HIV and Failure to Disclose: Jail Time

A gay Georgia man has been sentenced to 2 years in prison for failure to tell his partners he was HIV positive and his lack of disclosure led to HIV infection in others. [365Gay.com]

Despicable behavior aside, last time I checked, gay sex is pretty much a two-party agreement. Unless this guy raped unsuspecting victims and the sex was not consentual, then there were two people that decided to have unprotected sex. And I'm sorry for appearing callous, but there was no crime committed here, and these laws are completely rediculous.

I'll concede that many people do not have accurate sexual health information due to America's incredibly sex-phobic culture, but I find it hard to believe that there's a genuine victim in this case. If you aren't yet aware that HIV started in the gay male community and continues to be a major health concern for gay men, you must have been in a coma for the last decade. This guy may have lied up and down about his HIV status, but - dare I sound like a Republican - people do need to take responsibility for their own health. If you are worried about getting HIV, use protection, or get into a monogomous relationship, and go to the clinic and get tested together.

If passing life-threatening diseases is going to become a crime in this country, then let's all start suing people for coming to work with influenza. Maybe there's a good cause for legal action? People don't even have an opportunity to consent to getting the flu at work! Or maybe we could criminalize the sun for the skin cancer. I would like to press charges against whoever gave me mononucleosis last year that caused serious liver problems and cost me a really good GPA. And these are civil litigation issues that I'm completely making up; this guy was tried and convicted by the State of Georgia. Sounds real conservative to me. Let's prosecute diseases! /sarcasm.

And what's the motivation for anyone in Georgia to even get tested for HIV? Once they know they're HIV positive, they'll have jail time to think about. Their diagnosis is a liability, legally.

Knowingly spreading a deadly disease is wrong and immoral. But HIV takes two consentual adults to spread. It's the responsibility of both partners to prevent the infection and take steps to protect themselves.

Salvation Army

Right-wing Christians are getting pissed about the flack that the Salvation Army has been getting over their discrimination of GLBT people. In the Twin Cities, a group called Celebration Army attempted to raise funds with buckets and bells for Open Arms of Minnesota. Open Arms provides meals for people living with HIV/AIDS. The Salvation Army sued on copyright infringement grounds and Celebration Army volunteered to back down.

A website called GayDC called for a boycott of Safeway and Giant Food because they allow Salvation Army bell-ringers. As an alternative to the Salvation Army, GayDC added this banner to their website: "This holiday season, all proceeds as a result of shopping at Target thru GayDC.Net links until December 31, 2004 will be donated to Food and Friends!"

Food and Friends "prepares, packages and delivers meals and groceries to nearly 1,000 people living with HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses such as breast, lung and colon cancer throughout Washington, DC and 14 counties of Maryland and Virginia."

Concerned Women for America, a radical anti-gay Christian fringe group based in Washington, DC, voiced their outrage over the Celebration Army, and several other boycott's of the Salvation Army.

Robert Knight, director of Concerned Women for America's Culture and Family Institute had this to say: "Needy families are not even on the radar screen of these homosexual activist groups, who are more interested in promoting acceptance of sodomy than in the Salvation Army's ongoing charity efforts to keep poor people fed and clothed."

He must have missed this part about the Celebration Army "funds would go to Open Arms of Minnesota to provide meals to those with HIV-AIDS," or perhaps he missed "Food and Friends prepares, packages and delivers meals and groceries to nearly 1,000 people living with HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses such as breast, lung and colon cancer."

Knight is more concerned with the sexual activity of others than he is in helping those with life-challeging illnesses. Doesn't sound very Christian to me.

District 202 in Danger of Closing

Now that I'm feeling more caught up with work and school, I thought I'd share some news about HIV/AIDS locally. Even if World AIDS Day was last week, I'll try and follow this theme for this week.

District 202 may close as soon as next year. This bad news comes during a difficult time for the youth of District 202, as one of them was shot 5 times recently as a result of transphobia. [Google cache of Lavender Magazine. I really wish they'd add archives for the bloggers]

District 202 Executive Director Laura Ayers: "We are an amazing organization, and the positive impact of this community center in young GLBT people's lives is tremendous. We are changing the way the center operates so we have a stronger chance of weathering the new economic realities. If we don't change, and if the community does not support us, then we would face having to close late next year."

For those who don't know what District 202 does:

"Founded twelve years ago by activist GLBT youth and adults, District 202 provides meeting space, peer counseling, mental health and housing referrals, safer sex education and other services to GLBT youth 21 and under. Located above GLBT-friendly Nicollet Village Video, District 202 is a large space with a rainbow-colored floor, quietly humming with activity during the day and occasionally pulsing with dance music at night. The nonprofit has seen a steady rise in demand for its services over the years. About 2000 youth have visited District 202 so far this year, with a large percentage of those being first-time visits."

