Gay Place

WE SEE RED

It's a signal. It's a warning. It's a call to action. It's called a red flag for a reason. Culturally, we have come to know that primary hue that is not yellow or blue as a sign of urgency; sometimes that urgency also implies rage. Red is the adopted color of the AIDS awareness movement and has been the color of the ribbon to show solidarity for folks living with HIV/AIDS since 1991, when the New York-based Artists Caucus launched the Red Ribbon Project, and celebs such as Jeremy Irons showed up at the Tonys that year donning one. Well, beginning this weekend and through next, Austin will be bathed in red: Red lights will shine at the Arthouse, the Dell Children's Medical Center, the Long Center, and more. Red banners and portions of the nationally traveling AIDS Memorial Quilt will be splayed across town. Stores are selling red footprints; bars will offer red drinks; and one sushi restaurant will even roll up some red so you can eat it raw. It's Red Week, friends, the lead-up to AIDS Services of Austin's AIDS Walk Austin, to be held next week. ASA has a special Red Week Web page, listing all of the area participants, and the main site, of course, is where you can make a difference by signing up to walk. When you see red this week, don't mistake it for anger. This week, red stands for love. (See Community Listings.)