MARC LOTTERING TO LAUNCH GAY CENTRE

Popular comedian Marc Lottering will open OUT’s Prism Lifestyle Centre, a health and wellness centre for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals on Saturday.

According to OUT, the centre – located in Pretorius Street, Hatfield, Tshwane – aims, “to provide LGBT people with an alternative health-promoting space with increased direct services”.

These will include face-to-face counselling, support groups, and primary healthcare services; workshops on sexuality, life-skills, risk reduction; and activities such as book clubs, interest groups, yoga and meditation.

OUT said that the centre will be an alternative safe social space for LGBT people to come together and build healthy interpersonal connections not dependent on unhealthy lifestyle choices. It will also promote a sense of community, and a sense of worth.

The centre came about after OUT conducted a needs assessment survey on a sample of lesbian women and gay men in Tshwane in 2007 and 2008. Based on the results, a range of interventions were developed to respond directly to these needs, of which the Lifestyle Centre is but one such intervention.

For more information about the Prism Lifestyle Centre, call 012 430 2732.

OUT Well-being is a non-profit organisation that promotes LGBT people’s health and well-being in South Africa and aims to reduce heterosexism and homophobia in society.