And here's the World AIDS Day tie-in: "These are life and death matters," says District 202 Executive Director Laura Ayers, referring to funding cuts to her organization's HIV and STD prevention program. "Three years ago, we had an application to the Minnesota Department of Health approved, but state funding comes from the federal level and this year [the state] ran out of money before they reached us," Ayers said. The program can no longer afford to purchase condoms, lube, or dental dams for its safer sex education programs.

Via Pulse of the Twin Cities. It's a great article about the fate of the Minnesota non-profit sector.

World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day. J at mesouthern has a great post about today, and his writing is always worth a read. That, and he's hella cute.

Aaron has a great post about what HIV has meant to him and how it has touched his life. His writing is also always worth a read.

After reading these, think about helping out some of your local AIDS service organizations. They can always use any help you can give.

No Dick, No Bush: New CDC policies will cripple HIV Prevention

Check out the new CDC guidelines for community HIV prevention programs on the Federal Register. If the legal jargon is too much for you, then check out Doug Ireland's article at LA Weekly.

Some snippets from the new policy include:

"This section states, in part, that ``education materials * * * that are specifically designed to address sexually transmitted diseases * * * shall contain medically accurate information regarding the effectiveness or lack of effectiveness of condoms in preventing the sexually transmitted disease the materials are designed to address.''" Condoms are extremely efficient at preventing many STDs. The controversy lately over condoms came from anti-gay and anti-abortion groups over HPV. I wrote about this idiotic policy here in April. Please check it out for context.

"All programs of education and information receiving funds under this title shall include information about the harmful effects of promiscuous sexual activity." This is an obvious move toward awarding HIV prevention funding to abstinence-only programs. I have brief comments on their effectiveness here.

"None of the funds appropriated to carry out this title may be used to provide education or information designed to promote or encourage, directly, homosexual or heterosexual sexual activity or intravenous substance abuse." We can all thank Jesse Helms for preventing everyone from talking about sex when discussing sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.

I have to be at work shortly, but this is serious stuff. More to come later.

I fall into the Reagan hype

I've been avoiding the Reagan thing, because it's too predictable, and really in poor taste. I've never really had good taste to begin with though, and in the course of doing my daily reading, I came across Deroy Murdock's piece "The Homophobe Myth: The facts about Ronald Reagan" at the National Review Online. Murdock works very hard to defend Ronald Reagan and presents a lot of facts, quotes, and anecdotes to argue that Reagan liked gays and was very concerned about AIDS. It is, like, totally the liberal media attacking Reagan unfaily, or so Murdock says.

I did enjoy the anecdote about the Reagan's inviting the White House's interior designer and his partner over for dinner. How stereotypically quaint and patronizing. Some of my best friends are [fill in the blank with some 'other' people], so don't call me [insert -ism, -phobia, etc].

Murdock does point to some important facts and does indeed refute some of the details in the debate over Reagan's AIDS legacy. For instance, Reagan did allocate money for the emerging epidemic. It would have been negligent not to do so. However, while he may have earmarked funds for AIDS research and prevention, many other closely related areas were seeing huge cuts.

Republican Sen. Lowell Weicker in 1987:

Speaking to reporters following the president's speech Wednesday, Weicker said, ''The most damaging piece of deception as far as the president is concerned is that he says, 'I'm asking for $100 million more in AIDS research.'

''That sounds very good until you hear that he is asking for a $600 million cut in the funds to go to the National Institutes of Health for basic biomedical research. The net of all that is he has cut $500 million for AIDS.''

Of course, these cuts were occurring across the board. It was a horrible strain on social agencies and health departments dealing with a new and deadly disease.

But that aspect of republican politics was not the only critical flaw in Reagan's response to AIDS. Reagan may well have been tolerant of the GLBT community, but political ties to the rise of religious conservatism compromised his ability to react and contributed greatly to his lackluster performance on AIDS.

Michael Bronski in the Advocate:

Reagan understood that a great deal of his power resided in a broad base of born-again Christian Republican conservatives who embraced a deeply reactionary social agenda of which a virulent, demonizing homophobia was a central tenet. In the media men such as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell articulated these sentiments that portrayed gay people as diseased sinners and promoted the idea that AIDS was a punishment from God and that the gay rights movement had to be stopped. In the Republican Party zealous right-wingers such as Rep. William Dannemeyer of California and Sen. Jesse Helms of North Carolina hammered home this message. In the Reagan White House, people such as Secretary of Education William Bennett and Gary Bauer, Reagan’s domestic policy adviser, worked to enact it in the Administration’s policies.

