Liz Canfield, Project Straight Talk, and the AIDS Emergency Project
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Liz Canfield, the first straight ally to join the Common Bond board, organized Common Bond’s Project Straight Talk, patterned on a similar organization she previously co-chaired in Los Angeles. The Straight Talk team was available singly or as a panel for educational presentations to professional, religious and social service groups. In her experience, Canfield stated, “Oftentimes non-gays will listen to other non-gays as authoritative sources of information when they would greatly discount information provided by gays.”
On April 3, 1983, over 130 people turned out to hear a presentation she gave in Las Cruces. Melanie Deason, a Las Cruces member of Common Bond, said, “This used to be a conservative town, but not anymore.” Deason’s mother, along with the parents and friends of many other gays and lesbians in the Southern New Mexico city gained a new perspective on homosexuality. |
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The lecture was sponsored by the New Mexico State University Psychology Club, and was one of several presentations Canfield and Project Straight Talk made throughout the state during that month. As a result of the NMSU lecture, Canfield and Deason received numerous inquiries about Project Straight Talk. The event also received extensive coverage in the Las Cruces Sun News and in Round-up, the NMSU student newspaper.
The April 1984 issue of Common Bond Ink reported that Common Bond’s community education program for primarily non-gay audiences had an increase in activities. Art Hoffman and Liz Canfield had presented at the Santa Fe Indian Hospital (an all-day workshop for physicians, nurses, teachers and other youth workers), University of New Mexico School of Medicine (resident physicians in pediatrics), College of Santa Fe (graduate psychology class), and Church of the Epiphany in Socorro (community meeting).
On the occasion of International Women’s Day 1984, KUNM-FM invited Liz to participate in a one-hour call-in program on human sexuality. The majority of concerns voiced by callers dealt with homosexuality and gender identity. The response to the broadcast was gratifying. It was hoped that a call-in sexuality information and discussion show would become a regular part of KUNM programming.
Also in Spring 1984, Project Straight Talk and Common Bond received a visit from Fred Bassett, an active member of Oklahomans for Human Rights in Tulsa. Bassett spent the day with Liz in order to become thoroughly acquainted with the history and activities of Project Straight Talk. The Tulsa group was in the process of setting up a speaker’s bureau. A number of former and present Common Bond board members hosted Bassett for lunch and discussion at the Oasis Restaurant.
The California History of Project Straight Talk
The November 1990 issue of New Mexico’s Out! Magazine included this profile article:
A founding Board member of New Mexico Association of People Living with AIDS (NMAPLA), Liz Canfield began working in the field of reproductive health and sexuality counseling in 1959. She became a well-known public figure in California. As the originator of many pregnancy counseling clinics in the state, she was as outspoken advocate of human sexuality education.
In 1977, when California’s as well as the nation’s gay and lesbian community was being threatened by Anita Bryant, Art Hoffman, Judy Clymer and several other people began organizing Project Straight Talk, a program where non-gay people talked to other non-gay people to discredit the myths about homosexuality and promote its legitimacy. Liz co-chaired the project with Charlotte Spitzer, the founder of PFLAG Los Angeles.
The all-volunteer project focused on public speaking engagements at schools, colleges, civic clubs, and wherever an opportunity presented itself. “While gay people coached from behind the scenes, it was non-gays speaking to other non-gay people,” she explained. As the project was being organized, the Briggs Amendment which would have prohibited gay men and lesbians from being public school teachers was placed on the California ballot. “I can remember getting up at 4:30 in the morning to make some 6:30 civic club meetings,” Liz continued. “It felt good when we defeated the Briggs initiative.”
Not long after arriving in Albuquerque in 1980, Liz was diagnosed with cancer. Russell Gray, one of the founders of Common Bond, was recommended to her as an attorney and they became friends. “Shortly after Common Bond was formed, I was honored to speak at their second meeting. Some 150 people attended the meeting at the Albuquerque Federal Savings building. I met many wonderful people who have remained close friends.”
“While a counselor at Planned Parenthood in 1983, a high school teacher came to me about the suicide of one of his students who couldn’t deal with his homosexuality and society’s homophobia. Since Art Hoffman and Judy Clymer had also moved to Albuquerque, I called them and said ‘Our work isn’t done. We still need Project Straight Talk.’” Common Bond printed the brochures while Liz, Art and Judy revived the project.
“Love is so hard to come by,” Liz stated, “We shouldn’t be worried about the plumbing of any two lovers. The ignorance, secrecy and deception about human sexuality in general, and homosexuality in particular is very damaging to society and individuals. If people can’t freely be who they are, they will be unhappy.”
