Yes, Discrimination Against HIV+ Employees Still Exists

The US has laws on the books that prevent on-the-job discrimination against employees working in the States who are living with HIV. It's fantastic legislation that I have been grateful for since my positive test result in January, 2009. I have felt secure since then because I felt that I would be be protected in the workplace.  Maybe I shouldn't have that false sense of security, as it is plain that discrimination is still taking place.

One former employee isn't smiling.

One HIV-positive man in a Michigan dental office called Great Expressions is now alleging that his employees and coworkers, once they found out he carried the virus, created a horribly uncomfortable environment at work. They sprayed him with Lysol, ordered him to not touch doorknobs, and eventually fired him over his serostatus.

Lawyers for James White have called his case the worst case of alleged HIV-related job discrimination they have ever handled. According to White, who was an office assistant at Great Expressions Dental Center, his superiors leaked news of his HIV-positive status to fellow coworkers, several of whom began spraying White with Lysol, prohibiting him from touching doorknobs, and wiping down office furniture and equipment after he used it. Finally, during a stint in the hospital to seek care for his HIV, Great Expressions allegedly called White and told him not to return to work.

White has already sought legal action against Great Expressions, with the Detroit chapter of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruling that there was probable cause to believe that the office discriminated against him because of his serostatus. Great Expressions has ignored the ruling, however a Change.org petition has been created with 37,500 signatures at the time of this writing demanding an apology from the administrators of the office.

Just to be clear about the law in the US regarding HIV-positive employees, I got this clarification from the website for the National Association of Social Workers:

Individuals with disabilities are protected under the Americans with DisabilitiesAct (ADA). Persons with HIV, whether they have outwardly manifested symptoms or not, are considered to have physical impairments that substantially limit one or more major life activities. Therefore, the ADA covers them.The ADA gives federal civil rights protection to individuals with disabilities. It also guarantees equal opportunity in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services and telecommunications. Recent court decisions and pending legislation may affect this protection of HIV-positive people against discrimination.

Equal Employment Opportunity Laws (EEOP) cover all private employers, state and local governments, and education institutions that employ 15 or more individuals. They also cover private and public employment agencies, labor organizations, and joint labor management committees controlling apprenticeship and training.

[Employment practices covered by the ADA] include hiring, firing, job application procedures, job interviews, job assignment, training and promotions, and wage benefits, including health insurance, leave, and other employment related activities.Employers who know an employee is HIV-positive are required to make "reasonable accommodations" for that person.

Great Expressions is clearly violating the law as mandated by the federal government.

People are often taken aback with my willingness to disclose my status, and James White is a perfect example why. People can't hold prejudices or unfair stigma against people living with HIV when someone they like or respect is open about their serostatus. I look forward to the day when this sort of disgusting harassment ends.

 

 

HIV Positive Student Denied Admission To Private School

Today is World AIDS Day, and I spent a good couple hours of my time today holding signs, raising awareness, and gathering signatures for a pledge to help end HIV.  It was a positive (hehe) experience and a great way to commemorate this global day of education.

One of the reasons we have World AIDS Day is to raise awareness, which is the easiest way to dispel the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.  Unfortunately, we still come across ample examples of why education is needed, like this troubling story coming from a Pennsylvania boarding school.

The Milton Hershey School was founded by the chocolate tycoon as a school that "nurtures and educates children in social and financial need to lead fulfilling and productive lives."

But it seems that fulfillment won’t be coming for a 13-year-old honor student from Delaware County who is infected with the virus that causes AIDS. 

"I feel no other teenager should go through this, being denied just because they have HIV," the boy said in an exclusive interview with NBC Philadelphia’s Denise Nakano.

Watch:

  

It's sad that clear cases of discrimination against innocents who live with this disease still happen.  If the school's administration was educated about the actual methods of spreading HIV, they likely would not have denied this boy a chance for an education.

Westboro Baptist Church Counter-Protested By AIDS Denialists

The Foo Fighters had a concert on the 30th in Kansas City, MO, but received some unwelcome attendance from the infamous Westboro Baptist Church, who naturally showed up with their usual "God Hates Fags" schtick. The band, to their credit, responded by coming out of their trailer and serenading America's least favorite church with "Keep It Clean," including one lyric:

I've got a hankering for something, think I'm in the mood for some hot man-muffins.

