’s sexual orientation. Well… things are not that simple. You may be gay or not – nobody can change your sexual orientation just by proposing you a relationship.
 However, there are people who adopt a sexual behaviour that contravenes to their sexual orientation. Such people are emotionally unstable, depend too much on others’ opinion, have a low level of tolerance to frustration or adopt an “induced” behaviour. You rejected the young man’s offer with contempt, at first. Then you tried to act as people were expecting you to, as if your opinion was less important than the others’. “If I am labelled as gay, I should act like one”, you said. You have to think for yourself and fight to change the others’ opinion on you – that is, if you know for sure that they are wrong. You haven’t told me anything about your life before the incident. If you really want to find your peace of mind, come to Bucharest and we can discuss all these things face to face. After all, you don’t live that far. Give me a call and we can find a solution together.

K.N. (29 years) wants to know whether homosexuality is a psychic disease. She also asks us for information on the Romanian laws dealing with homosexuality.
Answer: Homosexuality is no longer considered to be a disease. In 1973, the American Psychiatry Association officially redefined homosexuality as an alternative sexual preference, having no pathological implication. The American Psychological Association stated that homosexuality is neither a disease, nor a personality trouble. As for the legal aspects you are asking about, we will send you some materials.

. Queer as Folk Film Review By Bogdan Honciuc “Queer as Folk” UK series, 1998-2000 Cast: Craig Kelly (Vince Tyler) Aiden Gillen (Stuart Jones)  Charlie Hunnam (Nathan Maloney) Script: Russel T. Davies Directed by: Charles McDougall, Sarah Harding “Queer as Folk” is a successful British series produced by and for gay people and broadcast by Channel 4. I had read about it in “Gay Times” and other gay magazines that were so praising it. I never got the patience to get through all the reviews, partly because they were suspiciously good, but mainly because I hadn’t seen the series. I thought though that I got the picture – the series was pro- tolerance, acceptance, celebrating diversity.

Stuart

Vince

. Last week however I found out that Accept centre had the videotape with the first eight episodes. I borrowed it and, one sleepless night, I thought I’d see an episode as a chance to fall asleep. From the first images however and up the last I was literally seduced and, wolfishly, I engulfed the entire tape. The film not pro- gay or whatever, it’s pro-nothing. But this wasn’t the shock. The shock is that the series makes no concessions and is limiting to describing the lives of a group of gay men from Manchester. Everything is in “Queer as Folk”: the gay bars, sex in the public toilet, drugs, porn movies, the naïve high school student (Nathan) who falls in love with the experienced PR manager (Stuart), the latter’s best friend (Vince) who’s turning thirty and concealing his frustrations, the fucking in the locker’s room, the lesbians’ “caste”, the sex, the sex, the sex. I found it stunning, this politically incredibly incorrect approach. This series is doing us good and bad at the same time – showing us the way we are. Never has the truth been so naked, and, moreover, so good-looking in its nakedness.

. The main characters, namely the three ones that I just mentioned above, are, generally, types that one can find everywhere – the good part is that the characters change along the episodes, they evolve. Nathan is the sensitive boy who is at his first erotic stage in life – clumsy, sometimes ridiculous, impetuous, and incoherent – in one word, adorable. Stuart (my favourite – oh yeah) is the ultimate seducing, pervert, rich, 365-one-night-stands-a-year gay man – well, obviously the most envied. Vince is Stuart’s “shadow” not only because he is his best friend, but also because he is secretly in love with Stuart and cannot possibly leave him; Vince is the idealist who goes on hoping or, at least, enjoy this sweet pain, though he’s otherwise cerebral, correct, and coherent. Russel T. Davies, the scriptwriter and co-producer of the series, once said that “We are all Vince, can be Stuart, and were Nathan”. So, “Queer as Folk” is about us, the way we were, are, and could be.

Nathan

How Dangerous is Oral Sex?
Alexandru Dudu
Co-ordinator of the HIV/AIDS Prevention Project

Has anyone been infected with HIV by oral sex?
The Public Health Department of San Francisco reported at least three cases of people infected via oral sex.
One may say this is not a significant figure, given the number of people who practice oral sex. However, similar cases have been reported in other countries, also.
We are not in the position to tell you “Just do it!” neither can we force you to avoid oral sex altogether, with slogans like “Just say NO!” All we can do is to offer you information, so that you can choose for yourself.

