Stay HIV Free - Always Use a Condom!

A graphic public service announcement on HIV/AIDS has been released by the New York City Department of Health. The ad features individuals with HIV suffering from not only HIV alone but other diseases that can accompany it due to higher risk.

HIV/AIDS has been spreading rapidly in the gay community and elsewhere, especially among those who are under 30 and were not around or old enough to witness the epidemic during the 1980's.



For a brochure on this campaign click here.

Be safe. Be smart. Be with a condom at all times.

World AIDS Day 2010

December 1st is World AIDS Day and is an opportunity to educate and create awareness about the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The theme for this year is Universal Access and Human Rights in an effort to demand that all people have access to preventative resources and life saving medications.



HIV can be transmitted through anal, vaginal, and oral sex, and through the use of dirty and/or used needles. HIV can be transmitted through blood, semen, vaginal secretions, pre-ejaculate, and breast milk. Please always make sure to use protection, via condoms, female condoms, and dental dams for oral-genital contact.

Action tips for the day:

-Wear a red ribbon to support AIDS awareness.

-Educate yourself about HIV/AIDS.

-Get tested for HIV/AIDS and other STI's.

-Discuss HIV/AIDS with others, urge them to get tested and learn more.

Word of the Gay: "The Dark Days"

"The Dark Days" is a term to refer to the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980's when thousands of gay/bi men were perishing and suffering the toll of this horrific disease.

Word of the Gay: "Uncle Roy"

"Uncle Roy" is a proposed term to label anti-gay hypocrites who are themselves closeted homosexuals. The term is named after Roy Cohn a lawyer who targeted gays during the 'communist scare' of the 1950's. He opposed gay rights till he died of AIDS in 1986.

HIV Vaccine Awareness Day

May 18th marks HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, an annual recognition of the thousands of volunteers, community leaders, health professionals, and scientists working to create a preventative vaccine against HIV. The day is designed so people learn more about the progress being made towards a vaccine and encourage people to join clinical vaccination trials.



To learn more and find out how to get involved please visit http://bethegeneration.nih.gov/

Self Described "Proud Homophobe" Kicked Off of Elite Panel on Oil Spill

Thanks to activist outcry the Department of Energy has dropped Mr. Jonathan Katz from the oil spill elite team. His controversial writings were deemed a distraction to the groups efforts.

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President Barack Obama has appointed self described "proud homophobe" Jonathan I. Katz a professor of Physics at Washington University to the elite panel designed to help British Petroleum find solutions to the oil spill in the Gulf. When reffering to the AIDS epidemic Mr. Katz says: "These people died so the sodomites could feel good about themselves." He has even written an article called 'In Defense of Homophobia' which can be found on his website.

Please sign on to the public letter demanding Obama fire this homophobe.

Coalition to Protest NYC Mayor Bloomberg's HIV/AIDS Budget Cuts

Over 40 groups will protest tomorrow at the office of NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg over massive cuts to the city's HIV/AIDS budget. The cuts affect all people with HIV/AIDS and those at risk, particularly hurt are poor and low income families, and children.

Protest: 11 AM East side of City Hall near Brooklyn Bridge Subway Station

Press conference: Located on City Hall Steps at 12.

Your Support Can Help End HIV

Dr. Sudhir Paul of the Covalent Immunology Foundation offers a promising new vaccine that potentially eradicates HIV in the human blood through an enzyme that interacts with the virus. The study needs to go into the next phase of research which involves testing. They want to make this vaccine affordable and accessible to the public if it is successful.



Help take the research into the next phase at End HIV.

Word of the Gay: "Poz"

"Poz" is an colloquialism signifying that the person is positive and has HIV/AIDS.

National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (9.27.09)

Today is the second annual National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day put together by the National Association of People With AIDS. NGMHAAD is an opportunity to focus resources and attention to the alarming rate of new infections among gay and bisexual men, particularly those in communities of color where resources are severely lacking.

NGMAHAD's goals are to 1) raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among gay men, 2) encourage HIV testing, early diagnosis and linkage to care, 3) promote better understanding of the complex factors that drive HIV transmission among gay men, and 4) obtain broad based support to acquire needed public and private resources and sound governmental policies to prevent new infections among gay men and to provide treatment for gay men living with HIV/AIDS.

* Fifty-three percent of new HIV infections occurred among men who have sex with men (MSM) in 2006

* From 2001 – 2006, men who have sex with men (MSM) across all racial and ethnic groups were the only transmission category with significant increases in HIV diagnoses

* HIV incidence has been increasing steadily among gay and bisexual men since the early 1990s, consistent with increases in risk behavior, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and HIV diagnoses among MSM

* Gay men comprise over half of the total number of total HIV/AIDS cases in the United States

* More than 500,000 gay men of all colors have died in the United States. (NAPWA).

