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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. Page 12