Newspaper Page Text
The Journal'of AID Atlanta page 3
ACQUIRED BMNXEFICIENCY STNKOC (AIDS)
WEEKLY SURVEILLANCE REFCKT* - UNTIED STATES
ATnfi HDGRAM
AIDS: THE RISK FOR
CENTER FCR QCBCEIOUS DISEASES
CENTERS FOR DISEASE OQNDDL
May 5, 1986
UNTIED STMES GASES 8EFCB3ED TO CPC
APUJ/ADdESOENT PEDIATOICtt TOOL
KNOWN KNOWN KNCUN
DISEASE GROUPt**
CASES
(*>
UEA3HS
w
CASES (Z) DEADS (Z)
CASS (X) DEADS (DEAD)
Both KS ani PCP
1110
(6)
739
(67)
4 (1)
4
(100)
1114
(5)
743
(67)
KS without PCP
3526
(18)
1492
(42)
6 (2)
6
(100)
3532
(17)
1496
(42)
PCP without KS
11614
(58)
6357
(55)
153 (53)
108
(71)
H767
(58)
6465
(55)
01 without KS or PCP
3766
(19)
2172
(58)
126 (44)
55
(44)
3892
(19)
2227
(57)
Tbtal
20016 (100)
10760
(54)
289 (100)
173
(60)
20305 (100) 10933
(54)
ADUKr/ADOESCENr PEDIAERICtt TOTAL
AGE
CASES
(X)
3. RtfE/EDMCm
CASES (Z)
CA-as (Z)
GASES (Z)
Under 13
289
(1)
White, not Hispanic
12013 (60)
54 (19)
12067 (59)
13 - 19
84
(0)
Black, not Hispanic
4934 (25)
172 (60)
5106 (25)
20-29
4248
(21)
Hispanic
2842 (14)
61 (21)
2903 (14)
30-39
9528
(47)
Other
116 ( 1)
0 (0)
116 ( 1)
40-49
4211
(21)
Unknown
111 ( 1)
2 ( 1)
113 ( 1)
Over 49
1944
(10)
Total
20016 (100)
289 (100)
20305 (100)
Unknown
1
( 0)
Total
20305 (100)
PATIENT CROUPS**
ADULT/ADOLESCENT
TOTAL
MALES (Z)
FEMALES (Z)
CASES a)
Homosexual or -Bisexual Men***
14670 (78)
- (-)
14670(73) v
Intravenous (IV) Drug Ifeer
2743 (15)
694 (52)
3437 (17)
Hp»niWUa/flfMgii1arinn Disorder
153 (1)
.4 (0)
157 (1)
Heterosexual Oontactttt
56 ‘ (0)
238 (18)
294 (1)
Transfusion with
R1 nrri/Kl nnH Products
201 (1)
120 ( 9)
321 (2)
None of the Above/Other****
870 (5)
267 (20)
1137 (6)
Total
. 18693 (100)
1323 (100)
20016 (100)
FEDMEICtt
TOTAL
MALES (Z)
FBIALES (Z)
CASES (Z)
HpanfihiHa/flraagnlaHnn Disorder
12 (8)
0 (0)
12 (4)
Parent with AIDS/or at
increased risk for MDStttt
108 (68)
111 (85)
219 (76)
Transfusion with Blood/
Blood Products
29 (18)
15 (12)
44 (15)
None of the Above/Other
10 (6)
4 (3)
14 (5)
Total
159 (100)
130 (TooT
289 Tl00T
*Tbese data are provisional
tKS * Kaposi's sarccma; PCP = ftipimncystls carlnii pneumonia; 01 “ Other opportunistic, infections
**Gtoups Hated are ordered hierarchically; with multiple characteristics are tabulated only
in the group Hated first.
ttIncludes patients under 13 years of age at time of diagnosis.
***1601 (11Z) of hanosexual men also reported having used IV drugs
. tttWLth a person with AIDS or at risk for AIDS
****Includes 451 persons bom in countries in which most AIDS cases have not been associated with knom ride
factors.
PEOPLE OF COLOR
Some people think that AIDS is just a white boy’s disease.
Since 25% of AIDS cases have occurred among blacks, another
15% among others (mainly Hispanic), and only 60% among
whites, this is clearly not true.
Homosexual and bisexual men who are not IV drug users
account for 65% of the reported cases of AIDS; 14% of them are
black 12% other and 74% white, about what would be expected
given their numbers in the population.
Among IV drug users with AIDS, however, whites are the
minority; 42% are black, 26% are other, and just 33% are white.
Women account for just 6.5% of AIDS cases among adults but
a majority of them 52% are black (another 23% are other and
26% are white). Over half of the women with AIDS are IV drug
users (54%).
Only 1.4% of all AIDS cases occur among children, but again
the majority (60%) are black (21% are other and 26% are white).
Most of them (83%) had parents with AIDS or at increased risk
for AIDS.
Thus, among homosexual and bisexual men who are not IV
drug users, people of color are no more, or less, at risk for AIDS
than whites. But people of color account for 67% of the
remaining cases, considerably out of proportion to their
numbers in the population.
(These percentages are based on 20,016 adult and, 289
pediatric cases reported to the CDC as of May 5,1986. Because
the drug status of homosexual and bisexual men is sometimes
reported as unknown or left blank, the percentages given here
may underestimate the actual number of IV drug users and
overestimate the number of homosexual and bisexual men who
are not IV drug users.)