Fact sheet for National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

Help out by blogging, using widgets, or banners on your own site to promote the day.

National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day

Today is National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day and the theme for this year is "HIV Over 50, Get Educated, Get Tested!." There is an alarming rate of infections among the elder population, due to fear, lack of information and resources targeting this demographic.

This day is meant to bring awareness to the growing issue of HIV/AIDS for older people and it is essential to promote testing, safe-sex, and education for this age group.

In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported persons aged 50 and older accounted for approximately:

10% of new HIV diagnoses

24% of persons living with HIV

33% of persons living with AIDS

19% of all AIDS diagnoses (The AIDS Institute).

NHAADD awareness day pamphlet, fact sheet, and resources.

Find an HIV testing location near you, and get tested regularly!

Word of the Gay: "ACT-UP"

"ACT-UP" is an acronym that stands for the activist HIV/AIDS and LGBT rights organization called Aids Coalition to Unleash Power created as a direct response to the federal governments denial of the AIDS epidemic.

Tell the CDC to Lift HIV Travel Ban

The plan by the federal government to lift a ban on HIV positive foreigners coming into the United States is close to being approved. If the ban is repealed it would allow people with HIV/AIDS to travel or apply for immigration within the country. Currently HIV testing is mandated for those requesting permanent residency, and in some instances the granting of a visa.

Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are seeking public comment through Aug. 17 on the proposal.

End the HIV Travel Ban!

The last step to ending our nation's discriminatory ban on HIV-positive visitors and immigrants is finally here but we're not done yet.

Now it's in the hands of President Obama's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take the last step and eliminate this harsh policy.

The Department of HHS has finally proposed lifting the ban, and the proposal is now open for public comment. We need your help to ensure that we get this effort across the finish line.

Contact the Department of Health and Human Services and urge them to end the ban.

Today is National HIV Testing Day

In 1995, the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) launched the very first National HIV Testing Day, which urges all sexually active people in the United States to get an HIV test to encourage early detection and treatment which is key for maintaining health if HIV positive.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 1 million people were living with HIV in the U.S. in 2006, and an estimated 21 percent of HIV positive people are unaware of their status.

Getting tested, knowing your status and receiving treatment if needed, people are taking a big step towards protecting their own health as well as the health of current and future sexual partners.

Help get the word out and encourage your family, friends and loved ones to get an HIV test today, June 27.

Click here to find a testing facility in your area.

Crossposted via Gay Agenda.

Tell CVS to Unlock Access to Condoms

In CVS stores across the country, condoms are kept locked in glass cases. Public health advocates criticize this practice, saying it creates a barrier which could decrease condom use.

Even more worrisome than CVS's practice of locking condoms is where those locked cases are located: locked condoms have been found disproportionately in minority areas.

With the disproportionate rates of HIV/AIDS among LGBT communities of color, it is appalling that CVS is making condoms less accessible to those who may be uncomfortable or fearful to ask an employee to unlock the case.

Sign the Cure CVS petition and tell them to stop this discriminatory and harmful practice by unlock the cases!

'These Cuts Won't Heal' Ensure HIV/AIDS Funding Remains in California!

California is in a budget crisis, and HIV/AIDS programs are at risk of losing millions of dollars in funding. These cuts are truly scary, with proposals of up to $160 million in past weeks. Not only would this devastate state funding to health care programs, but it would also endanger the matching federal funds which would evaporate without the state contribution. People with AIDS/HIV, for whom health insurance is not a possibility, will literally lose their medication. And if they lose their medication, their risk of infection can increase 80% in the first month alone.

We must pressure our legislature and our governor to make HIV/AIDS funding a state priority, and ensure that the final budget decisions do not dismantle any aspect of HIV/AIDS healthcare.

Using the link www.TheseCutsWontHeal.com where you can find your legislator's phone number. Every call made to a legislative office is put on record and presented to said legislator, and this is our opportunity to push this issue to the top of our government's agenda. As of 2007, AIDS is officially a global pandemic. We must pressure our leaders to pay more attention to this urgent global issue, and we can start by making it an urgent local issue.

Crossposted via Unite The Fight.

Stop The HIV Cuts Demonstrations in California

Californians from Los Angeles and Sacramento will rally against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed plan to slash funding for HIV/AIDS programs by the state. The plan will result in the loss of several programs and could bring about the loss of thousands of lives.

Two protests have been organized to counter the Governor's dangerous and unfair plan.