Video:



Cute.

Towleroad, however, reminds us that the Foo Fighters are no stranger to dangerous propaganda that affects the gay community. This particular musical group has notably supported the theory of AIDS denialism, a movement which nonsensically denies that HIV has any connection whatsoever to AIDS. In fact, Mother Jones reported in 2000 that the Foo Fighters had a benefit concert for Alive and Well, an organization that urges people to forgo HIV testing and drug treatment:

The multimillion-album-selling alternative rock outfit has thrown its weight behind Alive and Well, an "alternative AIDS information group" that denies any link between HIV and AIDS. In January, Foo Fighters bassist Nate Mendel helped organize a sold-out concert in Hollywood to benefit the group. Foo fans were treated to a speech by Alive and Well founder Christine Maggiore, who believes AIDS may be caused by HIV-related medications, anal sex, stress, and drug use, and implies that people should not get tested for HIV nor take medications to counter the virus. Free copies of Maggiore's self-published book, "What If Everything You Thought You Knew About AIDS Was Wrong?," in which she declares "there is no proof that HIV causes AIDS," were also passed out to the concert-goers.

While the Foo Fighters' hearts were in the right place with WBC, one wonders when Nate Mendel and crew will address this dangerous misinformation that they have espoused? Who knows how many people living with HIV attended that concert and are now dead from refusal to take their meds?

While Alive and Well is no longer listed as one of the group's pet causes on their website, if Dave Grohl and the rest of the Foo Fighters want to be seen as role models for heterosexual allies of the LGBT movement, they should repudiate this dangerous and factually incorrect vision of HIV/AIDS.

Ian Awesome And The 2011 Seattle AIDS Walk

So I'm participating in this year's AIDS Walk here in Seattle.  Basically, it is a 5k walk or run that, should you sponsor me, will raise money for a local charitable organization called Lifelong AIDS Alliance.  Lifelong provides essential services (to include social work and food benefits) to people living with HIV/AIDS in King County.  I have made use of their services before and most likely will again, so please give generously to this very worthy organization.  Click here!  You can make a one-time donation for as little (or as much!) as you want.  Do it!

The Search For The Cure For AIDS: Glowing Green Cats Edition

Scientists, tirelessly continuing the search for a cure for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, have come up with an inventive new method for tracking HIV resistance in monkey species: by genetically engineering cats to include resistant genes.  The cool factor?  They have included bio luminescent genes from jellyfish to easily identify the newly resistant cells.  The result?  Cats that glow green:

The study, published Sunday in the journal Nature Methods, involved inserting monkey genes that block the virus into feline eggs, or oocytes, before they are fertilized. 

The scientists also inserted jellyfish genes that make the modified cells glow an eerie green color — making the altered genes easy to spot. 

Tests on cells taken from the cats show they are resistant to feline immunodeficiency virus, or FIV, which causes AIDS in cats. 

"This provides the unprecedented capability to study the effects of giving AIDS-protection genes into an AIDS-vulnerable animal," Dr. Eric Poeschla of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who led the study, said in a telephone interview.

I'm a big cat person, so I think it's rad that my kitty friends are helping to cure my disease (yes, I said kitty friends.  I'm that bad).  Plus?  I want a mutant green cat, RIGHT THE HELL NOW.

Thanks to reader Houston C. for the tip.

Miss Piggy Wishes Fellow Gay Icon Freddie Mercury A Happy Birthday

Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen (and not-so-secret gay man), died of AIDS in 1991, but that's not stopping Miss Piggy from wishing him a happy birthday, which occurred this Sunday:



It's kind of creepy to have a puppet wish a dead man happy birthday, but whatever.  Google also honored Mercury, but sadly did not make mention of the AIDS advocacy taking place in his name.  If you would like to honor Freddie Mercury by making a donation to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, an AIDS foundation in his name, you can do so by clicking here.

Ulterior motive for posting this:  I once took an online test, "What Muppet are you?" and got Miss Piggy.  My mother refuses to let me live that down, even though it's been about twelve years since it happened.  This one's for you, ma!

