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AIDS FOCUS
Living With AIDS
Reactions to news that one is HIV positive
vary sharply. In the chaos of statistics we
sometimes for get that gay men are not
alone in the need to adapt to
seropositivity. The following experiences
of a heterosexual woman illustrate some
of the parallel concerns shared by those
who must deal with issues of
discrimination, rejection, alienation, and
sexuality.
I only vaguely remember signing a
consent for "the Test" when I entered the
hospital for cocaine addiction. A week into
my hospitalization, I asked my physician
for the results. He responded that "we'll
talk in the morning, everything will be
O.K." After I lay awake all night, the
doctor finally arrived and summoned me to
his office. As we walked down the hall, I
began to sob uncontrollably. He asked how
I knew as he began his explanation of my
odds, the research...
I remember thinking at the time of a
close friend who has AIDS. I wanted to
talk to him and tell him how sorry I was, all
the times I told him it would be O.K., thatl
understood. People expressed their
concern, the staff, other patients, they all
seemed to know. Everybody was looking.
Now I understood.
I guess I was fortunate to find out in a
controlled environment. Everyone
expressed that they didn't understand but
that they cared. I asked people to not be
afraid, to please ask questions. In the
middle of the night, an elderly nurse
entered my room to check my blood
pressure. As she approached my bed, I
noticed that she wore rubber gloves. Silent
tears rolled from my eyes as I realized that I
would be treated differently for the rest of
my life.
A specialist was consulted, tests to
evaluate my T-cells were ordered. I knew
they would be alright. After all, I'm straight
and I'm asymptomatic. They were
abnormal, my T-helper count lower than
my friend's with AIDS. Reality again, it's
in my blood. I'm going to die. I'm losing it.
I eagerly awaited the literature about
women and AIDS. I could still have sex, a
friend had encouraged. It was horrible-
wash sex toys with bleach, a latex covering
over my vagina for oral sex, a surgical
glove for my partner if he fondles my
vagina. I was devastated. Who would ever
want to be with me? A straight man,
especially here in the South, will never
understand. I felt so alone.
I'd been out of the treatment center for
four months, when I went out with a man
I'd been seeing for eight years. He was
drinking and very persistent. I told him that
we were just friends and that the sexual part
of our relationship was over. The moment
I had dreaded, he asked if I had AIDS. I
explained that I had tested positive for
exposure to AIDS. He was so sweet, so
understanding. He had loved me for eight
years and wasn't afraid of me. We laughed
and cried and he held me all night.
I received a call from him a few days
later. I guess he had sobered up and had
time to think things over. He was afraid
people would find out and it would reflect
on him. He didn't want to be associated
with me anymore. Oddly, I understood.
It’s not been easy, but it's gotten better
with time. It's always in the back of my
mind, but I cannot allow it to control my
life. I've made changes in my life. The
weekend trips to New York, the all night
parties that sometimes lasted for days
Now I concentrate on my relationships,
with my family, my friends. People our
age, gay or straight, shouldn't have to think
about death. Some of my strongest support
has been from my gay friends. I don't know
how I would have gone through this alone.
Updates
World AIDS cases: 77,266
Geneva - The World Health Organization
(WHO) has reported its updated total of ADS
cases as of January 31,1988, showing an
increase of 9.3 percent from one month
earlier.
The latest update shows a total of 77,266
cases, with two-thirds reported in the United
States.
WHO officials say the increase reflects not
only more spreading of the disease, but better
reporting and detection by third world
countries.
Despite those improvements, they estimate
that the true tally is probably between 50
percent more to double the reported total. So
far, a total of 132 countries have reported
cases of the disease. About half the cases
have resulted in death.
Among the countries with the highest
numbers of reported cases are the United
States 51,361, Uganda 2,639, France 2,523,
Brazil 2,325, Canada 1,435, West Germany
1,669, Tanzania 1,608, United Kingdom
1,227.
AIDS In The Workplace
Atlanta - A recent survey on attitudes toward
people with AIDS in the workplace showed
most workers are still afraid of becoming
infected by sharing certain facilities with
PWA's. ’
The survey, conducted by Georgia Tech,
involved telephone interviews with 2,000 full
time workers who were over 18 years of age
and not self-employed.
Bathrooms, the study showed, are the most
feared place, with two-thirds of those
surveyed saying they would be "concerned"
about using the same restroom as a PWA.
Forty percent said they would think twice
about using the same cafeteria, and thirty-
seven percent went as far as to say they would
not share tools or work equipment with
PWA's.
