Information about GMHC and the Latex Ball 2013 violations you need to
know about.
GMHC Clients/Consumer Bill of Rights andGMHC Client Rights & Responsibilities:
How exactly is GMHC expecting from a 13 or 16 year old to pay $20
admission for the Latex Ball, pay $10 to sweeten the pot for one category, pay
for transportation to and from the ball, pay for something to eat and pay for a
bottle of water? Where is all this door money
going and where is the transparency by GMHC?
A concerned parent: “My son Is 14, I have to dish out extra $$ for
him.”
Now that we have to pay GMHC $20 to get tested for HIV at the latex
ball and we receive our prevention information on the microphone by
commentators and speakers paid for by us, what is the purpose of the latex ball/dance
produced, directed and paid for by the GMHC health agency, when we can get
tested for free, receive our HIV/AIDS prevention information through our house
parents for years and facebook posts and GMHC staff is nowhere to be seen at
the high risk infection venues?
GMHC Clients/Consumer Bill of Rights
The GMHC Clients/Consumer
Bill of Rights states that programs are supposed to be free to their clients;
GMHC is in violation of that.
The GMHC Clients/Consumer Bill
of Rights states that the clients have the right to discuss and have input at
all GMHC policies, they are in violation of that.
The GMHC Clients/Consumer
Bill of Rights states that we have fair and proportionate amount PLWHA clients
serve on the board of directors, they are in violation of that.
GMHC Client Rights &
Responsibilities: We believe that everyone; clients, volunteers,
staff and guests must be treated with respect while at GMHC or at a GMHC
sponsored activity; they are in violation of that.
When you are at GMHC or at a GMHC sponsored
activity, therefore will notsell
alcohol; they are in violation of that.
Can we have a productive
discussion about those issues.
Public Opinion about the Gay Men's Health Crisis is Changing!
Since our first video release, "Vote of Confidence" by GMHC clients for CEO Marjorie Hill to resign is increasing.
Boycott the Latex Ball 2013, video release #3
Video footage courtesy of Art From The Heart Films.
GMHC violated a 20 year old House Ball policy by inviting the director Jennie Livingston of the film "Paris is Burning", to speak on behalf of
Ballroom Icon Paris Dupree at the 2011 House of Latex Ball.
Featured interviews by:
Frances White, Dean at NY University. White talks in her classroom about the exploitation in Paris is Burning and why her students are confused and afraid of this community.
Marcel ChristianLaBeija talks about how Jennie Livingston was treated with respect, what exploitative language she was using in the films promotion materials and all she wanted to know from him was who the thieves are.
Jose Xtravaganza questions the House of Latex, because they were chopping people at the balls. “Aren’t they here to save the day?”
CarmenXtravaganza got nothing from “Paris is Burning” and makes a statement that the “How Do I Look” documentary gave the community a voice.
Octavia St. Laurent "People know nothing about our community and Paris is Burning is nothing but gay entertainment for them." She explains very emotionally the marginalization of the transgender community and why they can’t stand up and fight for justice.
Why Public Opinion about the Gay Men's Health Crisis is Changing!
GMHC violated a 20 year old House Ball tradition and the House Ball community lost Millions of Dollars because of the House of Latex Balls at Roseland funded by GMHC. GMHC Blog: http://gmhcitsachop.blogspot.com/
The Historic and Cultural House Ball Institute is releasing the third video from the "Boycott the Latex Ball 2013" campaign and is asking the public to join them in this boycott and join them in the Fight for Justice. The Institute educates the public about the “Paris is Burning” film and
the marginalizing policies by the House ofLatex Project program, funded by the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC). The Institute is exposing those devastating policies and how they affect the under-resourced House Ball community.
Ballroom educators, historians and members featured in “Paris is Burning” have rejected this film since its release in 1990 and the director Jennie Livingston was successfully sued by Octavia St. Laurent. Livingston was never invited back by the House Ball community, because of its exploitative and controversy content in the film and promotional materials.
GMHC violated a 20 year old House Ball policy by inviting the director Jennie Livingston to speak on behalf of Paris Dupree at the 2011 Latex Ball. Ballroom Icon Paris Dupree who passed away earlier that year also rejected this film. He felt “Ripped Off” by Livingston, because she used his Ball theme “Paris is Burning” for her film title. A satement by Ballroom Hall of Famer and Historian Kevin Omni, quote: "If Paris Dupree knew that Livingston spoke on his behalf, he would turn in his grave."
In a GMHC Press Release from 2012 by Krishna Stone, quote:
“To this day, Paris is Burning is still considered the definitive film about
the community.”
This statement by GMHC is community insensitive, disrespectful and the basic historic and cultural House Ball knowledge at GMHC is in question. After working with our community for 22 years, they still don't know.
Historically, GMHC fails to recognize the first documentary ever released about the House Ball community; “T.V.
Transvestite”, a film about the Harlem Fantasy Ball 2 from1982. Historically, GMHC fails to recognize the
humanitarian award winning film “How Do I Look”, produced by and for the House
Ball community, to provide a balance to “Paris is Burning”. “How Do I Look” is
an artistic empowerment and HIV/AIDS awareness community project and was
selected for the NYUniversity’s World AIDS
Day film festival, sponsored by the United Nations.
To produce the House of Latex balls at Roseland,
GMHC is loosing Tens of Thousands of Dollars of Free Government and Donation money every year.
GMHC is using free
money to manipulate the House Ball community and used this money to create their own ballroom sub-culture, such as the ki ki functions. They also fund artistic programs such as voguing
classes and mini balls. They tell us they have no money forinsurance and medication or Metro
Cards for their CAB meetings but they have money for artistic programs.
GMHC ismarginalizing the under-resourced House Ball community
for over 20 years and as a result of it, the House Ball economylost Millions of Dollars and the existence of the House Ball
community as we know it is at risk.
Our outreach to GMHC are unanswered and the agency remains
silent to our meeting requests.
Your Voice Counts ! Join the Institute and the House Ball community in
the Fight for Empowerment and Justice. Boycott the Latex Ball 2013 Can You Afford Not To Support?