Unprotected oral sex is considered to be safer than unprotected anal sex. Why?
- The mouth interior is less permeable than that of anus.
- Saliva can neutralise the virus.
- It is easier to eliminate sperm from the mouth than from the anus.

The receptive oral sex is cartainly riskyer than the donor one.

HIV can be found in the pre-seminal liquid, as well as in the seminal one. However, the former contains a bigger quantity of virus than the latter. It is unlikely that the pre-seminal liquid can transmit the HIV – but it is still possible.

The length and the intensity of oral sex can influence the virus transmission. If the penis is inserted deep into the throat, tissues can be irritated and therefore can become more permeable than usual.

Other health conditions that can affect the risk of HIV transmission:
- The co-existence of other sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) may increase the possibility of the virus getting inside the blood flow.
- Some people are more vulnerable to infections than others.
- Some people have a better oral hygiene than others.
- Bleedings or dental abscesses can increase the risk of infection.
- HIV+ men are more or less able to infect others, depending on the period for which they have been infected themselves.

What choice do we have?
- Avoid ejaculating in your partner’s mouth.
- Avoid oral sex, in case you notice something suspicious on your partner’s penis.
- Check your health and make sure that you don’t put at risk your partner or yourself.
- Consider using condoms specially designed for oral sex.
- Avoid “deep” oral sex, which can irritate tissues and thus provide an easier penetration for the virus.
- Wash and rinse and your mouth regularly – not before oral sex, though. Gums are very sensitive, and the toothbrush can traumatise them and cause bleedings. If you want to refresh your breathing, just use mouthwash.
- Most important, choose the way which suits you best.

From the Library of ACCEPT
Adrian Newell-Paun
Co-ordinator of the Information and Documentation Centre of ACCEPT

"The History of Sexuality"
By Michel Foucault
Editura de Vest, Timisoara 1995

The History of Sexuality is Foucault’s best known and most translated work, one of the books that revolutionised the study of sexuality – in which homosexuality and its gay aesthetic dynamic in integrated as a natural thing in the study of the human sexuality continuum. Foucault is considered to among the first philosophers and historians that initiated and used the specific methods of his discipline by using the ancient and medieval sources, in presenting a wide view of the changes in the social attitudes toward homosexuality. The Romanian translation published by Editura de Vest contains three works initially published at different times by the Parisian publisher Gallimard: Histoire de la Sexualite (1976), L’usage des Plaisirs and Le Souci de Soi (1984). The intelligence and coolness with which Foucault tackled the subject made him one of the most respected and important cultural figure of the 60’s, both in France and the English speaking countries, where his work knew an almost instantaneous success. “ The search for the type of morality that would be accepted by all – it seems to me like a catastrophe” said Foucault in his last interview given in 1984 to the magazine Les Nouvelles. Her died in the same year due to complications brought on by AIDS. In the 1970’s, Foucault teaches at the College de France upon his tenure as history and thought systems professor, disciplines which he was previously teaching at Clearmont-Ferrand University, in Tunisia and at Universite de Paris VIII (Vincennes).

During his entire activity, the French philosopher remained preoccupied in arranging and presenting historical events in a novel context, being aided by a massive scholarly documentation and an original and efficient narrative talent.
Although, he did not want to be considered a homosexual thinker, in the narrow sense of the word, Foucault never made a secret of his gay sexual orientation. In an interview published in Gai-Pied, the French gay magazine he said: “ From what I can recall, to long for boys, means to me to have sexual relations with boys (…) Not particularly as a couple, rather as an existential question: how is it possible for men to be together? (…) One of the concessions made to others is to present homosexuality under the guise of immediate pleasure, felt by two boys who meet in the street, seduce one another with a look, put their hands on each other’s butt and in the next quarter of an hour…do it to each other. This clean image of homosexuality loses all its virtual restlessness because of two reasons: it answers to a tranquillising cannon of beauty and cancels all that is stirring in the affection, tenderness, fidelity and camaraderie among those for whom a tired society can’t find a place, fearing their alliances and the possible forming of unforeseen force fields. I think, that what makes homosexuality “unsettling” is rather the lifestyle of the homosexual – instead of the act itself. The image of this sexual act that is not in tune with the law or the nature does not worry people. The problem is – when those people start loving one another”.

