Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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United Press International; Thursday, October 09, 1997 09:45:00
Today, she went further, switching positions to now endorse needle exchange programs as an element "of the prevention equation."
Shindle said that equation includes stressing abstinence, monogamous relationships, safer sex and testing and treatment. But she said it does not ignore behavior that spreads the virus like drug use or straight or gay sex.
The no-nonsense Midwesterner says her shift came after she became better "educated" on the issue -- part of the goal of her campaign. She said, "The decision to confront our inhibitions head-on is never an easy one."
Shindle directed her message to parents, educators, spiritual leaders, community activists, government officials and business people: "Set aside your biases, open your minds....I ask you to accept the facts of the epidemic, understand that it affects all people."
Currently, there is a regulatory ban on federal funding for needle programs that can be suspended by the Health and Human Services secretary. Congress is trying to write that into law as part of a budget bill.
Shindle drew praise at a Capitol Hill news conference where she announced that during her year-long reign as miss America she would criss-cross the nation logging 20,000 miles a month talking about AIDS prevention.
The 20-year-old Illinois undergraduate is trying to put an intelligent and beautiful face on an ugly epidemic in which more than half a million Americans have been infected and 340,000 people have died.
White House AIDS czar Sandra Thurman said that was appropriate since infections is rising dramatically among women and youth.
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