HIV Scare Shuts Down LA Porn Industry

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

DOMA Is Still Alive, Folks

If you have any doubt that there needs to be a lot more work regarding the benefits of marriage for LGBT Americans, look no further than here.

Even though DOMA has seen a decided lack of support from the Administration in recent weeks, one couple still feels the pain of its oppressive policies.  Bradford Wells and Anthony John Makk, who have been together for 19 years and married 7 years ago in Massachusetts, are now slated to be separated as deportation proceedings have been completed against Makk.  He is going to be shipped back to his native Australia, which is doubly sad as he is his husband's primary caregiver.  Wells suffers from AIDS, and Makk's absence is sure to have an impact on his health.

And what is the immigration authorities justification for deporting Makk?  That's right, you guessed it!  The Defense of Marriage Act.

"Bradford Wells, a U.S. citizen, and Anthony John Makk, a citizen of Australia, were married seven years ago in Massachusetts. They have lived together 19 years, mostly in an apartment in the Castro district. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services denied Makk's application to be considered for permanent residency as a spouse of an American citizen, citing the 1996 law that denies all federal benefits to same-sex couples.

"The decision was issued July 26. Immigration Equality, a gay-rights group that is working with the couple, received the notice Friday and made it public Monday. Makk was ordered to depart the United States by Aug. 25. Makk is the sole caregiver for Wells, who has severe health problems.

"'I'm married just like any other married person in this country,' Wells said. 'At this point, the government can come in and take my husband and deport him. It's infuriating. It's upsetting. I have no power, no right to keep my husband in this country. I love this country, I live here, I pay taxes and I have no right to share my home with the person I married.'"

While I blog frequently about marriage equality, I never really felt exceedingly passionate about the struggle for gay couples to get married in this country.  I often felt that ENDA and the repeal of DADT were far more important to LGBT Americans.  In fact, when I get married in March, it will most likely not be a legal ceremony.  Adam and I are happy just confirming our love to each other in front of friends (though Dan Choi, our officiant, recently got ordained just in case).  However, for bi-national couples, the right to get married is an important one and extremely necessary to stay together.

Relief: Obama Administration To Continue ADAP Funding At Previous Levels

With all the talk of debt ceilings and drastic budget cuts, HIV positive individuals like myself have been eyeing AIDS Drug Assistance Program funding nervously, hoping the federal money that allows us to get our life-saving medication cheaply would continue unhindered.  Good news came this week via an announcement of the AIDS Institute, stating that funding would remain at last year's levels.  This is especially good news for Florida, who has thousands of patients dying on ADAP waiting lists:

"'We are pleased the Obama Administration heard our objections and those of others in Florida that its decision to limit the level of emergency ADAP funding to less than what it received last year would have forced the state to remove people currently taking medications from the program.' commented Michael Ruppal, Executive Director of The AIDS Institute.

"Today, the federal government issued a clarification that allows states, particularly Florida, to receive at least as much as they received in emergency ADAP funding last year rather than be limited to only $3 million. Last year, Florida received $7 million in emergency ADAP funds.

"'Despite the doubling of emergency ADAP funding from $25 to $50 million, Florida will basically be restricted to receiving the same level as last year despite having the largest waiting list in the country.' added Ruppal.'

The announcement is quick to point, however, that the situation in Florida is still dire:

"Florida currently has over 3,680 people on the ADAP waiting list, which represents 42% of the wait lists nationwide. 'This new clarification means that Florida will only be eligible to receive up to 18% of the competitive portion of the emergency resources. While this will help keep people currently taking medications now on the program it will not reduce the wait list, which is growing each month.' added Ruppal."

So for at least one more year, the situation at least won't get measurably worse.  However, it's important that AIDS advocates continue pushing for more funding in order to halt AIDS-related deaths in the US.

HIV: Yes, There Are Still Consequences

HIV/AIDS infection rates have not slowed and are even speeding up in certain populations in the United States. The causes for the continuing scourge of HIV/AIDS in America are too many to list, ranging from widespread meth use to a mysterious lack of visibility in Hollywood of poz celebrities. I have always felt that prevention education is the key to halting the spread of the epidemic, but we see a disturbing trend of spending cuts and silence when it comes to prevention.