Muchly appreciated in the United States, during the 70’s Foucault is invited in California to teach several courses at the Berkeley University and during his stay there he often cruses in the many S&M bars and the public baths in San Francisco. In the field of study of homosexuality, today known as Queer Studies, Foucault puts in discussion the oppression model and reaches the conclusion that the forming and development of the sexual minority, is the direct result of the negative social pressure - while at the same time trying to remove from the public discourse the idea of a type of trans-historical homosexuality, as a fixed model outside of the social typology, theory defended by two also very well known gay scholars and historians, the American John Bosswell and the British Kenneth Dover.
Foucault’s contribution to the study of human sexuality in general and gay sexuality in particular remains till today a standard of academic approach, without which the latter developments in today’s Queer Studies would be hard to imagine. Michel Foucault during his lifetime made a concerted effort in presenting the facts as they really are presented in historical documents and avoided both ideologically correct interpretations or the emotional discourse. He recognised and warned his scholar colleagues and the gay and lesbian activists that this types of approach in the long run muddles the issue, rather than helping in the effort of the development of the present Gay and Lesbian community and will not contribute much the development of an authentic self image of the homosexual man or woman, in all its complexity.

Announcements

If you can't personally attend the Literary Workshop, please send your literary output to ACCEPT c/o Maria Irod, CP 34-56, Bucharest or by e-mail (accept@fx.ro).

Workshops

Everybody is invited to the workshops organised at our office. You can apply for one or several of them, every working day. Participants’ initiatives and suggestions are welcomed, as they will contribute to the assertion of a gay culture in the community. Workshops’ members will have the opportunity to organise reunions, shows, exhibitions, dancing parties and to celebrate different events at our office.

• Lesbians’ Workshop - Monday (18-19:30). Co-ordinator: Alina Nistor
• Creation workshop and crafts (promotional objects, interior design, gifts, symbols, fashion design and so on) - Wednesday (16-18), Thursday (16-18). Co-ordinator: Florin Radu;
• Music workshop (auditions, discussions, choir) - Friday (17-19). Co-ordinator: Daniel C.;
• Literary workshop (GLas) - (we intend to edit a literary supplement of the ACCEPT newsletter) - by mail and twice a month - Friday (17-19). Co-ordinator: Maria Irod;
• Geography and culture workshop - Tuesday (16-17:30). Co-ordinator: Monica Pana;
• Contemporary dance workshop - Monday (17-19). Co-ordinator: Denis;
• Ethics and philosophy workshop (Homo philosophicus) - Monday (16-18). Co-ordinator: Ana Dobrescu;
• “Our friends” workshop (meeting with friends and relatives of our beneficiaries, people, NGOs, companies, institutions who provide ACCEPT with donations or financial support, as well as with specialists) - according to the current agenda. Co-ordinator: Elena Mititelu;
• Interpersonal relating workshop - beginners: Thursday (17-18:30); advanced: Friday (16-17:30, every two weeks). Co-ordinator: Georgeta Bondarencu, Psychologist of ACCEPT;
• English course - Thursday (18-19:30). Co-ordinator: Bogdan M.;

We are also looking for two more co-ordinators, for the following workshops:
Aesthetic and make-up workshop;
Senior Club.

You are invited to contact lesbians in ACCEPT on the Association’s address. Don’t forget to mention: For Women’s Group.

ACCEPT freely provides homosexual, bisexual and transsexual people with:
1. psychological counselling, every Tuesday and Thursday - between 17.00- 20.00
2. medical counselling against the HIV infection, every Wednesday- between 17.00-19.00.

Both services are provided by specialists, and were created due to the financial support of the Canadian Embassy in Bucharest and of UNAIDS/UNDP Romania.

The counselling is also available on phone (according to the same schedule) - just call:

01/252.16.37 You can also request medical and psychological counselling by mail. You will be answered in the pages of the newsletter.
 

Don't forget!
ÎFollowing the decision of ACCEPT’s General Assembly on June 5, 1999 ACCEPT’s members shall pay a membership fee of 60,000 lei/year.