The AIDS Emergency Project Meets an Urgent Need
The September 1992 issue of New Mexico’s Out! Magazine included this profile article:
Established in 1988, the AIDS Emergency Project is a program of the New Mexico Foundation for Human Enrichment that eliminated paperwork and bureaucracy to provide direct assistance to those who need it. Liz Canfield, the Administrator of the AIDS Project, said the Project helps those who are infected with HIV, whether they have “full blown AIDS” or are symptomatic or asymptomatic. Those who need financial assistance and do not qualify for other programs may be able to receive assistance from the Project.
The AIDS Project gets referrals from New Mexico AIDS Services, New Mexico Association of People Living with AIDS, Coordinated Community In-Home Care (CCIC), and other agencies. Canfield said she tries to assist people from Albuquerque, Santa Fe and elsewhere around New Mexico. “I’m not impressed with geography at all.” She said the Project can “mail checks anywhere. We don’t give cash to clients. I send checks to the phone company, the landlord, Public Service Company or whoever. I sometimes go to the store with people to buy food. Some people around the state need gas money to come to Albuquerque for health care.”
In 1990, the project spent around $4,500 in direct assistance, Due to cuts in entitlement programs, the number of people in need are increasing and funds to help them are desperately low. Canfield points out that the number of calls for assistance is increasing and the amount needed by each caller is increasing.
One man has remembered the assistance he received from the Emergency Project. Canfield said, “He had many problems and needed help several times. He has since been sending $10.00 donation money orders. Enclosed with the last donation was a note that said: ‘Dear Liz and Company, when President Bush talks about a thousand points of light, he means you.’ That is really sweet. He had help and now he is helping others. We even get five-dollar gifts from people who can’t afford it.”
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Canfield operated the Emergency Project for its first 20 years as a volunteer from her home. Today the HIV Emergency Project is a program of Common Bond and in 2020 had its most successful year ever -- $61,912 was distributed to 282 clients in 58 communities throughout New Mexico.
Read HIV Emergency Project
“Ask Liz”
For several years, Liz Canfield had a relationships advice column in the monthly Common Bond Ink newsletter. As a professional sex educator, she stressed that all sexual activity ideally should meet five criteria:
1. Should not cause an unplanned pregnancy
2. Should not spread or contract an STD
3. Should be voluntary
4. Should be enjoyable for both partners
5. Should enhance one’s self esteem.
She also promoted five points of constructive conversation for a "Relationship Check Up”:
1. Appreciation (what worked well, what felt good, etc.)
2. New information (family news, etc.)
3. Puzzles (ask about behaviors/actions not understood)
4. Complaints with requests for change (what hurts, irritates, possible alternatives)
5. Wishes, hopes, dreams.
READ: Liz Canfield’s Long Remarkable Life
The April 1984 issue of Common Bond Ink reported that Common Bond’s community education program for primarily non-gay audiences had an increase in activities. Art Hoffman and Liz Canfield had presented at the Santa Fe Indian Hospital (an all-day workshop for physicians, nurses, teachers and other youth workers), University of New Mexico School of Medicine (resident physicians in pediatrics), College of Santa Fe (graduate psychology class), and Church of the Epiphany in Socorro (community meeting).
On the occasion of International Women’s Day 1984, KUNM-FM invited Liz to participate in a one-hour call-in program on human sexuality. The majority of concerns voiced by callers dealt with homosexuality and gender identity. The response to the broadcast was gratifying. It was hoped that a call-in sexuality information and discussion show would become a regular part of KUNM programming.
Also in Spring 1984, Project Straight Talk and Common Bond received a visit from Fred Bassett, an active member of Oklahomans for Human Rights in Tulsa. Bassett spent the day with Liz in order to become thoroughly acquainted with the history and activities of Project Straight Talk. The Tulsa group was in the process of setting up a speaker’s bureau. A number of former and present Common Bond board members hosted Bassett for lunch and discussion at the Oasis Restaurant.
The California History of Project Straight Talk
The November 1990 issue of New Mexico’s Out! Magazine included this profile article:
A founding Board member of New Mexico Association of People Living with AIDS (NMAPLA), Liz Canfield began working in the field of reproductive health and sexuality counseling in 1959. She became a well-known public figure in California. As the originator of many pregnancy counseling clinics in the state, she was as outspoken advocate of human sexuality education.
In 1977, when California’s as well as the nation’s gay and lesbian community was being threatened by Anita Bryant, Art Hoffman, Judy Clymer and several other people began organizing Project Straight Talk, a program where non-gay people talked to other non-gay people to discredit the myths about homosexuality and promote its legitimacy. Liz co-chaired the project with Charlotte Spitzer, the founder of PFLAG Los Angeles.
