the pride MOVIES “LAST MAN STANDING” AT OUTFEST ⚫ 18
OPINION POSITIVE THOUGHTS: CHANGES ⚫ 19
WWW.THEPRIDELA.COM
MONUMENTAL HIV STILL EPIDEMIC WORLDWIDE ⚫ 7
ISSUE 17, VOLUME 2 JULY 15 — 28, 2016
THE LOS ANGELES LGBT NEWSPAPER
OUTBREAK ⚫ 3
Meningitis outbreak intensifies, 56 cases statewide, 23 in SoCal MENINGITIS ⚫ 6
Read this factual primer on Invasive Meningococcal Disease CRIME ⚫ 8
Murdered at Echo Park sober living home stuns A.A. community Israel ⚫ 12
After Orlando, police shootings and tragic events in Dallas...
ON CIVIL RIGHTS THERE’S NO QUESTION, HILLARY CLINTON.
Republicans adopt extreme anti-gay, xenophobic platform
⚫ Donald Trump heads to Cleveland this week for the G.O.P. convention to accept the nomination of a party that has embraced extremism
⚫ Republicans have declared the LGBT community an enemy of the people, vowing to reverse marriage equality and other gains
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LOS ANGELES
07.15 — 07.28.2016
Village & Bluffs Location
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07.15 — 07.28.2016
> Meningitis outbreak
LOS ANGELES
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NEWS
PUBLISHER & EDITOR TROY MASTERS
troy@smmirror.com CONTRIBUTORS
MATTHEW S. BAJKO, ZACK FORD, CYNTHIA LAIRD, HENRY SCOTT, CHARLES KAISER, LISA KEEN, ALAN MILLER, TIM MILLER, MAER ROSHAN, KIT WINTER, BRAD LAMM, DAVID EHRENSTEIN, STEVEN ERICKSON, LILLIAN FADERMAN, ORIOL GUTTIEREZ, SETH HEMMELGARN, THOMAS LEONARD, IAN MILLHISSER, KAREN OCAMB, STEVE WEINSTEIN, CHRIS AZZOPARD, DIANE ANDERSON-MINSHALL, ALLEN ROSKOFF, JOHN PAUL KING
intensifies, 56 cases statewide, 23 in SoCal
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DR. JEFFREY GUNZENHAUSER, INTERIM HEALTH OFFICER OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, SPEAKS TO THE LGBT COMMUNITY AND REPORTERS
BUSINESS MANAGER
BY TROY MASTERS
max@smmirror.com
As The Pride LA was going to press we learned that despite promises made by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LAC DPH) to make vaccines freely available, no vaccine supply has reached the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. LAC DHP has identified a thirteenth case of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) for 2016. The patient, according to a press release from the offices of Dr. Benjamin Schwartz, Deputy Director Acute Communicable Disease Control Program, was diagnosed w ith meningitis in early July. He is an elderly gay male with a longstanding partner and is is currently hospitalized. He is described as “recovering,” according to the statement. The California Department of Public Health, which analyzed test results, has determined that the infection, like all others that are currently involved in the Southern California outbreak, is from the serogroup C category. This case brings the total number of gay men infected in all of Los Angeles county, including Long Beach, to 12. A thirteenth case, a gay man who was diagnosed at the end of June, is also being explored. Of the 13 gay men infected, 12 have been infected since May. In a separate development, the California Department of Public Health (CDHP) is reporting that statewide there have been more than 50 cases of meningococcal disease since January.