Part of the problem, of course, is that the picture of what prevention is supposed to look like isn't clear. The HIV/AIDS game is changing. People aren't dying of AIDS as often, with the leading cause of death among people living with HIV quickly becoming heart failure. This presents a unique challenge to prevention educators: HIV just isn't that scary any more, and it softens the message and impact of campaigns warning people from risky behaviors. Dan Savage, as I mentioned before, has very publicly stated that modern prevention is hamstrung by the pesky need to be factually accurate regarding the consequences of HIV in modern times to patients.

Regardless of his concerns, it's possible to tailor prevention campaigns to include the very real consequences of HIV that still exist. There are health concerns, financial concerns, and a slew of other problems that can discourage someone from unsafe practices.

So let's talk about them, shall we?

I have HIV. I tested positive on January 3rd, 2009, and it's been a pain in my ass since.

To start with, informing your friends and family about your serostatus can be insanely difficult. I ended up being the one consoling half the people I talked to, as they dissolved into tears, hysterics, etc., sure that I was going to die any minute.

Disclosure is still a necessary (and difficult) evil. At Netroots Nation, I stood up and disclosed my status in the LGBT pre-conference, primarily because I wanted to talk about HIV/AIDS issues, but also because I figured I would have hot activism sex and didn't want any awkward moments when I told my partners about the virus I carry. See? Mind like a steel trap, this one.

Of course, the big consequences are health related. While it's not likely that I will die of immune issues, there is a very big chance that I could die of cardiovascular disease. HIV, for some reason, hardens arteries and I must watch what I eat in response.

My greatest concern, of course, is my medicine. While there are great medications out there that keep my CD4 (think T-cells) high, they can have a drastic impact on my health. I'm on my second regimen, Isentress and Truvada, because my first one involved Norvir, which made me SICK. AS. HELL. I essentially spent two months alternately sitting on the toilet and vomiting every meal I ate. If I were to tailor a campaign about the modern consequences of HIV, it would probably involve this image:

My first regimen devastated my GI system so badly that even though I'm on a completely different regimen, I still cannot digest dairy. Really. A bowl of cereal in the morning can ruin my day (and everyone else's, yuk).

Lastly, medicine is fucking expensive. I take almost $300 worth of medication a day as part of my HAART regimen. Seeing as how I'm a broke-ass blogger, the government has to pick up the tab, and with drastic budget cuts to HIV/AIDS budgets being hung over our heads, it is not certain that I will always be able to afford the medication that keeps me alive. Even now, finding the funding to pay for my meds is a huge pain, with reams of paperwork being filled out and endless consultations with a myriad of social workers and bureaucrats.

In short? No. We're not dying off in droves. But if you don't want to possibly shit your pants while on a date or spend hours arranging insurance and comforting friends and family about your serostatus, don't get fucking HIV. It still really fucking bites.

HHS Begins Revising Blood Donation Policies

I have become something of an irritant to Red Cross canvassers in downtown Seattle.  You can't go anywhere without them or Planned Parenthood hitting you up for cash, and while they're great organizations, they can be a real pain.  The poor guys who raise money for the Red Cross, however, are starting to learn to avoid me.  "Hi!  Can I talk to you for a minute?"  Cue Ian's finger-waving: "If you accepted my blood, I would consider donating to your organization!"

This is a bit of a douchebag move on my part.  I obviously cannot donate blood because I am HIV positive, and it's not necessarily the Red Cross' fault that the US Department of Health and Human Services bans men who have sex with men (MSM) from giving blood products.  It makes for interesting sidewalk discussions, though.

