Expand the definition of art as a health tool, and consider it as an essential link, as a bridge between those who heal and those who need healing. The art becomes a shared language, and if culture gets involved the artistic process becomes symbolic. It builds trust, which fosters communication, which lays the foundation for a discussion about, for example, preventing HIV

That's how art is used by Sarah Flicker, a professor in [the Faculty of Environmental Studies] at 91亚色, who studies HIV prevention in aboriginal communities across Canada and uses art to get the interest of young natives.

Flicker is one of three professors who will be a part of "Caf茅 Scientifique," a public roundtable of sorts that will consider how the arts are being used in health programs these days [organized by the ].

. . .

Flicker starts by telling me that aboriginals represent three per cent of Canada's population, but have nine per cent of HIV infections 鈥� and at a younger age. Flicker's project is to find ways of having a meaningful conversation about HIV with young natives. Problem is, some native communities are not interested in "traditional research methods." Enter art.

鈥淔rom theatre to photography to carving to hip-hop,鈥� she says, when I ask her what types of arts her project has employed. She adds throat singing to the list, and graffiti at the Kahnawake Mohawk reserve near Montreal.

鈥淯sing the arts in our particular project has been tremendously successful,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun, it鈥檚 participatory, it helps build pride and self-esteem. . . It really helps them relate to culture and tradition, in a way that鈥檚 non-threatening.鈥�

Using contemporary or traditional art forms 鈥� created by the young natives, with the guidance of artists brought in by the project 鈥� enhances recall of the health information, she says. It also builds skills, as the artists pass on their own knowledge and inspirations, and many young natives have their first opportunity to handle photographic equipment or real artist鈥檚 brushes.

鈥淲e were just astonished with the creativity we had unleashed,鈥� Flicker says, as the research visited reserves from B. C. to Atlantic Canada. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 incredible is how the themes have resonated from community to another.鈥�

They resonated so well that the art of some communities is used in others to get the health message across 鈥� such as a hip hop song composed by young natives in Kettle Creak, near Sarnia. Another group made a stop-motion film, using photography to show how HIV was affecting their community. 鈥淚t鈥檚 in their words that art is healing,鈥� Flicker says.

You can see the art of her project at takingaction4youth.org. The Caf茅 Scientifique will begin at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 23 at Mambo Nuevo Latino, 77 Clarence St. in the Byward Market. 鈥淭he idea is to make health research accessible to the public,鈥� Flicker says.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Sarah Flicker, a professor in 91亚色's Faculty of Environmental Studies who reviewed the curriculum, says the ministry鈥檚 commitment to acknowledge sexual pleasure and desires to youths is innovative and terrific. 鈥淥ften when we talk to kids about sex-ed, it鈥檚 a no-no-no, finger-wagging thing. It doesn鈥檛 speak to the reality. Why do kids have sex? Because it feels good.鈥�

So how does one determine what sex information is age appropriate?

Physically, kids hit puberty sooner so it makes sense that it鈥檚 taught in an earlier grade, she said.

Psychologically, kids mature at different rates but the key is to provide the information before most kids get sexually active, she said. 鈥淚f we wait until after they are sexually active, we are missing a key opportunity,鈥� she said.

Lastly, one has to look at youth behaviour. Whether we like it or not, educators need to be pragmatic about what youth are actually doing, said Flicker.

Flicker said she鈥檚 always hearing from youths about how awful sex-ed is. 鈥淚鈥檓 really hoping these curriculum shifts will change that discourse,鈥� she said.

The complete article is available on .

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, with files courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Despite decades of feminism and co-parenting and men grappling with diaper changes and night feedings, moms are often by default or tradition the ones who end up having the sex talk, wrote the . Often it鈥檚 because they are the parent who spends the most time with the children.

鈥淥ften if there is a woman in the household, she takes over that part of the parenting,鈥� says Andrea O鈥橰eilly, a professor in 91亚色鈥檚 School of Women鈥檚 Studies in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and founder & director of the Association for Research on Mothering.

Women are typically the family CEO, in charge of remembering who got which shots and setting up play dates. Having 鈥渢he talk鈥� falls into that realm. 鈥淭he talk is part of a larger paradigm of gender. Until we dislodge that, women will probably be the ones to have 鈥榯he talk鈥�. I try to de-gender caregiving, but it鈥檚 a hard sell,鈥� O鈥橰eilly says.

She believes "the talk" is declining in importance in any case. 鈥淲e live in such a sex-saturated culture. Kids know about sex long before children 10, 20, 30 years ago did,鈥� she says.

Children want information about sex, according to a study of 1,200 Toronto teens released last summer. The found 28 per cent of teens weren getting information about sex from their parents and 53 per cent were getting it from their friends.

Parents might feel they lack the skills or even the stomach for a discussion about sex with their children, says Sarah Flicker, a professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Environmental Studies and principal researcher on the Toronto Teen Survey. 鈥淣ot all parents feel comfortable telling children where a clitoris is, but you could talk about what makes a healthy relationship.鈥�

Coverage also appeared in .

Reposted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, with files courtesy of YFile 鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin, and .

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