One-third of those questioned said they did
not believe the experts when they said AIDS
can only be transmitted through sexual contact
or contaminated blood.
But despite all the fear apparent in these
responses, the survey did show most people
seem sympathetic to the plight of PWA's.
More than eighty percent said they would
be "willing to help the individual perform
aspects of the job with which he or she was
having difficulty." Seventy-five percent said
they would favor special work arrangements
for PWA's.
The survey shows the need for education
on the facts about AIDS in order to keep
misinformation from undermining the public's
willingness to help PWA's.
South Africa Deports PWA's
Cape Town - The South African Health
Minister has announced that up to 1,000 black
migrant workers carrying the AIDS virus will
be deported by his country.
In the future, workers from high risk
African countries will be tested for the virus
before coming into the country.
The minister, in a briefing to journalists,
defended the segregated hospitals of South
Africa, likening them to those in the U.S. "In
New York hospitals you will find that the
nursing sister will have Hispanics in one ward,
Italians in one ward. They feel more
comfortable with each other", he explained.
He said more than 1,000 workers from
black African countries have tested positive
for the virus that causes AIDS. Most of them
were from Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia and
Uganda. They are now in the process of being
repatriated.
They were in South Africa to work in that
country's gold and coal mines.
The country has begun an advertising
campaign to warn people about the threat of
AIDS. So far, there have been 98 reported
cases of the disease and 66 people have died
from AIDS in South Africa.
Show Angers Denmark Viewers
Copenhagen - "Love and Condoms", an
explicit show about AIDS presented on
Denmark's only TV channel angered many
viewers who thought it went too far.
The program, which featured young
people discussing their sexual experiences,
taught how to put on a condom, and showed a
(heterosexual) couple having intercourse,
proved too much for many viewers, even in
this country, known as more sexually
liberated than most.
Despite the hundreds of angry phone calls
from viewers, the country's leading AIDS
specialist thought the program offered good
instruction. Professor Viggo Farber said "of
course the safest way is to stay away from
sex, but that is just not how real life works.
And we can't whip the whole population back
to the Victorian age." Authorities in
Denmark have decided to adopt a policy of
openness on the disease, rather than one of
moral condemnation, focusing their campaign
on urging young people to use condoms.
Korean AIDS Law Passed
Korea - A law recently passed by the Korean
National Assembly has harsh provisions
against people who are HIV antibody
seropositive, and attempts to strictly limit their
activities.
The law contains provisions for mandatory
HTV antibody screening of prostitutes and
those working in discotheques, nightclubs,
bars, and/or other types of entertainment
establishments. In addition, the new law
allows the imprisonment of PWA's and HTV
antibody seropositives when they are found
guilty of activities which might result in the
transfer of the virus.
Under the new law, all doctors and medical
clinics are required to report positive results to
HIV antibody screenings to the authorities
immediately. When found to have the virus,
people may be subject to quarantine.
Although visitors to the country will not be
forced to subject themselves to the test, all
resident foreigners will be under the
jurisdiction of the new law.
Black Group Gets Dollars
Philadalphia - Blacks Educating Blacks
About Sexual Health Issues (BEBASHI), a
Philadelphia ADS organization committed to
educational outreach, recently received grants
totalling $49,000. With $17,000 from Scott
Paper Co. and $32,000 from the Philadelphia
Foundation, BEBASHI plans to expand its
outreach to IV drug users and to launch a new
educational program aimed at gay and
bisexual men of color. The program will
include leafletting in gay bars in the
Philadelphia area and the promotion of
BEBASHTs "home parties", where safe sex
and AIDS information sessions will be held.
Director Rashidah Hassan of BEBASHI
explained the necessity for his organization's
methods by noting, "A large number of gay
men of color are not participating in the gay
community... They aren't getting targeted."
BEB ASHTs outreach staff for IV drug users
will expand by four to six new people, who
will go into areas frequented by IV drug users
to teach them how to clean their "works".
Heart Fare 88 A Success
The Atlanta Chapter of the National
Association of People With AIDS raised over
$3,500 during their recent three day fundraiser.
Members of the organization sold buttons,
stamps, and collected donations at fifteen local
participating bars. The Atlanta
Chapter/NAPWA is a political, educational,
and social organization whose members are
people with AIDS or ARC. Over a thousand
people signed petitions circulated during the
benefit, declaring their opposition to the AIDS
omnibus bill. The petitions declaring that "we
shall refuse to be tested" if the bill becomes law
were presented to Senator Piene Howard,
chairperson of the committee considering the
bill.
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