CHINATOWN — The Chinese-American Planning Council on May 19 will screen a short film about sexual health in the Chinatown community as part of its ongoing efforts to educate the population about prevention and testing, and to combat the taboo surrounding HIV/AIDS.
“The Lees” is an 18-minute movie about the impact of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections on a traditional Chinese family and their surrounding community — a fictionalized account based on the council’s 26 years of work among the Chinese immigrant community, where talk of sex and STI prevention is nearly nonexistent.
“Usually, in the Asian community, when you talk about sex it is such a sensitive issue,” said Binh Luu, the program director for HIV/AIDS services. “The idea of getting HIV from sex is related, so that’s why it’s such a taboo — in Asian culture, sex is not spoken about a lot.”
The film will aim to break down the silence surrounding the topic and normalize the conversation by placing it in the context of a relatable Chinese-American family, said Luu — hopefully making the prospect of getting tested less intimidating while encouraging an open dialogue about sexual health.
The CPC has been fighting to bring HIV/AIDS services to Chinatown since 1990, during the height of the citywide AIDS crisis, when it received a $5,000 grant from the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies. The council used the money to create and distribute a bilingual pamphlet educating the community about HIV prevention.
Since then, the CPC has gone on to receive grants from several agencies, including the state Department of Health’s AIDS Institute, that have allowed it to expand its services — the council conducts education outreach programs while providing services for HIV-positive clients to ensure access to medication and support.
The upcoming film is the latest step in the council’s efforts to increase awareness of sexual health services in Chinatown, said Luu.
“We’re always encouraging people to go out and get tested,” she said.
The CPC currently teams up with Mount Sinai Hospital to provide HIV testing at its 165 Eldridge St. center on the first Monday of each month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
One hundred tickets will be made available for the May pre-screening before the film is released to the public in June, said Luu.