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CDHP says that most of the cases are “considered sporadic and not connected with a cluster or outbreak.” CDHP now says that a 14th case is now being added to the SoCal outbreak: a gay man visiting from Minnesota contracted Invasisve Meningococcal Disease. There are presently no reports of related or additional cases from Minnesota. Somebody needs to be fired. Having known since at least April that an unusual cluster of Invasive Meningococcal Disease was developing in Los Angeles County, it has taken more than three months, one death and 22 cases of the disease among residents of L.A. County (including Long Beach) and Orange County to warrant even a press conference from public health officials. Aware that the risk of contagion among gay/bi men, transgender women and people with HIV was high before the Long Beach, L.A. and Orange County Pride parades and festivals were held, the only outreach to the LGBT and HIV communities was through a Health A ler t posted on t he Count y P ublic Health Department’s website last week, directing healthcare providers to notify their clients to get vaccinated. The Health Alert was passed on to the mainstream media by some LGBT agencies and word was spread through the LGBT press and social media—but to little effect. Now, officials from the Centers for Disease Control have arrived in L.A. to
help investigate the deadly outbreak— the origin of which is still unknown. C ou nt y publ ic he a lt h of f ic i a l s dodged questions about why it took so long to publicly warn the community, as if still unaware that the outbreak could well have been avoided or minimized had the county developed the rapid response warning they promised after the last outbreak of meningitis struck in 2014. Here are the numbers: 17 cases of the fast moving, easily transmitted deadly disease have been reported in L.A. County, 12 since May. Eight – or almost half - of those cases are among men who have sex with men, 7 of them since May. Five cases in Orange County have been reported in 2016, 3 since May and of those, 2 were among men who have sex with men, including the man who died. “In L.A. County, since May, the number of these infections among men, most of whom have identified themselves as gay or bisexual, is substantially more than we would normally expect during this time of the year,” Dr. Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, the interim health officer of the L.A. County Department of Public Health, said during a news conference held at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. “This is of great concern.” But while it is of “great concern” Gunzenhauser declined to call the cases an outbreak and said that the MENINGITIS continued on p. 6
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POLITICS
GOP CONVENTION
⚫ BY TROY MASTERS
LOS ANGELES
>
07.15 — 07.28.2016
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM
GOP Passes ‘Most Anti-LGBT Platform’ in History, Log Cabin Republicans Shocked Amendments to soften or eliminate language that rejects same-sex marriage failed, as did an effort to include “gender” as a type of discrimination that should be opposed. It was called sneaky. The world is just filled with surprises, isn’t it. One of those surprises is not the Republican Party platform, unless you happen to be a Log Cabin Republican supporter of Donald Trump or perhaps Caitlyn Jenner. The Republican Party, in preparation for next week’s convention has made clear that any of Donald Trump’s many confusing olive branches and whispers of support he may have held out to lure LGBT voters, were slips of the forked tongue. They have drafted a party platform that reflects the extreme conservative views of its authors, many of whom are anti-gay party activists. Four years ago, the party’s platform called the many state court decisions that were individually legalizing samesex marriage across the country and creating a Jim Crow effect for LGBT people “an assault on the foundations of our society.” Of course the Supreme Court stepped in and granted a constitutional right to marriage for samesex couples across the country. After two days of deliberations, however, this year’s platform committee members rejected any effort to strike a more moderate stance that resembled anything like acceptance of that issue as resolved. “A man and a woman family is the best, ideal vehicle for raising children,” James Bopp, an Indian GOP delegate
EXACTLY ONE MONTH AFTER 49 AMERICANS WERE KILLED AT A GAY CLUB IN ORLANDO, RACHEL HOFF FOUND HERSELF PLEADING FOR HER RIGHT TO LIVE.
and a prominent conservative attorney, told National Public Radio. Children “deserve a married mom and dad,” and “natural marriage” is between a man and a woman. Delegates like Bopp try to declare that the language is intended as support for children because “40 percent of the births in the U.S. are by girls and women who are not married.” A failed effort by some delegates to strike language like “natural marriage” was led by the first openly LGBT member of the party’s platform committee, Rachel Hoff, a delegate from Washington, D.C. The Hoff amendment simply asked for an acknowledgment that a growing
number of Republicans are changing their views on LGBT issues and that views on marriage in general among the public and party members is “diverse and sincerely held.” If, as Hoff says, the platform is not only a statement of principles but a marketing device for the party, it is clear that the Republican Party is as conservative as ever and LGBT rights are seen as not only an enemy of traditional values but as threatening to America. LGBT people are not welcome in the vision of America 2016’s Republicans envision. “I certainly think we’re alienating the LGBT community who might consider voting Republican,” she told N.P.R.
“We’re certainly alienating members of the Republican Party who are in the LGBT community and bravely out in that way. But were also alienating young voters.” Another delegate, Leslie Rutledge, who is Arkansas’ attorney general, likes to say gays and lesbians are welcome in the party, that LGBT people shouldn’t take it personally. “It was including any specific groups,” Rutledge guffawed. “I have many friends, close friends who are LGBT and that we must reach out to. They are Republican and so we are a big tent party!” More Americans than ever support LGBT rights and especially same-sex marriage. Despite his side of the mouth support for LGBT issues, Donald Trump’s views were roundly ignored by the platform committee. Platform committee chairman, Sen. John Barasso, Wyoming, said team Trump “has not really tried to weigh in on the platform.” Barasso, also speaking to N.P.R. said of 2016’s platform that “this was going to be a conservative platform, reflecting the views, and the values, and the vision of the Republican party, and I think we stayed true to that.” Trump got his red meat. One plank of the platform supports building a border wall between Mexico and North America and another calls for baring people from entering the U.S.A. from “terror sponsoring countries,” calling for “special scrutiny.” The platform will be formally adopted at the beginning of the Republican convention on Monday t of their convention on Monday July 18, 2016.
