ACON gets into the Mardi Gras spirit

New South Wales’ peak LGBT health body is putting on a host of activities during Mardi Gras, with something to please everyone.

Check out ACON Alley where you can get your phone recharged for free at the Big Picture stall at Fair Day on February 12 in Victoria Park. Get the latest information about HIV and sexual health, or engage in some pillow talk with an ACON Sexpert who will staff a specially designed bed to talk about sex, sexual health and anything else that takes your fancy.

The Sex Workers Outreach Project aims to demystify sex work by turning their tent into a demonstration brothel, with real sex workers taking visitors through the workings and etiquette of a brothel every 30 minutes.

There will also be staff at ACON Alley to answer questions about men’s health, women’s health, living with HIV, alcohol and other drugs, and staying safe on the street, workplace and at home.
ACON’s Aboriginal, Asian, Mature Gay Men and Western Sydney projects will be at Fair Day to help people connect with their own communities.

You can also volunteer to help people living with HIV through ACON’s Community Support Network, pick up some cool giveaways and get your photo taken for the This Is Oz social inclusion project.

Recruiters for both the Sydney Gay Community Periodic Survey and Sydney Women and Sexual Health Survey will also be at Fair Day, so take part in these important research projects about our community’s health.

Drag Jam, on February 11, is a celebration of diverse sexuality and gender where participants dress in their interpretation of drag and move from venue to venue as a group to help address prejudice, homophobia and transphobia. Drag Jam starts at the Oxford Hotel on Taylor Square at 9pm.

Hats Off! features Australian musical theatre, comedy, dance and cabaret stars, all donating their time and talent to help raise funds for ACON and the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation. It’s at the Seymour Centre on February 13, 8pm. Book at www.seymourcentre.com.au or call 02 9351 7940.

Be dazzled by an extraordinary Valentine’s Day line-up of performers — including Paul Capsis, The Wau Wau Sisters, Le Gateau Chocolat and Queenie van de Zandt — at Love Me, at The Standard, above Kinselas on Taylor Square on February 14. A percentage of the proceeds will go to ACON’s Anti-Violence Project. Tickets are available through www.Moshtix.com.au

ACON will team up with the Harbour City Bears to present a special Bear Essentials community forum on February 15 about the Bears’ current Time Out health and wellbeing campaign. Light refreshments will be served at this free event at the ACON Wellness Café at 414 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills, from 7pm.

A special edition of Women Say Something will focus on ACON’s Sydney Women’s Health Survey. Speakers include Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann, Dr Kerryn Phelps (pictured), Sydney University senior lecturer Dr Julie Mooney-Somers, and drag king Rocco D’Amore. The event is $50 with dinner or $20 without and will be held on February 22, 6pm, at Slide at 41 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. Visit www.Facebook.com./womansaysomething for more details.

ACON’s Young Women’s Project will explore alter egos, secret identities and gender-bending through performance and visual arts by several of Sydney’s most daring young female artists in Dangerous Doubles on February 24. This free event is at Serial Space, 33 Wellington St, Chippendale from 6pm.

Later that night there’s a special sporty edition of BIG Bingay at Paddington RSL. $37 for all games and all proceeds go to ACON. Starts at 7.30pm.

Check out ‘Do you see me? Behind the mask of the Asian gay man’ as part of Queer Thinking at the Seymour Centre on February 25, 2-3.30pm. Book at www.seymourcentre.com.au or 02 9351 7940.

Members of Sydney’s LGBTI Filipino community will battle it out at Petersham RSL to become Mardi Gras King and Queen of the Night in the MASqe variety show on February 25. Magician Jonas Jost and the Trikone and Mindana dancers will perform. MASqe is a fundraiser for ACON’s Gay Asian Men’s Project.

The Unmask exhibition explores the diversity of NSW’s Asian gay community and aims to capture the essence of what it means to be Asian, male and gay. It’s on February 28, 6.30-9.30pm, at District 01 at 74-76 Oxford St, Darlinghurst.

A-Men, a new photo essay book produced by the Gay Asian Men’s Project which captures the crossroads of art, sexuality and cultural identity, will be launched at the exhibition.

There will also be a fashion runway show as well as music and cultural dance performances.

INFO: www.mardigras.org.au or www.acon.org.au