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Let's be... Evidence Based!
Monday, 16 December 2007.
Originally from express article 21 Nov 2007
By Di from Auckland Community Alcohol and Drug Services (CADS)
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| Di from CADS on 'Let's be... Evidence Based!' |
There is something very attractive about a person who seems to have all the answers. I am referring to the inspirational speaker who (at last) is not afraid to speak the truth.
They give some nice clean, clear answers to those tricky problems in life. Often these problems are fraught with emotion, dealing with issues dear to our heart – sometimes even involving life and death. These people talk in dichotomies – good versus evil, the right way and the wrong way. They definitely do not let the truth get in the way of a good story!
They can however be incredibly destructive. As queers we are continually maligned by this misinformed 'clap trap'. A recent example is from the Society for Promotion of Community Standards who, in a recent press statement (published on the website ‘scoop’), stated:
"...we do NOT want unnatural, unhealthy, immoral sexual practices central to the promiscuous heterosexual and/or homosexual/lesbian lifestyles, either taught, demonstrated, advanced, normalised, legitimised, validated, or proclaimed, in any shape or form in New Zealand school curriculum."
"...our schools are becoming the recruiting grounds for tax-payer funded and/or subsidised homosexual proselytising activities run by Rainbow 'health' zealots, bent on foisting their "safe sex" and unnatural sex practices on vulnerable school children."
When I read this I thought – well they are obviously just a bunch of plonkers! But what if these emotive, sensationalist, non-evidence based statements are coming from our own community?
Right now this is exactly what the Sydney based organisation acon (Aids Council of New South Wales) is getting in response to their drug harm-minimisation strategies from within the gay community. The call is to replace information and support with a ‘Just say no’ type message, e.g. 'Meth is Death!' It is astounding to me, as the evidence overwhelmingly has shown that ‘Just say no’ – just doesn’t work! Ignorance results in unsafe practices.
What is worse is that the campaign against acon is personal, nasty and undermining the fantastic work they are currently doing.
I am so proud that (so far) we in New Zealand have not gone down this track. It is too easy to make our message of harm-minimisation the enemy – rather than understanding the hugely complex issues with drug addiction, and increasing rates of HIV sero-prevalence.
I applaud the work currently done by our NZAF (NZ Aids Foundation). Under the informed and intelligent leadership of Rachel Le Mesurier, the hard questions are being tackled.
Sure I absolutely believe that we all have the right to our own opinions, and informed debate is essential. What I am advocating is that we be wary of emotionally driven positions, that we question the credibility of information, and we do this with each other first before publicly criticising each other. Unfortunately history has shown us, that sometimes the most vicious attacks come from within our community.
If you have concerns about your own or someone else's alcohol or other drug use, or if you'd like more information, contact CADS on 845 1818 or www.cads.org.nz or if you live outside Auckland contact Alcohol and Drug Helpline 0800 787 797.
About express
express is NZ's newspaper of gay expression. It contains
information on NZ news, Community news & events, World news, Editorial &
reader feedback, Health, Travel, Food, Arts/Books, Living, Entertainment
& scene, GABA newsletter, and Personals.
For more information, visit their website:www.gayexpress.co.nz
> More items from Di's Drug Column
