www.gay-sd.com FROM PAGE 1 HIV


Compounding the problem, he said, state and federal budgets for HIV testing and education have been reduced by 63 percent this year.


“I’m afraid we’re going to see


a resurgence in the numbers of people who are infected with HIV. The last major decrease in numbers was several years ago,” he said. “We need to do a much better job of prevention and education. But with the funding being cut so significantly that’s an extremely difficult task.” The CDC report showed 28


percent of African Americans and 18 percent of Hispanics in the study tested positive for HIV—as opposed to 16 percent of Caucasians. Meanwhile, 59 percent of African Americans and 46 percent of Hispanics were unaware they were infected, compared to 26 percent of Cau- casians. Cunningham said white gay men are still the majority of those who test positive in San Diego, but that the infection in- creases in minority groups show a need for more HIV education targeted toward minorities. “Often messages are geared


toward the gay white male population … but that does not mean that we can ignore the fact that minority populations are being infected at higher rates,” he said. “So it’s a real difficult call to make as to where you put such limited resources.” Cunningham cited Brothers United, an HIV prevention pro- gram aimed toward gay African American men, as “very success- ful,” although he was unable to offer any statistics to support the program’s achievements. “Part of the entire problem


with behavior change campaigns is there is a very limited amount of measurable success that you can give other than with the par- ticipants themselves,” he said. Dr. Davey Smith, an associ-


ate professor of medicine at UCSD and an award-winning HIV researcher, said diminished funding for testing and preven-


FROM PAGE 2 PRIDE


[LGBT] community a safe place to go is among our goals for the next year.”


That space, she hopes, will continue to remind people that there are, in fact, LGBT people in North County. “A lot of North County resi-


dents are still learning there’s a North County Pride,” Leight- Roades said. “We still get that. Having an actual building will be able to create awareness that there are gay people north of Hillcrest.” The organization’s short-


term goals include the con- tinued funding of local Gay/ Straight Alliances (GSAs) through the coalition’s annual GSA Awards, an event which provides monetary awards to local North County GSA groups in middle schools, high schools and community colleges. “Our annual GSA awards will happen in December,” Leight-Roades said. “Last year we presented five GSAs with $300 each, and this year we’ll be


tion has harmed efforts to prevent HIV infection, but so has the decline of public movements popular in the ’80s and ’90s. “There isn’t the Act Up kinds of activism surrounding HIV anymore. We have one in five (gay men) infected but we don’t have the political activism to go to Sacramento and say, ‘You have to treat us like human beings. We still need medicine, testing mon- ey and governmental support to get this problem under control,’” he said. “When we become complacent, they (government officials) become complacent.” Smith said he most often sees that complacency in young gay men, supporting the CDC findings for that group. Having grown up with knowledge of HIV/ AIDS, gay men in their teens and early 20s assume HIV infection is simply part of being gay. “I see a lot of younger people who come in with HIV who say, ‘Isn’t this supposed to happen?’ and we say no,” he said. “And then there are those who see that HIV isn’t the death sentence it used to be. That makes the ‘this can’t happen to me’ thoughts stronger for both younger people and older people who went through the early battle stages of HIV.” Smith said improved treatment strategies for HIV have resulted in similar average life spans for those who are infected with HIV and those who aren’t. But that doesn’t mean people shouldn’t take precautions to avoid HIV. “There are still complica- tions with HIV, even on therapy,” Smith said. “(HIV infection) increases the chances of cancer, and the pills (to treat the infec- tion) have side effects.” Diagnosing infection as early as possible is imperative, he said. “The early viral load is when a person is most infectious and likely to give (HIV) to someone else, so getting tested is key,” Smith said. “And we still have a lot of people who are diagnosed very late in their infection and it doesn’t have to be that way. We have therapy for people to keep them from getting sick.” Smith said he recommends


presenting to six or seven. We’re hoping to be able to do the same dollar-wise, and we want to give something to everyone. Even $100 or $200 goes a long way.” For the moment, though, all


eyes are on Pride at the Beach. “We want to make this year’s Pride at the Beach the best one yet,” Disposti said. “It will be a lot of fun and at the same time we’ll be creating visibility in an area where it is so much needed.” The event will include a


NEWS


anyone with “perceived risk” be tested “every six months, whether you need it or not.” “When you go only when you think you need to get tested you will be anxious but if you treat it like going to the dentist— ‘every six months I get my teeth cleaned and I get my HIV test’— it takes the fear out of it,” he said. Bob Lewis is director of HIV


