Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Bay Area Reporter - August 17, 2000
Jeff Getty, Survive AIDS Writers Pool
Though the group was very critical of DPH's numbers and history of credibility, all agreed on the following consensus. We hope that DPH and others planning HIV prevention in our community will consider this statement that was unanimously adopted:
1. We have heard the DPH presentation on new HIV infection and have grilled Dr. Willi McFarland at length. We believe that the trend or rise in new infections is accurate.
2. We see unsafe sex increasing in our midst.
3. Survive AIDS feels very strongly that there needs to be a change in direction for targeted prevention efforts;
Any intervention program aimed at HIV-positive or HIV-negative men who have sex with men must include members of those groups in planning and directing such efforts;
Each group must receive its own message -- the HIV-positive message does not work for those who are HIV-negative. Gay men's health needs to be integrated with aspects other than HIV serostatus. "Always use condoms" is an outdated and overly simplistic prevention message.
4. Community-based organizations may help represent our community but are not the community per se.
5. The HIV Prevention Planning Council is underutilized. The council needs to be promoted.
6. Living with HIV and AIDS is not glamorous, it's more about toxicities and diarrhea. HIV-negative people are getting the wrong message from the pharmaceutical industry. We call for a campaign not unlike the anti-tobacco campaign to lampoon and counter glamorous AIDS drugs ads.
7. Cuts in city healthcare dollars now by DPH are causing a crisis that will have to be fixed by later administrations. Stop funding healthcare in a static mode. DPH credibility is low with our group because of previous manipulation of healthcare allocations.
8. The HIV denialists' message is part of the problem, they reinforce denial and unsafe sex patterns which the city needs to address head-on. The denialists' message that lifestyle -- not HIV -- is the cause of AIDS is homophobic and harmful.
PWAs find their voice. Survive AIDS meets every second and fourth Tuesday at 7:45 p.m., 592 Castro Street, San Francisco, above Buffalo Foods at 19th and Castro Street. PWAs and their supporters are invited to attend and participate.
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