Those canvassers may have a reprieve from my one-man terror crusade, though, as the HHS has decided to study the issue further and consider revision of the rules to allow MSM to donate.  From the Gay Men's Health Crisis:

Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) and the World Federation of Hemophilia laud the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for outlining concrete steps toward review of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) permanent deferral on blood donation by gay and bisexual men.  In a question-and-answer document, HHS described four areas of necessary study to allow a further review of the existing policy, and implementation of the June 2010 recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability (ACBSA). These areas include: How the risk of blood transmissible diseases in the current donor population relate to the risk factors in donors;  The root cause of quarantine release errors (QRE), the accidental release of blood not cleared for use that potentially put the blood supply at risk;  If potential donors correctly understand the current questionnaire and if men who have sex with men (MSM) would comply with modified deferral criteria; and If alternative screening strategy (e.g. pre- and/or post-qualifying donation infectious disease testing) for MSM (and potentially other high-risk donors) would assure blood safety while enabling data collection that could demonstrate safe blood collection from a subset of MSM or other currently deferred donors.

Well, it looks like I might have to revert to "I'm just really broke guys, sorry."

Discussion: Celebrity Impact On HIV/AIDS

In a recent Queerty piece, Daniel Villarreal bemoaned the lack of HIV-positive celebrities in Hollywood. At one time, we had a slew of famous people coming out as poz in order to put a face on a deadly disease and give the virus the attention required to halt the spread of a horrible epidemic.

During the '90s, brave men like Rock Hudson came out as HIV-positive and combated the stigma of the disease as being "other." In recent times, who fills this role? We have this notion that HIV is manageable, much like cancer, yet still, there's no-one living openly with HIV who can "put a face on it."

I agree with Daniel. Who really thinks there aren't any celebrities with HIV currently working today?

The conversation evolved off the blog though, and Daniel asked me a complicated question that I've had to address before: Is it really wise to even term HIV manageable? While it's certainly treatable, isn't it counterproductive to prevention to allow educational campaigns to stress that it is no longer necessarily deadly?

The Catch-22, of course, being that hiding that information can promote unnecessary stigma against people living with HIV. So what's the solution?

It's a subject I've had to address before. In May, Dan Savage gave an interview to Hivster in which he rashly claimed that we should be hiding the facts about HIV:

"HIV [prevention campaigns] are fatally compromised, terribly conflicted. They seem designed, first and foremost, to avoid making the already HIV+ guys feel bad about being positive. That fear—that this, that, or the other HIV education campaign might stigmatize having HIV and hurt the feelings of guys who have HIV — is paralyzing and it leads to neutered, ineffective, flaccid campaigns. They can’t say, 'Don’t get HIV! It’s life-altering, it’s hard!' and 'HIV is not big deal! You’ll be fine! Guys with HIV are living wonderful, rewarding lives!' at the same time."

I respond to statements like this very simply: you can't win by lying or hiding the truth. You can't educate with obfuscation. The reason I'm progressive is because I believe in telling the truth. Changing the perception that HIV is manageable flies in the face of the purpose of education and promotes negative stereotypes of people living with HIV.

Is Dan suggesting that we should be making HIV-positive people feel ashamed of their serostatus? I reject that notion, as do most HIV advocates. Stigmatizing poz people as a method of prevention is a dangerous campaign which turns people living with HIV/AIDS into casualties of opinion. Clearly, unfounded bias is in of itself flawed.

Even more simply? People don't say "Oh, well, cancer is manageable. I'm going to go get loaded on carcinogens." I have never ever known someone living with HIV who said "Well, I figured I would just take a pill, every day, for the rest of my life, so catching HIV didn't matter." Really, which HIV prevention programs are saying "HIV isn't a big deal!"?

Finally, the best way to prevent HIV and still mitigate the problem of serophobia is most easily addressed by tailoring campaigns to include the consequences of HIV. While my disease is manageable, there are still serious daily consequences and fears I must face every single day. I take pills, I have side effects, I have to constantly worry about my medical coverage. All year long I have frequent doctor's visits where multiple vials of blood are drawn.

So no, Mr. Savage. HIV prevention campaigns are not flawed by telling the truth. They are perfected by telling the truth. Education cannot be founded on bias and fear campaigns. It is unacceptable to create unreasonable fear through misinformation! Since when is censorship of the facts a tool for HIV prevention?

It only served to underscore Daniel's point: HIV-positive celebrities who come out as poz could provide not only a face that validates the need for prevention (people are still catching it, guys!), but could educate the public as to the consequences of their serostatus. Happily, for people like myself who face stigma related to our disease, this would serve the piggybacked benefit of humanizing once more this virus which has become increasingly "other" with lack of visibility.

