Events for November 13, 2024 - November 13, 2024

Curious about exploring pleasure? Need a refresher on STIs and HIV/AIDS? Time to wrap it up, because our facilitators will take you through an informative and interactive session. Tasneem will introduce STI risks and cover some safer practices. Ayser will inform you about tools for your pleasure and ways to cover your bases. Now let’s tie up those ties and get sexually wise! About Pillow Talk: Pillow Talk is a forum hosted by ACAS that aims to draw lessons learned about sexuality, intimacy, and relationships from the real-life experiences of Asian ciswomen, transwomen, and non-binary folks.  This year, ACAS is proud to host Pillow Talk 2021: Sorting Through the Fluff, sponsored by Viiv Healthcare!  Thank you to ViiV for supporting us and helping us create a safer space to discuss our experiences around intimacy and relationships to both our own and other people’s bodies.

Igniting East and Southeast Asian Youth Activism on Anti-Asian Racism, Anti-AIDS Stigma & Discrimination, and Anti-Homophobia & Transphobia Panelists: Justin Anantawan, Youth Activist Michael Arnord, Executive Director at Égides – International Francophone Alliance for Equality and Diversity Dany Ko, ACAS Youth Coordinator Dr. Alan Li, ACAS Co-founder, HIV/AIDS Advocate and Champion   Moderator: Noulmook Sutdhibhasilp, Executive Director, Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS) Please register here

A panel discussion with Asian LGBTQ Community Leaders Moderated by Ryan Tran With ASAAP and Pride Toronto What does it look like when we take Asian culture and make it queer? Or do we take gay culture and make it Asian? Using their own experiences, our panel of queer Asian leaders discuss how our identities can intertwine, and share how they created safe spaces that cultivate our intersectionality. Join us on Zoom at: https://zoom.us/j/96080494277?pwd=NzhwZGVWcURZcUlHdlc1OEYvZzZQdz09 Panelists: Joon (they/she), AQUA (Asian Queer Alliance) a queer 2nd gen Korean living in Toronto who makes a living out of mental health counselling. They are at their best when they make time to read, tend their garden, and with their halmoni (grandmother) Rejh Cabrera (they/them), New Ho Queen gender non-conforming model/stylist/designer/creative director, muse and founding member of New Ho Queen, the Toronto-based art collective aimed at celebrating and uplifting queer Asians and QTBIPOC Alan Li, M.D. (he/him) Past president, Gay Asians Toronto; Past National President, Chinese Canadian National Council; Founding presidents of Hong Kong 10% Club-1986 (1st incorporated LGBT group in Asia), Asian Community AIDS Services (1994), Co-founder of Committee for Accessible AIDS Treatment (2001) & Ethno-racial Treatment Support Network (2003).

Queer Asians to the stage and you all get front row seats! This is a showcase of thought-provoking performances from local queer East/Southeast Asian artists that bring queer Asian issues to the forefront. Join us on Zoom at: https://zoom.us/j/92783805959?pwd=My8yakFpSk5BdW81eXNFcElwdTBUdz09 Performances by: cutsleeve Mattea Shay Dior Vale Wrong Note Rusty Ysabel

This is a monthly group for East & Southeast Asian transmasculine and non-binary people. This includes all transmasculine-identifying folks or folks who may be questioning. We welcome people at any point of their transition. This monthly group is a safe space of support where we can share and learn from each other's common experiences as Asian transmasc folks. This group will be facilitated by an Asian transman. Date: Tuesday, June 1 Time: 7pm - 8:30pm EST If this will be your first time attending please register and the Zoom link will be emailed to you: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtcu2rrzgqE9CXr13WLDruPFPu0aTHItRn If you are part of the Asian trans masc Facebook group or email newsletter, you will automatically receive the Zoom link there. Who can join? ACAS primarily serves those who identify as East and/or Southeast Asian living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. However, we know spaces for East & Southeast Asian transmasc folks are very few and we are happy to open this event to those living outside of Toronto. Please note that resources will be focused on Toronto due to our knowledge of local services and resources. East & Southeast Asian includes those from multiple generations of immigrants (1st generation, 2nd generation, and so on..) and members of the diaspora from East & Southeast countries like China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, etc. This can also include people with mixed backgrounds from at least one of those countries. This may also include those who might not identify ethnically by blood, but have a substantial heritage or up-bringing living in those countries.

