Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1998. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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The San Francisco Examiner; Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1998 - Page A 3
Robert Salladay, Examiner Capitol Bureau
"Mother, they come in different flavors."
Shindle, a Northwestern University senior, brought her nontraditional beauty-queen message about AIDS-prevention to the California Assembly Monday, backed by Assemblywoman Carole Migden, D-San Francisco.
Midgen introduced a bill Monday to create a special license plate to raise an estimated $500,000 a year for AIDS-related programs, much like another specialized license plate that raises money for Yosemite conservation.
The AIDS-prevention license plates, which Midgen said could cost $50 in addition to registration fees, would carry a red ribbon on the right side and the words, "Be here for the cure."
"We need to be vigilant and pledge additional resources to win this fight," Migden said.
Shindle, who supports Migden's efforts and spoke Monday on the Assembly floor, is not the first Miss America to champion AIDS prevention. But her advocacy of limited condom distribution in schools and needle-exchange programs has made some conservative public officials and parents nervous.
Before she spoke to students in South Carolina, state officials there sent her copies of the state education code on exactly what she could speak about.
"There has been a bit of resistence along the way," Shindle said. "I was told a few weeks ago in a state in the South that I was not allowed to speak to the students about needle exchange or condom distribution. I couldn't say the words "homosexual,' "heterosexual,' "gay,' "straight' or "bisexual.' But other than that, I could say anything I wanted about HIV prevention."
Shindle, 20, said that experience was not typical. Most teachers and principals support her message, but outrage from parents sometimes can get in the way, she said.
"In most places the message has been welcome," she said. "I just try to respect everyone's comfort level. . . . Whatever they're not comfortable with me speaking about directly, the students usually bring up in question-and-answer anyway."
Migden raised a few eyebrows when, trying to quiet the rowdy Assembly and introduce Shindle, she said: "For those of you who have asked to have your picture taken (later), we ask that you have your absolute erect attention now."
Shindle raised her eyebrows and smiled broadly, then calmly walked forward to give her speech.
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