Will the Rock Hudson of the 21st century please stand up?

The Changing Face Of AIDS

Via JoeMyGod, this image has a huge interactive version that allows close inspection of this data compiled from several sources.  Take a gander, it's pretty fascinating.

Today In WTF

This story has myself and just about everyone else scratching their head.

It's been federal policy for 30 years to deny men who have sex with men the ability to donate blood unless celibate. While that in and of itself is pretty much bullshit, you wouldn't think the Red Cross's irrational fear of HIV tainted blood (now almost a zero chance with modern testing methods) would affect straight donors.

One man, Aaron Pace, attempted to give blood at a donor center. However, the screener judged him to be a little fey and decided he "appeared homosexual" and could not donate. The thing is, Aaron is straight, no matter how effeminate he may appear.

"'I was humiliated and embarrassed,' said Pace, 22. of Gary [Indiana]. 'It’s not right that homeless people can give blood but homosexuals can’t. And I’m not even a homosexual.'

"Pace visited Bio-Blood Components Inc. in Gary, which pays for blood and plasma donations, up to $40 a visit. But during the interview screening process, Pace said he was told he could not be a blood donor there because he 'appears to be a homosexual.'

"No one at Bio-Blood returned calls seeking comment, but donation centers like it, and even the American Red Cross, are still citing a nearly 30-year-old federal policy to turn away gay men from donating."

While I'm not going to knock on the homeless, Aaron says it pretty succinctly-- why did he get turned away? Not only is that clearly a breach of the rules, but it enforces negative (and inaccurate) stereotypes. The Food and Drug Administration needs to stop treating gay blood as "icky" and start letting MSM help people in need.

Increasing HIV Rates In South Tied To Lack Of Education

A few weeks ago I posted on Hivster about the AIDSvu map published by Emory University, which illustrates for the first time rates of infection county-by-county in the continental US.  Now USA Today has analyzed the information and has found disturbing yet familiar information: HIV/AIDS rates of infection are rising among poor communities uneducated about the virus, especially in the South.

Long considered a "gay disease" centered in urban environments on the coasts, HIV has become firmly entrenched in the heartland, with rates of infection skyrocketing in rural and impoverished areas of 11 Southern states.  Due to racially-oriented divides in socioeconomic status, the virus is disproportionately affecting communities of color, an alarming trend that black and Latino community leaders would do well to heed.

From USA Today:

"Harold Henderson, an HIV expert at the University of Mississippi, says Southern states suffer from a host of health issues, including HIV, for reasons that extend from poverty to a lack of education and fragile families. He added that many children in the South lack sufficient sex education.

"'The age when kids first become sexually active is pretty young in the Deep South,' he says. 'That has a lot to do with the fact parents don't do a good job of (educating their kids about sex). And if you happen to live in a broken home, with drug use and poverty involved, you may not be getting the parental supervision you need.'

"The new analysis identified 175 counties that rank among the top 20% for both HIV and poverty, all but six in the South. Two of the six are the boroughs of Brooklyn and the Bronx in New York City. Seven states — Alaska, Idaho, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont and West Virgnia — did not share their county-level data."

People ask me all the time-- as HIV/AIDS is a subject I harp on frequently-- what the best course to arrest new infections in this country, and I'm almost exasperated by how many times I've had to shout "EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION!"  In fact, studies show that black Africans who were barely educated but had heard of the local HIV/AIDS advocacy group even then stood a much higher chance of avoiding the virus.

With sex ed being one of our top weapons in defeating HIV, wouldn't it be nice if our legislators stopped slashing education?

City-Based HIV Strategies Introduced In China

Chengdu, China hosted a workshop on Friday to address concerns about the rising rates of infection with men who have sex with men (MSM) in the communist nation, specifically within the city.  The session included an important commitment: the commitment of Chengdu to ramping up prevention and education within that community.

The city-level community was a highlight of the workshop, but more than city officials attended the event.  Numerous health officials from China's national government attended, making some hopeful that the nation may see some relief from rising HIV infections through new, city-based strategies.

Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS director, was also present and had this to say:

"'Cities are at the heart of China’s development and progress, and must remain at the forefront of its HIV response, said Mr Sidibé. 'Through bold action to address HIV among men who have sex with men, cities can lead the way to achieving the UNAIDS vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, zero AIDS-related deaths. We hope that over the next year, many more Chinese cities will implement city-based MSM strategies,' he added."

HIV/AIDS is a dire situation in China, specifically among the MSM population.  One in three new infections is a man who has sex with men, but only 15% of HIV positive MSM are receiving treatment.  This new outreach plan will hopefully mean the government of China is taking measures to including and protecting MSM in years to come.

Happy Birthday, Leonard Matlovich

Today is the birthday of one of our nation's great unsung heroes (and one of my personal idols).  Leonard Matlovich began a discourse that has culminated in recent victories for LGBT rights, and if the educators in California know what they're doing with a bill requiring the discussion of these victories in the classroom, they would do well to teach children about his sacrifices.

A Vietnam war vet and recipient of a Bronze Star and Purple Heart, Technical Sergeant Matlovich could have rested on his laurels knowing that he had done his country great service.  Instead, Leonard chose to address inequalities facing gay and lesbian servicemembers in the best way possible: on March 6th, 1975, he came out to his commanding officer, and then the world.

September 8, 1975. History is made.

Thus began a road that culminated in historic legislation passed last year freeing gay and lesbian military personnel to live their lives without fear.

My love of this great man is two-fold.  Not only was he a tireless advocate for LGBT soldiers, Leonard discovered in a doctor's visit that a lung infection was not the simple flu, but was due to AIDS complications.  Incensed by the lack of education from the White House on the topic, he then publicly came out as poz on Good Morning America in 1987 and became a champion for thousands of people who were dying of the disease.  

His most famous quote, "When I was in the military, they gave me me a medal for killing two men, and a discharge for loving one," is written on his tombstone.

I had the honor of participating in a ceremony in November when trans activist and Pam's House Blend contributor Autumn Sandeen laid a wreath on his tomb.  

Later that day, I was arrested for protesting DADT at the White House with 12 other activists, to include Sandeen, Dan Choi, and Michael Bedwell.  Michael was Leonard's roommate in Washington DC and San Francisco, and is the webmaster of LeonardMatlovich.com.  I asked him for some words on today, and the meaning of Leonard's many sacrifices for his country.  The ever-verbose (really, you should listen to this man gossip) had this to say:

"Well, he was no more perfect than any of us, but he would have been one of my heroes even if we'd never become friends. 

Bedwell helps to make history at the White House.

"We met the weekend before the Secretary of the Air Force confirmed his discharge in October of 1975 and I was one of those with him when he died on June 22nd, 1988. We were roommates in DC and SF, so I witnessed countless examples of his personal sacrifice beyond his Air Force career such as the many times he paid his own way to speak to groups who couldn't afford even his travel expenses; the times he opened our home and his heart to hurting gay strangers; the way he flew the American flag next to the rainbow flag from the balcony; his paying to have an American flag and flag pole installed in front of his restaurant in Guerneville, his giving thousands to the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus to help fund their first nationwide tour—the first of any gay chorus; the way he didn't want his own name on his own tombstone because he wanted ALL gay veterans to finally have a permanent memorial. 

"And I know in my heart he would have been ON THAT WHITE HOUSE FENCE with us....probably in 2009 when it became clear Obama was dragging out repeal—and would be outraged at the passivity of most of the gay service member groups when it's STILL law."

I feel in my heart that I am living in my third year with HIV in part because this man spoke out about his disease and helped to insure that many Americans today have access to the drugs they need to survive.  I take my medicine every day because the government pays for it, and that is to an extent thanks to this man.  There are thousands of American that literally owe their lives to his bravery.

Leonard Matlovich died on June 22nd, 1988, just days before his 45th birthday.  He insisted that his grave not bear his name, believing instead that it should stand as a monument to all gay veterans.  

Please take a moment to reflect on his sacrifices today.  He gave so much that we could live as free Americans.  

Thank you, Leonard Matlovich.  Happy Birthday.  

