Youth Health

Your health is important. Be it your mind, body, spirit, sexual orientation or gender identity. 

This section of our website connects you with resources to keep you healthy.  Get information on where to get free condoms, a free HIV Orasure test, how to quit smoking & even where to find a queer-friendly health provider!

• The Sass Academy 2008
• Free Latex!
• FREE HIV Orasure Testing
• You're not S.C.U.M.!  Quit smoking today!
• Find a queer-friendly health professional in Vermont
  
  ***The Sass Academy***

	"Sass:" An attitude characterized by fierce pride in yer identity. We're talking about... Coming Out. Being Out. What is HIV? Condoms & Dams & Lube, Oh My! Flirting for the LGBTQ? Sex the act? The facts about getting tested? Come Out. Stay Healthy. Get Sassy

***The Sass Academy*** is the only queer identity and health workshop with everything you need to know about coming out, staying out, your queer health - your life. E-mail whitney[at]outrightvt.org to get yer name on the list for the next Sass Academy!!

The Sass Academy has proven effectiveness as an intervention as it is based on Adolescents Living Safely: AIDS Awareness, Attidtudes and Actions for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Youth a curriculum which was designed by the same behavioral scientist who designed StreetSmart, Mary Rotheram-Borus. Many of the core activities and tools are the same, such as tokens, feeling thermometer, use of the video and role-playing, personalizing sexual or drug risk, and coping with difficult situations. This intervention has more sessions and also discusses sexuality, testing for HIV and disclosure. A copy of the curriculum can be viewed here.

Free Condoms & Safer Sex Materials!

There are also a variety of safer sex materials, brochures, and actual FREE Dept. of Health issued latex/non latex love materials: (a variety of colors, flavors and sizes: condoms, dental dams, female condoms & gloves!) available at our Burlington Office!

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FREE HIV Orasure Testing
(no needles!) in our office:

Outright provides Orasure testing, an anonymous test with no blood and no
needles. Pre and post test counseling and testing is done with our in-house by our staff.  Contact us (link to contact section) today to set up an appointment, or drop in Monday-Friday 10am-6pm. 

Why should you get tested?

• Young people (under 25) make up at least half of all new HIV infections.
• HIV has been the leading cause of death among young people since 1991.
• Getting tested is the only way to know for sure if you are infected
  or not.
• There is still no cure for AIDS.
• Youth do not need parental permission to get an HIV test.
• HIV and AIDS does not discriminate. AIDS affects people of all ages,
  colors, classes, sexual orientations, genders, religious beliefs,
  ethnic backgrounds, political views, occupations, geographic areas,
  relationship status, AIDS is a human problem.

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You're not S.C.U.M.!  Quit smoking today!

So you came out, how about putting "it" out? We all know how bad cancer sticks are for your health and you know that the Tobacco companies especially target you and call queer youth "S.C.U.M." But did you know that there are free patches, gums and more available to Vermont youth, no matter your age? Contact our office for more information!

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Find a queer-friendly health professional in Vermont:

The Vermont Diversity Health Project (link to www.vdhp.org ) is an online health resource guide will soon be statewide, but for now has a large listing of health providers in Chittenden County. This guide is also specifically transgender & queer youth friendly. Also, encourage your current doctors to sign up at this site & be listed as queer friendly.

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