Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Washington Blade - October 21, 2005
Dyana Bagby
The summit, expected to attract about 300 people from across the country, is the fourth of its kind. The event takes place every other year in different locations, according to David Ferguson, programming director for Utah AIDS Foundation and an organizer of the national event. Previous summits took place in Boulder, Colo., in 1999 and 2001 and Raleigh, N.C., in 2003.
The national summit is organized by a group of geographically and ethnically diverse gay, bisexual and transgendered men, Ferguson said. The event welcomes all people who support the health and well-being of men who are gay, bisexual, queer or have sex with men, he said.
"Its organization is based on a grass-roots model of creating change and is focused on creating and building capacity at the local level, which results in more informed and self-determined decisions about health," Ferguson said.
Health educators, medical providers, policy makers, activists and people with HIV with concerns about the ways current political trends and health challenges are impacting gay men will be among those who attend the event, Ferguson said.
"While many of the challenges facing gay, bisexual and trans men are daunting, it's important to recognize that many gay men, both HIV positive and negative, remain healthy and make important changes to further improve their health individually and in the communities where they live," he said.
Meth epidemic fuels HIV
On Oct. 20, a panel of health experts and activists will discuss the use of crystal methamphetamine among gay men.
Some health officials contend that use of crystal meth among gay men typically leads to unsafe sex, contributing to rising rates of syphilis and HIV infection among gay and bisexual men. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention reports there are now more than one million HIV cases in the U.S. with gay men making up a majority of those cases.
"There are people [on the panel] who will be bringing a vast array of experience with crystal meth and gay men. This is not about pointing fingers, but is more of a harm reduction approach," Ferguson said.
A full plenary session will focus on finding ways for gay men of color to participate in the grassroots health movement. A recent CDC study involving a handful of cities reported that 46 percent of gay black men who had sex with men and were tested for HIV were positive.
"It's important that any kind of movement like this be as inclusive as possible - this is not just a gay white man's movement," Ferguson said. "There are many issues faced by black, Latino or a trans black man that are different and how this affects their spiritual and physical health needs to be understood."
The last day of the summit will address what Ferguson called "an increasingly hostile national political environment" toward gay men and lesbians under President Bush's administration.
On the heels of the national event, the Southeast Regional Gay Men's Health Summit convenes Nov. 10-13 in Jacksonville, Fla.
More than 100 people are expected to attend the summit to discuss topics such as crystal meth, HIV and hepatitis, as well as forming healthy relationships.
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