Newspaper Page Text
NEWS IN BRIEF
HIV Blocked by
Human Saliva
CAicago-Preliminary studies have
found evidence that a factor exists in
human saliva which blocks the Human
Immunodeficiency Vims (HIV) from
infecting cells in the mouth. The
research provided the first clear-cut
evidence that the human body may have
some natural defense against HIV, which
is the leading candidate as the cause of
AIDS.
A report on the study, published in the
May issue of the Journal of the
American Dental Association, explains
for the first time why the mouth is not a
ready means of transmission for the
vims. According to Phillip Fox, senior
investigator in the study and head of
clinical studies at the National Institute of
Dental Research, the study suggests that
the inhibitory element may interfere with
the surface receptors through which
white blood cells are infected by HTV.
"This supports biologically what we
have been seeing epidemiologically,"
said Irwin Mandel, director of the Center
for Clinical Research in Dentistry at
Columbia University in New York.
"There is essentially no chance of
transmission of the vims through saliva."
Researchers will next attempt to
isolate the blocking agent and determine
how to put it to work throughout the
body.
Robison Begins Race
for House of
Representatives
Atlanta - In a long-anticipated move,
Atlanta attorney Gil Robison announced
his candidacy for the District 40 seat to
the Georgia House of Representatives on
April 26th. Robison is the second openly
gay man to announce a campaign for the
House this year, and will attempt to fill
the seat being vacated by incumbent
democrat Barbara Couch.
District 40 encompasses all of
metropolitan Fulton County. Candidates
for the at-large seat must appeal to a
broad range of voters who represent
every strata of social, political and
economic divisions imagineable.
Robison, respected both as a grass
roots activist and a skillfull negotiator, is
perhaps best-known for his recent
lobbying efforts that reversed the most
negative aspects of the Georgia AIDS
Omnibus Bill. He also was a principle
drafter of Atlanta's lesbian/gay civil
rights ordinance.
Stressing competency, efficiency and
effectiveness as the determining factors
in any political race, Robison said he was
propelled into the race by the urgings of
"many firends and people I worked with
over die years ... both inside and outside
the gay/lesbian community."
Issues that Robison will stress in his
campaign include "the cmcial problem of
funding for AIDS and other public health
concerns;" creative funding for MARTA
that will not further burden lower-income
residents of metro Altanta; and insurance
reform that will address and regulate
problems in the industry "across the
board."
Robison sees the lesbian/gay vote as a
"sleeping dragon" in AUanta/Fulton
politics, and plans on attracting other
disenfranchised blocs of voters to win the
November election. As of press time, no
other candidate had announced for the
seat.
Persons interested in donating time
or
NGLTF Submits
Statement on AIDS
Testing to
Presidential AIDS
Commission
Washington, D.C. - On April 19,1988,
the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
(NGLTF) submitted a detailed consensus
statement on HIV testing to the
Presidential Commission on the HIV
Epidemic. The statement was signed by
74 AIDS-related and gay and lesbian
organizations nationwide.
The Consensus statement is a cogent
statement on the part of AIDS-service
providers and activists on the critical
issues which any HIV testing program
must address. "We developed this
consensus statement to press in a
systematic way for certain protections for
those who are seeking testing," noted
NGLTF Executive Director Jeff Levi.
"This statement offers the government a
carefully reasoned blueprint for its testing
programs. We have asked the
Presidential Commission to consider and
incorporate these perspectives in its
deliberations."
The Consensus statement argues that
testing is an adjunct to counseling and
prevention programs, not a substitute for
them. It calls for testing to remain
anonymous, voluntary after full informed
consent, and strictly confidential. The
statement opposes the use of HIV testing
as a screening tool. Finally, the
statement delineates specific information
to be included in the pre- and post-test
counseling that accompanies HIV testing.
Lesbian Leaders
Stress Visibility
Irvine, Calif -100 lesbians met in
Irvine, California, on April 17,1988, for
a leadership conference entitled "Putting
Lesbians in Power". Lesbian
professionals from the organization
Southern California Women of
Understanding were in attendance in
large numbers.
The conference was geared to electing
lesbians to political office and business
and social concerns. Keynote speeches
were given by Minnesota State
representative Karen Clark, the highest-
ranking, openly lesbian, elected official
in the country, and San Francisco
attorney Roberta Achtenberg who
recently lost her bid for election to the
California Assembly. Clark stated that
she hopes that by demystifying the
political process, more lesbians will be
encouraged to run for office. "Roberta
Achtenberg hasn’t made it yet, but I'm
sure she will," Clark stated. Clark said
she wants to be able to "give up" the title
of the only openly gay State legislator in
the United States.
Achtenberg stressed the need for using
the word "lesbian" in daily newspapers
and television. Ruth Mahaney, a
participant and a member of Lesbian
Agenda for Action stated, "My overall
impression is that a real change is
happening in terms of being out." One
woman, a lesbian journalist, asked to be
allowed to tape the proceedings of a
workshop with a promise not to reveal
people's names in her article. The
majority of participants in the workshop
stated that they wanted their names used.
Mahaney said that to nearly every
issue raised that the "subanswer" was the
need for lesbian visibility. "It felt very
hopeful. It felt as if we are at a new
stage," she said. Conference coordinator
Pat Callahan agreed with Mahaney,
saying, "I believe the era of the invisible
lesbian is coming to a grinding,
slamming halt."
NGLTF Endorses
June 11th
Disarmament March
Washington, D.C.- The National Gay
& Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) has
endorsed a broad national coalition of
organizations' call for national
demonstrations demanding nuclear
disarmament, an end to military
Expertise & Dedication
With A Personal Touch
Dr. Jane E. Dinerman
Chiropractor/Registered Nurse
Valedictorian • National Dean’s List
Emory University Graduate
International Chiropractic Association
Spinal Biophysics Clinical Studies Society
Thorough corrective procedures & proven therapies
Work, personal, auto & sports injury care
Worker’s compensation & most insurance assignment accepted
Same day appointments & Neuromuscular Massage
All ages including geriatric & pediatric patients
Devoted to Neck & Back Relief
Atlanta Health Unlimited, Inc.
STUDENT
DISCOUNT
MOST
INSURANCES
ACCEPTED
620 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 300-A
Located On Mezzanine Level - Peachtree North Apartments
COMPLETE
EXAMINATION
$29.00
($137.00 Value)
Includes: Office Visit And
Therapy
Intermediate Exam
Consultation
X-Rays Are Available
At Cost If Needed
New Patient Initial
Visit Only
Expires June 24,1988
intervention and a governmental
commitment to economic development
and social justice. The June 11th
demonstrations will be held
simultaneously in San Francisco and
New York City, and coincide with the
Third UN Special Session on
Disarmament. The Second UN Session
on Disarmament in June of 1982 drew
one million people to New York City.
"The NGLTF Board endorsed this
action because gay men and lesbians are
not single issue people. We care deeply
about issues like a sane nuclear policy
and an end to militarism," noted NGLTF
Executive Director Jeffrey Levi. "And
we have seen first hand how our
government's focus on defense directly
hurts funding for much-needed social
programs, such as funding to fight AIDS
or to develop a national health insurance
policy."
Information on gay/lesbian
contingents to the marches and more
logistical details may be obtained from
the SSD HI National Coalition, 11 John
Street, #803, New York, NY 10038.
The telephone number is (212) 608-8155.
5 Republicans
Disavow
Responsibility to
Protect Gay Men
and Lesbians
Washington, D.C- Five Republican
Members of Congress, led by
Representative George Gekas (R-PA),
have filed a minority report to the House
Judiciary Committee's report on the Hate
Crimes Statistics Act (H.R. 3193)
strongly disagreeing with sexual
orientation language included in the bill.
Flying in the face of the Reagan
Administration's Department of Justice
study which found gay men and lesbians
at most risk for hate-motivated crimes,
the five Republicans stated that
homosexuals are not targets of organized
hate crimes.
The minority report stated in part that
"It is not a federal obligation to protect
citizens in their sexual orientation."
Kevin Berrill, director of the National
Gay and Lesbian Task Force's (NGLTF)
Anti-Violence Project, called the
statement "utterly reprehensible". He
added, "This is exactly the attitude that is
the cause of violence we are trying to
end."
The Hate Crimes Statistics Act
mandates the collection of statistics on
crimes motivated by prejudice based on
race, religion, sexual
orientation and ethnicity.
With 109 co-sponsors
in the House of
Representatives and four
co-sponsors in the
Senate, the NGLTF has
prepared a packet
explaining how .to lobby
Legislators to co
sponsor and support the
Hate Crimes Statistics
Act.
Said NGLTF lobbyist
Peri Jude Radecic,
"Gaining co-sponsors is
critical to the successful
passage of any bill."
Page 2