Roger Bakeman, Ph.D.
ttttwpirfgnriningir Aata suggest transmission from infer t-ed twfhpr to child before, at, or shortly after the
H«p of birth.
THE LACK OF
ORGANIZATION AMONG
BLACK
GAYS IN ATLANTA
by D. Teague, C. Jones
Considering the size of Atlanta’s black
population one can reasonably extrapolate that
there is a large gay element within that
population. As with other groups Atlanta has
become a mecca for gay blacks in that it offers
social and career options found nowhere else in
the state and in few places in the southeast. To
be sure, this city is more attractive to gay
blacks because of the relative freedom it offers
to blacks in general.
With this thought in mind it is difficult to
tunderstand why there are no active
organizations for gay blacks. Let’s repeat that:
There are no organizations for gay blacks in the
city of Atlanta. The closest thing to an
organized group are the various "party" groups
that regualrly hold functions. But these groups
don’t offer anything in the way of political or
support activities. Unlike their white
counterparts blacks do not have a group of
peers to which they can turn.
It is not easy to put a finger on the reasons
for this. Obviously one can point to apathy,
something to which blacks are no more
immune than any other group. Black gays are
perhaps more likely to be apathetic since, as a
group, they have never had a voice: If one has
always been speechless then one might assume
he will never be heard. This touches on the
issue of exclusion. Blacks have in the past been
completely excluded from the affairs of the
mainstream society. Only within the black
community did blacks have an effective voice.
Being gay in the black community is viewed
the same way it is in the larger society-with
misunderstanding and contempt. Having been
effectively silenced as blacks, black gays are
even more silenced.
This, however, is more of an excuse than a
reason. The active exclusion of blacks is not
nearly as blatant or intese as say 20 years ago.
Exclsuion today takes on a decidely passive
bent often fostered by blacks. A common
attitude is "why should we have anything to do
with them, they don’t want us around
anyway?" The important question is not what
"they" want, but what "we" need.
Also figuring prominently into this lack of
organization is the fear that someone’s
membership will be discovered and this will
cause problems on the job, with family, etc.
Once again this is more excuse than valid fear.
It seldom happens that word of one’s discrete
associations gets any further than Other
members of the group.
Finally there doesn’t seem to be any outside
pressure to force black gays together. Here
again is a misconception. While there may not
be any overt discrimination there is covert
discrimination. For several years Black-White
Men Together has been waging a war on
discrimination against minorities in Atlanta’s
bars. Practices such as excessive I.D.
requirements were common at some bars until
this organization took action that resulted in
standardized admission procedures in bars and
nightclubs. BWMT stepped in to fill the void
where blacks should have stepped in.
There is also the pressing issue of AIDS in
the black community and its perception by
many as a "white boy’s disease." Blacks make
up a disproportionately high percentage of
AIDS cases. Getting information into the black
' community has proven difficult fora number of
reasons the main one being the lack of an
organized pattern of information flow that
organizations offer. Without a body rooted in
the group of those being targetted there will
usually be a number of individuals out of reach.
Are these reasons enough to form such an
organization? As pointed out there are a
number of political functions to be served, i.e.
"watchdogging" discriminatory practices both
in and outside the gay community and
dissemination of information importatn to
black homosexuals.
But there is a function transcending the
political themes. There is little in the way of
discussion among black gays on issues very
relevant to the black gay experience..Open talk
about sexuality, coming out, behavior in
relationships and sexual roles is rare and the
insights gained from this kind of rapport is lost.
Too many are confused about themselves with
no where to go for answers.
Of course this begs the question: Why not
join an established organization even if it is not
entirely focused on the black gays? Now for
many this is fine. A lot of people are able to
work within established frameworks and move
the group in directions they feel are important.
On the other hand there are those who need
the camaraderie of their racial peers. Many find
it hard to talk openly among individuals of of
another race, expecially on issues concerning
race. There is often a sense of companionship
of shared experience among blacks.
This sense makes it easier to converse on
things on a personal level. Coming out, for
example, has different ramifications if you
come from a black family where masculinity is
stressed and there are few, if any, positive black
gay role models.
An important function is setting up
alternative channels for black gays to meet
other black gays in an environment other than
bars and parties. There needs to be a place
where blacks can congregate without the
sexual pressures implied by these institutions.
Walking iunto one of Atlant’s black bars one
can’t help but notice the predominance of the
under-thirty crowd and wonder where the older
gays are hiding out. A lot of them have gone on
to the straight bars and clubs while a lot of
them have simply stopped going out.
Finally the black gay community needs a
body through which it can speak. When black
gays are faced with a pressing issue, there
shouldn’t have to be a period of getting
organized before taking action. It would also
lend credibility to the group if the voices heard
are cohesive, not conflicting from diffemt
quarters.
The obvious remedy is to form a black gay
structure to address some of the needs
mentioned. This can be done by putting
together an independent body or by affiliating
with an established body such as the National
Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays.
Whatever route. is chose the organization
formed needs to be built around political,
social and economic concerns rather than
exclusively put in place to conduct parties and
other social gathering*
There is a great deal of black talent in this
city and a need to focus that talent. There is a
need for leadership among gay blacks because
there are enough of them to tackle problems
plagueing the balck community as whole. The
problems of poor education, poverty, teen
preganancy and black-on-black crime are m^jor
stumbling blocks to the progress of all blacks
and are worthy of the attention of any group be
they black, white, straight or gay.