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December 1986
Volume 13, Number 2
Carolina Gay And Lesbian Assoriation Newsletter
AIDS and People of Color ...
Past Time for Action
During the early 80s, the federal gov
ernment, the American medical estab
lishment, and the media viewed AIDS as
just a gay disease, just a case of chick
ens coming home to roost for a depraved
subcommunity.
Things have changed somewhat. There is
some federal money for AIDS education and
research. A number of celebrities have
devoted their time and resources to the
fight against AIDS. The media has brought
knowledge of the syndrome into many, if^
not most, American homes. Of course this
is not enough, but it is a start.
FOUR OF EVERY TEN AMERICANS
WITH AIDS IS NOT WHITE
At the same time, however, an interest
ing phenomenon developed. AIDS was--and
still is--perceived as a white, gay male
disease. I argue that this is partially a
function of the desire of activists to
make AIDS seem like a respectable disease.
That is, a disease prevalent among af
fluent white men. The reality is, how
ever, that four out of every ten Americans
diagnosed with AIDS is non-white. Specif
ically, 25% of people with AIDS are Black,
and 14% are Latino. Remember that Afro-
Americans and Latinos comprise only 11.7
and 6.4% of the population respectively.
The figures are even more stark for Afro-
American women and children. At this
time, 52% of women with AIDS are Black.
Fifty-nine percent of the pediatric AIDS
cases are Black.
So the next question is. Why? Why are
people of color and specifically Blacks
contracting AIDS at such an.accelerated
rate? The most obvious answer is that
Black and Latino people are found in every
gj^oupI 3.nd bisexual men, I.V.
drug users, heterosexual contacts with
people with AIDS, hemophliacs, babies of
women with AIDS, and recipients of blood
products. Also a second reason may be the
long-established trend for infectious dis
eases to lodge in poor, non-white
populations--due primarily to economic and
nutritional differences.
Also let's remember that people of
color have a long history of exploitation
and neglect by the American medical estab
lishment. So the problem has been exacer
bated because educational programs have
been primarily directed at white com-
munities. Current statistics reveal that
AIDS is quickly becoming the leading cause
of death of young men in Harlem. AIDS is
also the second highest cause of death for
New York City women aged 30 to 34.^ Most
of these are women of color. Despite
these facts, as of October 1986 there were
no prevention and education programs in
(see AIDS on page 7)
Coming Out
Another Personal View
If you are a CGLA veteran or are
already an openly gay person, skip this.^
But if you are a person, perhaps new in
town, perhaps not, who feels that you have
"abnormal" or "different" attractions to
Someone of your own gender, read this.^
you are a guy who steals furtive, longing
glances at your male friends or a woman
^ho dreams of a seemingly unattainable
love with your suitemate, read this. I
you exist only as a facade, if you^re
hiding, if you're wondering if you're
alone, if you're afraid, read this.
In Henrik Ibsen's famous play, "A ^
I^oll's House," a disillusioned husband is
"explaining" to his wife that her sacre
duties" are to be "a wife and mother be
fore you are anything else." She rep les.
I have other duties equally
sacred...my duties to myself....
I believe I am first of all a human
being, just as much as you--or at any
rate that I must try to become one.
Oh, I know very well that most people
agree with you...but what people say
and what the books say is no longer
enough for me. I have to think about
these things myself and see if I can't
find the answers.... I have to make up
my mind who is right, society or I.
Brothers and sisters out there, the
answers are there: You are right, society
is wrong. But society can be changed, one
by one, person by person, parent by
(see COMING OUT on page 7)
IM