Reagan neglected to speak out against these statements. Further, the most damaging aspect of his connection to religious fundamentalists come in the form of legislation to prevent effective HIV prevention

Again from Bronski:

When health and support groups in the gay community were beginning to initiate education and prevention programs, they were denied federal funding. In October 1987, Helms amended a federal appropriations bill to prohibit AIDS education efforts that “encourage or promote homosexual activity”—that is, efforts that tell gay men how to have safe sex.

That rediculous amendment still stands today for any HIV program or health department that recieves federal funding. It's also just vague enough that interpretion rests on whichever policital wind is blowing.

My real point tonight is this: Who gives a fuck when Reagan actually said the acronym "AIDS"? And his personal experiences with homosexuals weren't going to translate into any kind of effective AIDS policy. And providing funding for research and prevention is all well and good but, what's the point if every government agency around them is collapsing?

The problems with Reagan's AIDS policies aren't in the details; step back and look at the bigger picture.

Minnesota AIDS Walk 2004

The weather Sunday was beautiful, with full sun for most of the day and temperatures in the 60s. The amount of walkers and volunteers for the Minnesota AIDS Walk was incredible. About 11,000 people participated and close to $500,000 was raised (actual total will be released in several weeks).

Several radio and television personalities provided entertainment along with various cultural performers from the African and GLBT communities.

Goldy Gopher and the U of MN cheerleaders got the crowd going.

The amount of people walking the approximately 6 miles along the Mississippi was truly inspiring.

Even if you hate my hat, you can still donate to the Minnesota AIDS Walk 2004, and you can still donate through me. Simply click here to donate or consider walking in your local AIDS Walk. AIDSwalk.org lists over 100 walks thoughout the nation.

Geoffrey

Many of you who read this because of the HIV/AIDS information and news that I track down from time to time. The disease is the most important and devasting to hit the planet since the plague.

So many people have been lost and forgotten over the past 20 years, as entire support networks of gay men died. Those in the GLBT community know that our biological families are rarely as close as our friendship families. When neither of these families are around anymore, the dead become forgotten.

Nick, at Zionide is currently blogging a journal of a man who died of AIDS, and seems to have been forgotten.

Thank you Nick for doing this and hopefully this will touch other people as it did me. AIDS is not a buzz-word or a political platform, but a living reality for many people, as well as those we've lost - - like Geoffrey.

Down-low

Remember when I wrote about HIV at traditionally black colleges and universities?

Oprah is concerned. Straight black women are contracting HIV from their nasty. lying, 'down-low' husbands and boyfriends; black men who have sex with men, but identify as 'straight'.

Oprah's guest, JL King, came off sounding a little homophobic and unrealistic in talking about what amounted to allowing for open relationships between down-low men and their female partners.

Instead of talking about why these men remain in the closet, or about why they aren't taking precautions during sex, or why they don't or can't identify with other same-gender loving men, Oprah wants to talk about how awful the lying is and how women are the victims. They are victims of these men's dishonesty and of a deadly virus. These men are also victims: of a deadly virus, of homophobia perpetrated by those closest to them, of racism in prevention services and GLBT communities, and of unfair media representation.

Keith Boykin has a great response to the media hype over down-low men:

There are many problems with the down low story, but the major problem is that it's based on the principle of vilifying the very people we need to reach. Demonizing people who have already been stigmatized into silence will not end their silence. Instead, we will drive these men further and further into their closets of shame and denial.

I realize JL King realizes that homophobia, heterosexism, and gender rigidity is at play here, but why miss the opportunity to be outspoken about it? This conversation needs to start with the closet, they very place that the dishonesty starts. And where is the attention to the down-low men who are contracting HIV? There's plenty of focus on the women partners of down-low men, but not on the fact that these men are contracting the virus too.

Homophobia Fuels Increase in HIV Rates at Southern Colleges

The media has paid some attention to the recent surge in HIV infections at southern colleges in Universities. Digging into the trend, I only found one article that even began to address how homophobia and racism are implicated in the production of a 'down-low' culture where HIV prevention isn't given any thought.

Homophobia at these traditionally black colleges is one factor contributing to this new epidemic. Many aspects of the African American community are centered around the church, and homosexuality is discussed negatively when it is discussed at all. Additionally, a high regard for traditional masculinity within the community contributes further to a cultural norm of homophobia. An entire book could be written about the causes and social aspects of homophobia in the African American community, but the sure thing is that it exists.

And the GLBT community has a lot of work to do if we are going to pretend to be the inclusive community we keep saying we are. Living in the great white north, I've seen many gay.com chatters looking for 'white guys only' or the covert racism exhibited in many of the Twin Cities gay social venues. Racism or 'otherness' in our community is as much a problem as the homophobia in the African American community.

Lonnie Payne of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation writes this article about racism, homophobia, and black gay men:

As a whole, black gay men have been invisible in American society. We have been scorned within the black community, which often denies our existence as gay men or views us with open hostility. In the general society as well as in the wider gay community, where racism is as prevalent as it is in society as a whole, we often encounter rejection and marginalization due to the color of our skin. The effects have been devastating, contributing to rates of HIV infection among men of color that far exceed those among other groups.

Indeed the CDC cites homophobia as a major factor in accessing services:

Race/ethnicity itself is not a risk factor for HIV infection; however, among racial/ethnic minority MSM, social and economic factors including homophobia...may serve as [a] barrier to receiving HIV prevention information or accessing HIV testing, diagnosis, and treatment.

Coretta Scott King, widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., spoke out against homophobia in 1999.

"I have no doubt that homophobia has worsened and prolonged the AIDS crisis. It is sad to me when I hear black people, including some in leadership positions, making homophobic comments and attacking the human rights of gay and lesbian people. African Americans," she said, "have suffered for too long because of prejudice and bigotry to be parroting the rhetoric of the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups who bash people because of their sexual orientation."

Our two communities need to make some real strides in communicating with each other and addressing these issues. The people caught in the middle are at risk because neither community has had a real dialogue about their own shortcomings.

This is HIV

My campaign to raise money to fight the spread of HIV in Minnesota and support advocacy and care for people affected by HIV is in full swing. I'm raising some money and finding people to join me on Minnesota AIDS Walk day.

While googling about HIV, I came across this image of the virus.

This is what is causing so much pain and misery in our world. And we can prevent it's spead in my little corner of the planet by just clicking the link at the top of this page. Even a $1 will help keep our friends and families healthy. Give a little $1 today!

Is the US serious about HIV/AIDS at home?

Much positive and negative attention has been paid to Bush's global AIDS initiative. But what's happening on the home front?

Many state's are seeing an increase in people with an HIV diagnosis, but funding to help those living with HIV is drying up.

Alabama is seeing this scenario played out as it's share of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) doesn't meet the needs of it's population.

The cost to provide HIV treatment to a low-income patient through the program costs about $10,500 annually. However, when an HIV-positive person is left untreated, that person would be forced to seek emergency room care... According to an Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield estimate, each untreated individual would cost the state $100,000 each year.

In the south, where recent outbreaks of HIV have been reported among college students, money for incresed testing is non-existent.

Additionally, in New Orleans, people with HIV are seeing a further decrease in support services.

What is even more distressing is the CDC's current push to increase HIV testing and the Bush administration's lack of corresponding increase in funding for care and support for people with HIV. Rep. Henry Waxman details the concern in his February letter to the Dept. of Health and Human Services (PDF).

Bush Administration to "wipe-out HIV/AIDS," not really

This is a funny, not really related to HIV/AIDS spoof. The reality is, as much money as we spend on military stuff, we probably could end the AIDS epidemic or at least find effective treatments or a cure.

Students get it too

North Carolina sees increase in HIV among student population. And the government is not going to pony up the funds to increase HIV testing among students in the South.

That's why private donations to HIV/AIDS Programs are so important. HIV testing is crucial to halting the epidemic. Many HIV infections occur because people haven't been routinely screened for the virus.

We're starting to see the long-term effects of anti-retrovirals and protease inhibitors, the powerful drugs designed to supress HIV replication. Also, as people live longer with HIV, many are developing the common diseases of getting older that are not related to HIV.

The reality of HIV treatments, however, is their costs. They are hugely expensive, and not all can afford them. That's why financial support for HIV/AIDS charities is crucial. They can help connect people living with HIV to vital services that help with presciption coverage or have emergency funds available for those who cannot get help with treatment otherwise.

To give to this year's Minnesota AIDSWalk, please visit my personal donation page here: Andy's AIDSWalk Page. Remember, even a donation as small as a dollar can make a huge difference in curbing this epidemic.

As of day 3, I've gotten $45 in pledges. I'm reaching for $1000 by next Friday. Help me make that a reality!

Every little bit helps

Eleventh Avenue South is proud to kick off the 2004 Minnesota AIDS Walk Fundraising drive!

As many of you know, government funds for critical services for people at risk for HIV or living with HIV are slowly being taken away. With Bush's economic policies, many of us have less money to give, so donations continue to dry up as well.

I'm going to be working my ass off to raise as much money as possible over the next three months. Wouldn't it be great if cyberspace helped contribute to that goal? I think so!

If you are reading this and saying to yourself: Who is this asshole and why should I care about Minnesota?

My answer to you is: I'm Andy and I live here, and my friends and I benefit from the agencies that work to prevent HIV and work to better the lives of people with HIV.

To contribute to the cause, please visit my personal webpage here. Please have you credit card handy, hehe.

March will be HIV month here. Look for interesting information about HIV in Minnesota, America, and Worldwide.