Services for Family Health Cen- ters of San Diego, which offers free HIV testing two evenings per week in North Park. He said one aspect of the CDC study that surprised him was that nearly 40 percent of those with insurance hadn’t been tested or hadn’t visited a health-care provider in the previous year. “There are resources through private health insurance. Either people aren’t asking for an HIV test or their doctors aren’t recommend- ing testing, both of which show the lack of education on HIV,” he said. Lewis blames that void in


part on schools. “When you look at access to health information and sex education in the school system, school systems across the board are somewhat inconsistent with information they provide,” he said. “Emphasis is on pregnancy prevention and heterosexual sex. There is a lack of informa- tion, support and positive social role models (for gay students).” Family Health Centers of- fers HIV services for gay men and specialized programs for transgender people, young men, minorities and intravenous drug users. On Tuesdays and Thurs- days from 5:30-8:30 p.m., walk-ins to the North Park clinic receive free HIV testing and counseling. Appointments are also available. “The need for prevention is so


incredibly great and unfortunately the resources continue to shrink,” Lewis said. “One thing that can help is to make sure there are re- sources in the community where people can come into a clinic and get tested. Our lives are full of conflicting priorities but this really needs to be one.” Visit fhcsd.org for more


information on HIV testing and education.


performance by award-winning singer-songwriter Lisa Sanders (not to be confused with San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders’ LGBT activist daughter, Lisa). Outrageous comedian Laura Jane will serve as emcee. A donation of $5 is recom- mended to help the North LGBT County Coalition with its programs and mission. For more information and a full schedule of speakers and entertainers, visit northcoun- typride.com.


FROM PAGE 5 BRIEFS


residential drug and alcohol treat- ment facility, 3767 Central Ave. in City Heights. The community is invited to attend the event, which will include arts and crafts, live performances, raffles and more. Tickets are $10 at the door,


and all proceeds will benefit the residents and programs of Stepping Stone, which offers recovery, education and preven- tion services to LGBT community members. For more information, visit steppingstonesd.org or call (619) 278-0777.


MARYAH to host fifth an- nual Harvest Howl, Oct. 28 MARYAH’s fifth annual Har- vest Howl will scream its way to the “Top of the Park” penthouse at the Park Manor Suites hotel, 525 Spruce Street, on Thurs- day, Oct. 28 from 6 to 9 p.m. Sponsored by Metro Area Real Estate Professionals for Young Adult Housing (MARYAH), all proceeds from the event will ben- efit the Center’s Youth Housing Project.


The project provides afford- able, supportive housing for young LGBT adults between 18 and 24 years of age. MARYAH has set a goal of raising $40,000 for this year to sponsor hous- ing units for two young adults. Tickets for the Harvest Howl are $40 and are available online at harvesthowl2010.kintera.org. Governor signs Kehoe bill to


remove copper from brake pads Governor Schwarzenegger has signed a bill by openly les- bian state Sen. Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) that will removal copper from vehicle brake pads sold and installed in California after 2025.


“This new law will help


restore water quality in streams, bays, and creeks throughout the state and help cities like the City of San Diego avoid costly cleanups of their waterways,” Kehoe said.


October 8-October 21, 2010 GAY SAN DIEGO


7


Scientific research has identified copper as a significant water pollutant and a threat to aquatic life, particularly salmon in streams and rivers. The major source of copper contamina- tion comes from brake pads, which emit a fine copper dust when brakes are applied that is subsequently carried to local waterways by rain and storm water runoff. SB 346 requires the use of copper in brake pads to be re- duced to five percent by 2021 and to 0.5 percent by 2025. Vehicles and brake pads made before the 2021 and 2025 target dates will be exempt from the law.


Dumanis orders Target to “clean up its act”


Openly lesbian San Diego


County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has joined the state Attorney General, San Diego City Attorney and 19 other California district attorneys in ordering the Target Corporation to stop dump- ing hazardous wastes into the environment.


A judge in Northern Cali-


fornia has issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting Target and its employees from illegally disposing hazardous waste, using unregistered haulers to transport hazardous waste and illegally managing and disposing of universal waste such as batteries, telephones and other electronic equipment. The lawsuit claims that more than 240 Target stores throughout the state—includ- ing all 19 stores in San Diego


see Briefs, pg 8


WEB EXCLUSIVE! Learn more about LGBT-friendly 52nd


RAY LUTZ


District congressional candidate Ray Lutz. In an interview with Gay San Diego, the east county resident speaks about his sup- port for LGBT and environmental issues, as well as his often unconventional modus operandi—including a hunger strike that forced a debate with incumbent Duncan D. Hunter. Read the full interview at gay-sd.com.


North County LGBT Coalition Marketing Director Tina Leight-Roades and the coalition’s President and founder, Max Disposti.


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