Joining us internationally from the west coast USA, the Director Alex Liu and Writer/Producer Leo Neri reveal all from their film, A Sexplanation in our live Q&A event. We’ll be talking about everything from sex to shame and mental health to filmmaking. Q&A Hosted by Tony Tran Got questions for the filmmakers? Send them in advance to men@acas.org Register to receive the Zoom link at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0oc-6vrzktG9CA7qZXZOWkYo03EV-oIxKk This event will be live-streamed on the ACAS Youtube channel. If you are not comfortable being recorded, you can turn off your camera and change your name so that you do not appear in the recording.  The first 10 people to sign up here will get a FREE ticket to the virtual screening at Inside Out LGBT Film Festival. From neuroscience labs to church pews, A Sexplanation features provocative conversations with psychologists, sex researchers—and even a Jesuit priest. Now in his 30s and out of the closet, Alex has turned fear and loathing into something positive and humorous. This documentary seeks to turn his personal pursuit of shame-free pleasure into a call for comprehensive sex education for everyone. Watch the film first at the Inside Out LGBT Film Festival! Available to watch from your home between May 27 (noon ET) - June 6 (11:59pm ET) https://youtu.be/G8Oor-B5hm8 ALEX LIU Alex’s passion for telling compelling stories that blend education, advocacy, and entertainment led him to found Herra Productions in 2012. Since then, he’s developed two award-winning YouTube channels focused on sex and drug education, totaling over five million views. After studying molecular toxicology at UC Berkeley and Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting at New York University, he produced video, radio, and print content for NOVA scienceNOW, CNN Health, and San Francisco NPR station KQED. LEONARDO NERI​ Leo is a tinkerer of ideas, words, and narratives. [...]

A online workshop open to East & Southeast Asian LGBTQ folks. For people who are new to harm reduction, familiar, or would like to learn more! Facilitated by Ryan and Thompson This is an introduction to harm reduction and safer practices for substance-use. Register on Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAvceypqT8rGNT9bkFQalJUqFrCqkFT6V8r

Your Friday nights at home just got a little better! Looking to meet new friends during the pandemic? This is a monthly online games night for Asian gay, bi, queer, cis and trans guys. We’ll start with introductions, teach you how to play, and then play the game. This month we're using Gartic.io to play drawing games! It's typically like Pictionary where a player draws something and everyone has to guess what it is. Date: Friday June 11 Feel free to drop in and out between 8pm – 9:30pm EST To receive the Zoom link, register by clicking here

For this year's Pinkdot TO, we are giving you a packed program of online performances by local Asian LGBTQ artists. This will be a fundraiser for programming for Asian LGBTQ youth and a fund supporting East/Southeast Asian people living with HIV. On Sunday, June 20 at  3:00 p.m. ACAS is virtually hosting Pinkdot on Sunday, June 20, 2021, at 3:00 pm on the ACAS Youtube channel via live streaming, and this year will feature #StopAsianHate message to raise awareness within the Asian community and beyond. This event will be hosted by Vong Show and will feature performances, interviews, and various other formats, as well as supportive videos from special guests.

Now you can order a free HIV self-test! We will walk you through the online registration and answer questions you might have about GetaKit by ACAS Date: Wednesday, July 28 Time: 7-8pm Register for the workshop on Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZElduiurTItEt3T-lcS-rkoP1RMx0vjPSMU Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS) is piloting GetaKit, an HIV self-test delivery program. GetaKit by ACAS is designed to make HIV self-testing available for East & Southeast Asian people living in Ontario. It is simple to register and complete a short survey to receive free HIV self-testing kits by mail. You’re eligible for a kit if you are: Any gender (cisgender, transgender, or non-binary) Any sexual orientation (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, heterosexual, etc.) Any citizenship status including international student, temporary worker, or non-status Age 16 years or older HIV-negative or don’t know your status Not enrolled in an HIV vaccine trial Not diagnosed with a bleeding disorder