National HIV Testing Day
June 27 is National HIV Testing Day. AmFAR — the American Foundation for AIDS Research — estimates that of the 1.1 million Americans with HIV, 20 percent don’t know they are a carrier and many of those who have tested positive didn’t find out until years after they were infected.

Greater Than AIDS has been out in full force this month with 10,000 new “I Got Tested” billboards and national TV and radio spots. Early diagnosis and treatment improves health, extends life and helps prevent the spread of the disease.

Free testing is available on Cedar Springs Road at Out of the Closet and the Nelson Tebedo Clinic. Dallas County Health Department, AIDS Arms and Abounding Prosperity also offer free AIDS testing.

Stonewall at the Convention
In reaction to the Texas Republican Party platform that calls for reparative therapy for gays and lesbians, the LGBT caucus, Texas Stonewall Democrats, have been attending the Democratic Party Convention under the banner “We don’t need fixin’.”

The convention continues through Jan. 29 at the Dallas Convention Center. While other caucuses have been assigned conference rooms for their meetings, Texas Stonewall Democrats was assigned the main convention floor on June 27 at noon for its caucus.

Queerbomb Dallas Main Event
Queerbomb Dallas’s Main Event, billed as Dallas’ non-corporate Pride event, begins June 28 with a rally, then continues with a procession and ends with a dance party.

Gather at Julius Schepps Park, on Henry Street at Canton Street in Deep Ellum at 7 p.m. for the Speaker’s Corner. The rally begins at 8 p.m. with DJ Collin Bass and emcee Meg Hargis.

The procession steps off at 9 p.m. and proceeds into Deep Ellum down Commerce Street to Hall and then onto Main Street.

The Queerbomb Ball takes place at The Quixotic World, 2824 Main St. Austin’s DJ Boyfriend spins for the event that continues until 2 a.m. Free.
 

LGBT Pride Month Day of Giving
Members of the LGBT community will volunteer at Dallas Animal Services, 1818 N. Westmoreland Road on June 28 from 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. They will do a variety of chores from cleaning windows to making dog treats.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition June 27, 2014.