Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) - November 13, 2000
Own Correspondent
Durban - Government reached out to the lesbian and gay community for the first time in South Afrian since the outbreak of the Aids pandemic some fifteen years ago. Organisations from a broad spectrum of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organisations met with the Aids Consortium in the form of a three-day consultative workshop in an attempt to come up with an action plan to curb the spread of the disease in the community.
Fighting the disease will take place on different fronts, prevention and awareness, and the setting up structures for the treatment of people living with Aids in rural areas and those from low income groups.
The three-day event culminated in the forming of the Queer Health Crisis Forum, a group that will work closely with government to tackle Aids/HIV.
It was the first of such an initiative by government ever. During the mid 1980s the then apartheid government banned safer sex literature as "obscene." The fist Aids cases that manifested among gay airline stewards were almost totally ignored by government then. To date there have been no statistics available on the prevalence of Aids/HIV in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
The Aids Consortium's initiative is an attempt to correct the mistakes and inequalities of the past.
The gathering of the group has been seen by many as historic for the fact that it was "the first time since the creation of the National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality six years ago that the queer community showed such unity," said Carrie Shelver from the Lesbian and Gay Equality Project.
"If we could achieve only three out of the five objectives as the Coalition did, we would have achieved a lot," she said.
Both delegates and representatives from the Aids Consortium were very happy about the outcome of the workshop and all have agreed to work together closely in an attempt to fight Aids in the queer community.
The Aids Foundation will make funds available for projects that are not already covered by organisations such as the Cape Town-based Pink Triangle Project, the Gauteng-based group Out (formerly Gay and Lesbian Organisation of Pretoria - Glop) and community-based organisations from the Durban area.
It was also the first time in gay and lesbian South African history that the queer press have showed solidarity and the editors of the publications OutRight, Exit, Rush, Q and Womyn Ink have made commitments to play an active role in realising the Forum's objectives.
The Queer Health Crisis Forum will release a provisional report of their recommendations to government by the end of November, and a final draft by the end of January, 2001.
The Forum will meet on a national level again in April by which time an action plan will be presented to the Aids Foundation and the Department of Health. Reaching out to South Africa's queer community was one of the outcomes of the recent World Aids Conference in Durban.
001113
MG001101
Copyright © 2000 - Daily Mail & Guardian. For information about the content or for permission to redistribute, publish or use for broadcast, contact the publisher.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2000. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2000. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .