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AIDS FOCUS
Living With AIDS:
Tipton Bishop Throws Himself A Party
Tipton Bishop was diagnosed with AIDS
in July, 1987. He has since spent a total of
110 days in the hospital with recurring bouts
of pneumocystis, cytomegalovirus and a rare
form of tuberculosis. Despite his doctor's
warning against it, he left the hospital early oh
two occasions: once to perform in Higher
Ground: Voices of AIDS', and second to
perform excerpts of Higher Ground at the
Lesbian and Gay Pride '88 rally.
In typical Tipton fashion, he threw a party
for himself and the staff of Georgia Baptist
Hospital, August 25th, the day before he was
to be released. He held the party to celebrate
his one year anniversary as a person living
with AIDS, and to thank the staff of Georgia
Baptist for the wonderful job they did during
his stay. He said, "I believe attitude is
everything and the staff here has really been
wonderful in helping me maintain a very
positive one."
The following excerpts are from Tipton's
part in Higher Ground: Voices of AIDS. His
part was based onpersonal interviews with
playwright Rebecca Ranson.
******
LITTLE PIG IS IN TROUBLE
When my nieces and nephews get on the
phone
I entertain them with Little Pig, a character I
made up.
I call Little Pig and he comes and oinks and
snorts at them over the phone and they laugh
and laugh.
Lately, I've had to tell them that Little Pig
wasn't feeling too well so he was out laying in
the park in the sun
or he was taking a nap
or he needed some time alone.
I'm worried about Little Pig too.
I think he's in trouble.
I don’t know what might happen to him.
RUNNING
I ran in the Peachtree Road Race last year.
I wanted so much to do it
I hadn't been out of the hospital for long and I
knew I probably shouldn't do it but if I didn’t
it would be like saying it's all over or
something and I knew 1 couldn't do that
Wasn't about to do that because it’s not over
for me.
I was having this problem with rectal
bleeding.
One of my friends said to buy some New
Freedom pads.
Ididandlran.
It was like I was running for my life.
It used to take me 44 minutes.
Last year it took me 74 minutes, but I ran.
You know, you have to stay a step ahead of
this AIDS.
I think I'm pretty special but the virus doesn't
care how special I am.
I keep getting one step ahead of it though.
I've got these rivers of love running through
me.
I let them just run all out of me and help
everybody else I can.
I'm not doing it by myself either.
God is helping me do what I couldn’t do for
myself.
I used to drink.
I didn't just drink, I was a drunk.
I ended up one night walking down Peachtree
in a bathing suit and cowboy boots.
It took me eight and one-half years to get AA
together but I did.
My psychiatrist said I was medicating myself
the only way I knew how.
I didn't like being a homosexual.
I did have this one flowers and candy
romance.
It was like a storybook, you know, Cinderella
and the prince or something.
I was in the chorus for a play and I sent a
break a leg' note to this lead actor and he
Tipton Bishop celebrating with friends and staff of Georgia Baptist Hospital.
gave me this orange and black sucker and said
he loved me.
I brought him home with me and just cried.
I was having all these good feelings for
nothing but pain.
I was jealous of him.
He was the lead and I was in the chorus.
Romance got to be nothing more than blow
jobs in the bars.
No candy.
No flowers.
Plenty of booze.
My mother committed suicide.
I never was sure if it had anything to do with
my being a homosexual.
I made up my mind to give it up for her.
I would go to these straight bars and get drunk
and dance with the ghost of my Mother.
Now I'm writing this long letter to my
Grandmother and her sister, Ree.
They still live in Mississippi out on a farm.
I want them to understand something about
me and to know that I’m that person they
loved, that little boy Dewey that couldn't do
anything wrong in their eyes.
I am still that little boy, back like I used to be.
This AIDS is running after me but I'm
running faster.
Updates
•
$35 Million In Funding
Requested By DHR
Atlanta-The Georgia AIDS Legislative
Coalition has helped to place AIDS funding at
the top of the priority list of budget requests
for at least two state agencies.
According to Gil Robison, legislative
liaison for the coalition, the group has worked
with the Department of Human Resources
(DHR) and the Department of Medical
Assistance (DMA) on several different
proposals. DHR has made AIDS funding its
number one priority, requesting $3.5 million
for a variety of projects. DMA was also
persuaded to give top priority to a request for
funding under the medically needy program
that would help financially strapped patients
qualify for additional financial assistance.
The program would benefit people with
AIDS, as well as other people in need.
On another program, the coalition is
working on approval of an AIDS waiver with
DMA. The waiver would allow AIDS
patients to qualify for home care services and
home meals without having to satisfy the
requirement of being in a nursing home.
The budget requests now go to Governor
Harris. If he approves them, they will be
presented to the General Assembly for
consideration.
Last year the Assembly reduced DHR's
AIDS request of $2.7 million to $660,000,
making AIDS funding less than that approved
for maintenance of state-owned golf courses.
Robison urged community members to
write the governor thanking him for the high
priority given to AIDS spending and urging
him to accept the recommendations and send
them without cuts to the legislature.
-F.G.
AID Atlanta
Awarded $40,000
The United States Conference of Mayors
announced recently the awarding of 15 grants
to community groups who will conduct AIDS
education programs in racial and ethnic
minorities. The grants, which totalled
$607,000, included a $39,204 grant to AID
Atlanta.
The AID Atlanta grant will be used to
distribute safer sex kits to heterosexual black
men and women in an effort to halt the rapid
spread of AIDS in the black community.
AIDS experts have targeted the black
community for the second wave of AIDS-
related casualties.
In addition to development and distribution
of the safer sex kits, the money will be used
by AID Atlanta to host 10 safer sex parties
targeting the black community.
For information, contact Wayne Nidiffer at
AID Atlanta (404) 872-0600.
AIDS Anthology
Planned,
Contributions Sought
Washington, D.C.-A nationwide
anthology of poetry written by people whose
lives have been touched by AIDS in any way
is being collected and compiled by Andrew
Miller.
Miller, project editor, began this project in
July of this year and invites submissions of
poetry and short prose of one to ten pages.
Unpublished manuscripts will be returned
provided a self-addressed, stamped envelope
is included. All proceeds go to AIDS
research.
Material will be accepted until February 1,
1989. Submit appropriate work along with
any questions concerning the project to:
Andrew Miller
Post Office Box 25711
Washington, DC 20007
SAME (Southeastern Arts, Media and
Education Project, Inc.) is happy to
announce the implementation of AIDS Art
Action, a collaboration between visual
artists and people with AIDS, ARC or a
positive HIV test. The goal of AIDS Art
Action is to use visual art as a unique form
to communicate an idea, an experience, a
vision connected to AIDS or to the life of
the person battling AIDS. The project will
match a visual artist and a PWA, PWARC
or HIV positive person and together they
will define the parameters of their
collaboration. All visual art forms are
suitable including cross media, experi-
Visuai artists interested in applying
should send 5 slides, resumd and a statement
out why you would like to participate to
SAME by September 15,1988. Start-up for
the project is scheduled for October 1,1988.
For additional information, call Rebecca
Ranson or Gary' Kaupman at 584-2104.
PWAs, PWARCs and HIV-positive
persons interested in applying should subn
a brief statement to SAME explaining why
they would like to be a participant.
Address all correspondence to: SAME,
P.O, Box 54719, Atlanta, Georgia 3(1308.
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KAY LOVE