Friday, June 5,2009
5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Hollywood Forever Cemetery
6000 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Wednesday, June 10th
1:30-3 PM
North steps of the State Capital
Sacramento, CA

Contacts:

Oakland/East Bay Area

Naina Khanna
Director of Policy & Community Organizing
WORLD
510-986-0340 ext 316
nkhanna@womenhiv.org

Los Angeles

Ruel Nolledo
AIDS Project Los Angeles
213-785-1993
RNolledo@apla.org

For more information and to reserve transportation, check out Stop the HIV Cuts.

Swine Flu and The HIV Positive Community

The threat of a swine flu epidemic in the United States has many people living with HIV concerned about their health and safety. POZ and AIDSmeds check in with WHO and the CDC for the latest. In short: While there are reasons to be cautious, there’s no reason to panic.

What is swine flu?

Swine flu is a respiratory disease common among pigs. Though people are not usually susceptible to swine flu, animal-to-human transmission has been documented, notably among farmers working closely with pigs. What’s unique about the particular strain now under surveillance—dubbed swine influenza type A/H1N1—is its ability to spread from person to person.

A possible reason for this is the fact that pigs can be infected with not only swine influenza, but also flu viruses that affect humans and birds. The genetic material from multiple influenza viruses can then mix. Swine influenza typeA/H1N1, for example, contains genes from two strains of swine flu, one strain of bird flu and one strain of human influenza.

Is swine flu deadly?

All types of influenza that cause disease in humans can be deadly—approximately 200,000 people are hospitalized and 36,000 people die from flu-related complications every year in the United States.

There is no reason to believe that the swine flu being reported is any more deadly than the regular seasonal flu. Of the 40 confirmed cases of swine flu in humans in the United States as of April 27, none have resulted in death. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all cases reported in the United States thus far were associated with mild symptoms of illness, with only one patient requiring brief hospital care.

Is swine flu a threat to people living with HIV?

People living with HIV—as well as those with other chronic conditions, such as heart disease, asthma and diabetes—are believed to face an increased risk of serious influenza-related symptoms. According to the CDC, there is often a spike in the number of heart- and lung-related hospitalizations among people living with HIV during the winter influenza season as opposed to other times of the year. Studies also indicate that influenza symptoms might be prolonged and the risks of influenza-related complications—including death—are higher for certain HIV-positive people.

It is not clear that this strain of swine flu poses any more or less of a risk to people living with HIV. One theory: Given that, at least in Mexico, swine flu mimics what was seen during the 1918 influenza pandemic—it appears most serious among people between 18 and 35 years of age; those with healthy immune systems that become hyperactive in response to the virus and causes serious respiratory inflammation and disease—and may be less of a threat to those with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV. Unfortunately, it is not clear if this theory will hold up, given that many HIV-positive people are responding well to antiretroviral treatment, compounded by the possibility that a hyperactive immune response to HIV, not the virus itself, is responsible for HIV disease progression and a heightened risk of non-AIDS related health problems.

To help prevent seasonal flu, an annual vaccine is recommended for people with HIV to lower the risk of infection or serious disease if infection does occur. Unfortunately, a vaccine has not yet been developed against swine influenza A/H1N1. But people living with HIV can take steps to prevent infection.

How can I protect myself?

The CDC and other public health experts list fairly simple ways to prevent the spread of swine influenza A/H1N1. These include:

* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
* Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
* Very little is known about the benefits of wearing face masks to help control the spread of flu. Whenever possible, instead of relying on face masks, try avoiding close contact and crowded conditions—particularly if swine flu reaches pandemic status.
* No evidence shows that swine flu can be transmitted through food. Eating properly handled pork—cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees—is safe.
* If you come down with influenza-like symptoms, contact your doctor’s office immediately and stay home from work or school.

It is possible to rapidly develop a vaccine—if it’s needed. “We’ve identified the virus,” Richard Besser, MD, acting director of the CDC said during a White House press briefing on Sunday. “Should we decide to manufacture a vaccine, we can work toward that goal very quickly.” Though it would likely take at least four months to develop and mass produce a vaccine against H1N1, it could be available in time for a possible second wave of swine flu this coming winter.

Crossposted via Mike Tidmus.

"Pedro" New Movie About First Openly Gay Real Worlder With AIDS

In 1994 MTV's The Real World San Francisco which brings together different housemates to live together and share their life story had Pedro Zamora an openly gay man with AIDS on the season. He brought the disease to the spotlight and brought a humanizing element to this most feared and misunderstood illness. Pedro became the face of HIV/AIDS activism for the younger generation and his courage to stand up and be counted has made a difference in countless lives and he made a place for himself in history.

Below is a clip of the cast and a bit about the story and Pedro Zamora's life, "Pedro" which is going to debut Wednesday April 1st at 8pm EST on MTV.