The all-volunteer project focused on public speaking engagements at schools, colleges, civic clubs, and wherever an opportunity presented itself. “While gay people coached from behind the scenes, it was non-gays speaking to other non-gay people,” she explained. As the project was being organized, the Briggs Amendment which would have prohibited gay men and lesbians from being public school teachers was placed on the California ballot. “I can remember getting up at 4:30 in the morning to make some 6:30 civic club meetings,” Liz continued. “It felt good when we defeated the Briggs initiative.”
Not long after arriving in Albuquerque in 1980, Liz was diagnosed with cancer. Russell Gray, one of the founders of Common Bond, was recommended to her as an attorney and they became friends. “Shortly after Common Bond was formed, I was honored to speak at their second meeting. Some 150 people attended the meeting at the Albuquerque Federal Savings building. I met many wonderful people who have remained close friends.”
“While a counselor at Planned Parenthood in 1983, a high school teacher came to me about the suicide of one of his students who couldn’t deal with his homosexuality and society’s homophobia. Since Art Hoffman and Judy Clymer had also moved to Albuquerque, I called them and said ‘Our work isn’t done. We still need Project Straight Talk.’” Common Bond printed the brochures while Liz, Art and Judy revived the project.
“Love is so hard to come by,” Liz stated, “We shouldn’t be worried about the plumbing of any two lovers. The ignorance, secrecy and deception about human sexuality in general, and homosexuality in particular is very damaging to society and individuals. If people can’t freely be who they are, they will be unhappy.”
The AIDS Emergency Project Meets an Urgent Need
The September 1992 issue of New Mexico’s Out! Magazine included this profile article:
Established in 1988, the AIDS Emergency Project is a program of the New Mexico Foundation for Human Enrichment that eliminated paperwork and bureaucracy to provide direct assistance to those who need it. Liz Canfield, the Administrator of the AIDS Project, said the Project helps those who are infected with HIV, whether they have “full blown AIDS” or are symptomatic or asymptomatic. Those who need financial assistance and do not qualify for other programs may be able to receive assistance from the Project.
The AIDS Project gets referrals from New Mexico AIDS Services, New Mexico Association of People Living with AIDS, Coordinated Community In-Home Care (CCIC), and other agencies. Canfield said she tries to assist people from Albuquerque, Santa Fe and elsewhere around New Mexico. “I’m not impressed with geography at all.” She said the Project can “mail checks anywhere. We don’t give cash to clients. I send checks to the phone company, the landlord, Public Service Company or whoever. I sometimes go to the store with people to buy food. Some people around the state need gas money to come to Albuquerque for health care.”
In 1990, the project spent around $4,500 in direct assistance, Due to cuts in entitlement programs, the number of people in need are increasing and funds to help them are desperately low. Canfield points out that the number of calls for assistance is increasing and the amount needed by each caller is increasing.
One man has remembered the assistance he received from the Emergency Project. Canfield said, “He had many problems and needed help several times. He has since been sending $10.00 donation money orders. Enclosed with the last donation was a note that said: ‘Dear Liz and Company, when President Bush talks about a thousand points of light, he means you.’ That is really sweet. He had help and now he is helping others. We even get five-dollar gifts from people who can’t afford it.”
= = = =
Canfield operated the Emergency Project for its first 20 years as a volunteer from her home. Today the HIV Emergency Project is a program of Common Bond and in 2020 had its most successful year ever -- $61,912 was distributed to 282 clients in 58 communities throughout New Mexico.
Read HIV Emergency Project
“Ask Liz”
For several years, Liz Canfield had a relationships advice column in the monthly Common Bond Ink newsletter. As a professional sex educator, she stressed that all sexual activity ideally should meet five criteria:
1. Should not cause an unplanned pregnancy
2. Should not spread or contract an STD
3. Should be voluntary
4. Should be enjoyable for both partners
5. Should enhance one’s self esteem.
She also promoted five points of constructive conversation for a "Relationship Check Up”:
1. Appreciation (what worked well, what felt good, etc.)
2. New information (family news, etc.)
3. Puzzles (ask about behaviors/actions not understood)
4. Complaints with requests for change (what hurts, irritates, possible alternatives)
5. Wishes, hopes, dreams.
READ: Liz Canfield’s Long Remarkable Life
This history is a LIVING DOCUMENT based on many volunteer hours of research and conversations with community members who have been part of Common Bond over the years. If you have any corrections or suggested additions, please let us know at commonbondnm.org/contact.