Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Miami Herald, Inc.; a Knight Ridder publication. One Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132-1693 - Thursday, January 11, 1996 Edition: FINAL Section: NEIGHBORS MB Page: 15 Word Count: 494
By Herald Staff
TEXT:
The advice and counseling will come from inside the square bar at the Loading Zone, a Miami Beach gay bar. Randy Jansen, executive director of the South Beach AIDS Project, will offer the same message he has repeated for the past several years, one born in the mid-'80s following the deaths of friends in San Francisco: This is no time to be fooling around while fooling around.
The Safer Sex Party, a workshop in disguise, is to begin at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the bar, 1426A Alton Rd.
"Most AIDS agencies provide education. This is a step beyond education. This will help provide skills for people who are committed to safer sex," said Jansen, 40, who estimates he has lead 50 such sessions since 1990.
Jansen helped found the South Beach AIDS Project in October and led his first session on the Beach the next month, with 35 men attending. A second one in December drew 17.
"We're very very pleased with the response," said Jansen, director of AIDS education for the state Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services in Dade from 1990 to '91. "Normally, other agencies have only had five people show up. The difference may be that it's being held at a bar, not an agency."
Jansen, who is studying for a master's in public health at Florida International University, has been working out of his apartment. The project is expected to move into space at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center, 1335 Alton Rd., this month.
"One of things that I'll bring up that we should treat everybody like they're HIV positive, because you never know who is HIV positive," Jansen said. "Even if someone brings you an AIDS test certificate that says they were negative from a test on Monday, you don't know what they did on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
"One of the most dangerous ways of being infected is through falling in love. A lot of people, straight or gay, will practice safer sex in the beginning of a relationship, but then stop practicing because they think, 'How could the person I'm in love with possibly be HIV positive.' "
Among the techniques Jansen will use Monday to promote safer sex is an exercise that features cards that describe a sexual activity and where it might occur. Participants will rate them from least risky to most risky.
Jansen will teach that they're all risky.
Jansen said he has tested negative for the HIV virus.
But, he added, no one should trust even him.
IF YOU GO
The Safer Sex Party is to take place from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Monday at the Loading Zone, 1426A Alton Rd. Dr. Fausto Capella, research director of the Mayer Foundation and a research associate of the Pasteur Institute in Paris, will give a presentation about new HIV/AIDS drug therapies immediately after. For more information, call the South Beach AIDS Project, 532-1033.
Copyright (c) 1997 Miami Herald. All rights reserved. Reprint Permission: The contents of each issue of The Miami Herald are protected under the federal copyright act. Reproduction of any portion of any issue will not be permitted without the express permission of The Miami Herald. Reprints: 305-376-3719 Staff photos: 305-376-3756. Internal or personal use: Copyright Clearance Center, 508-750-4283, ext. 888; fax 508-750-4744. The Miami Herald or Knight Ridder shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
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