New Comic Book: A World Without AIDS

A new title is coming from comic writer Sam Humphries and illustrator Steven Sanders which posits an interesting scenario: what would the world be like with an AIDS vaccine?

Playing in a tongue-in-cheek manner of the old argument that if we let gays marry, then we'd have to let people marry their dogs too, "Our Love Is Real" details the encounters a riot cop comes up against in the course of his job-- plantsexuals, for instance-- and how they change his life.

"FIVE YEARS AFTER THE AIDS VACCINE...Plantsexuals riot in the streets for equal rights. Humans fall in love with dogs. And crystals are more than just jewelry. A chance encounter on the job changes a riot cop's life forever as he finds himself caught in a bizarre love triangle that blurs romance, crime, and lust beyond recognition."

You'll be hard-pressed to find the 24-page book, however, as it is in just a few select stores nationwide.  Click on over to Towleroad to find out who is carrying the title.

India's HIV Drugs Negotiations: Millions Will Die If New Restrictions Are Added

With prices of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) in the US skyrocketing without any end in sight, one of the most important tools to fighting HIV/AIDS globally is the Indian pharmaceutical industry. Due to less regulation and a canny understanding of the "free market," their crucial HIV drugs are sold at substantially lower costs than here in the US. This allows impoverished nations in third-world regions the ability to treat this deadly disease, and that in and of itself is a boon. So why would we tamper with the system?

You and I wouldn't, but the European Union's current trade negotiations with India might.

The new, ineptly named "free trade agreement" might include incredibly damaging restrictions, including patent protections and border enforcement rules that will hamstring the ability of the Indian pharmaceutical industry to produce generic versions of the ARVs available in the US. Keep in mind that this is wildly important: while my Truvada I take daily is around $30 a pill here, it's available for just pennies in equatorial Africa.

Michel Sidibe, the executive director for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS has lambasted the proposed restrictions as disastrous, stating in plain language that millions not only could, but will die if we restrict the ARV trade with India.

"'India should resist removing any flexibility because any trade agreement which could lead to India not being able to produce will be terrible for the rest of the world,' said Michel Sidibe, executive director for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

"'Millions of people will die if India cannot produce and Africa will be the most affected. For me, it is an issue of life or death,' he told Reuters in an interview, adding that about 86 percent of people on treatment were taking drugs made in India."

World leaders need to stop kowtowing to the demands of Big Pharm interests. These sorts of ridiculous policies reflect the actual concerns of pharmaceutical companies; instead of health and well-being for sick populations, the driving greed for profits is what fuels these entities.

South Africa: AIDS Conspiracy Theorists Less Likely To Use Condoms

It's sad that South Africa, a country ravaged by HIV/AIDS, still has these kinds of misconceptions floating around.

A recent study done suggests that people who adhere to conspiracy theories about HIV-- that it was created by scientists, for example-- are half as likely to use condoms.  Even more disturbing is a trend among young, black South Africans to believe this sort of rot.  Respondents in the 20-29 range were 8 to 10 times more likely to believe an HIV conspiracy theory than others.

From Plus News:

"Among black respondents, 20 percent believed that HIV was man-made and created by scientists as an attack on people of African descent, according to a University of Cape Town (UCT) study.

"New research by Nicoli Nattrass, director of the AIDS and Society Research Unit at UCT, also found that AIDS conspiracy believers are 50 percent less likely to report having used a condom the last time they had sex than non-believers. Respondents with traditional values, and those who had lower socio-economic status but were not religious, were more likely to believe there was a conspiracy."

Even though we here at home consider ourselves far more educated, conspiracy theories about the virus abound in America as well, propagated by hate groups and white supremacists.  The very idea that God uses HIV to punish sinners is a very popular one, and can lead to false and dangerous suppositions about the disease.  After all, if you don't believe you're a sinner, you can't get HIV, right?

The study's data seems to provide a solution, however: respondents who had heard of the Treatment Action Campaign (an HIV/AIDS issues-based lobbying group) were more educated and reported a higher rate of use of condoms.  The key here?  Education and talking about the issue.  Given the recent decline of HIV/AIDS in American political discussions, I worry that we're robbing a generation of youth (gay and straight) of the necessary tools to remain HIV-free.