07.15 — 07.28.2016
LOS ANGELES
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> You should read this 6
LOS ANGELES
07.15 — 07.28.2016
NEWS
factual primer on Invasive Meningococcal Disease What Is Meningococcal Meningitis? Meningitis is an infection and inflammation of your meninges. Your meninges are the thin tissues that cover your spinal cord and your brain. Meningitis can be caused by many different organisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Meningococcal meningitis is caused by bacteria. This specific type of meningitis leads to death in about half of untreated cases. Meningitis is marked by many cold and flu-like symptoms, such as a headache and a high fever. Its symptoms also include confusion, or irritability in infants, and a stiff neck. You should see your doctor right away if you suspect that you or a loved one might have meningococcal meningitis. According to the Cen-
MENINGITIS from p. 3
CDC’s formal definition of outbreak involves a disease in which 1 in 10,000 people within a population group have contracted it. “We’ve not technically reached that level,” he said. I n a n em a i l to T he Pride Los Angeles, however, K irsten Nordlund, a press of f icer for t he National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease (NCIRD) and the CDC, said that “a meningo c o c c a l d i s e a s e outbreak occurs when there are multiple cases of the same serogroup (“strain”)
ters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 5 to 10 percent of the population carry the bacteria that cause meningococcal meningitis. In most cases, it’s dormant. That means it doesn’t lead to illness or
symptoms. If it isn’t dormant, it’s very dangerous. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the infection is fatal in 10 to 15 percent of cases, even with
treatment. Another 10 to 15 percent of cases will result in permanent brain damage and other serious side effects. What Are the Symptoms of Meningococcal Meningitis? You’ll typically de-
velop symptoms about three to five days after being exposed to the bacteria, and this duration is known as the “incubation period.” In some cases, this may happen as quickly as two days after exposure,
in a community or institution over a short period of time. Depending on the size of the population at risk and specific circumstances, having just two cases of the same serogroup may be considered an outbreak. State and local health departments ta ke t he lead in investigating outbrea ks a nd determine when an outbreak threshold has been reached.” Given that almost all of the 22 cases in both LA County and Orange Count y have been identified as serogroup C and that nearly half of all the cases are among gay or bisexu-
al men, 2016’s IMD cases would appear to fit the CDC’s outbreak definition. DHP has been deliberate, to put it politely, in their determination of what actions to take. By April there was enough infor mat ion to at least warrant concern, accordi n g t o Gu n z en h aus er. Still, there was no public com mu n icat ions made about investigations being conducted by the agency into several cases of the diseases. Gun zen hauser says t he “CDC recom mends that by the time you reach three cases you should go into an action mode.”
“By the end of April we were doing an investigation to see if there were any connections in those c a s e s...w e d i d n’t f i n d any. If we had found that there were connections we would have done some things at that point,” he said. The health department admits that there’s a lot they could do to improve communication and outreach to affected communities. Gu n z en hauser sa id “there a re a number of things we plan to do.... number one, I can tell you that I convened a meeting of all the health officers in
Southern California last Friday, because we recognize this as a regional issue and we want to have unity in how we approach this, how we outreach to the communities that are affected, how we message this, how we get information to people. So, that’s one thing are going to follow up on. Our vision for that is that we will probably create a task force, some t y pe of orga ni zation that includes representation from the LGBT community, and the HIV planning councils, and all who are involved in helping treat and prevent this disease so we can come
or it may take up to 14 days. Meningococcal meningitis has several common symptoms. They usually appear rapidly. They include: confusion a headache a high fever severe sensitivity to light, or photophobia a stiff neck vomiting Other possible, but less common, symptoms include: irritability a rash sleepiness lethargy As the disease progresses, you may experience seizures. It can even lead to death, especially if left untreated. What Causes Meningococcal Meningitis? Meningococcal meningitis is caused by a strain of bacteria known KNOW MENINGITIS to p. 10
up with an approach that works for everybody. We’ve also requested assistance for the Centers for Diseases Control who is already here. A lot more in the upcoming months.” “The recent outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease in the Los Angeles area reminds us that, even though the number of cases is still small, gay and bisexual men continue to be infected at a higher rate than the general population,’’ said LA LGBT Center Medical Director Robert Bolan, adding that people who are HIV-posiMENINGITIS to p. 11
> HIV still epidemic worldwide
LOS ANGELES
07.15 — 07.28.2016
NEWS
⚫ 7
despite medical advances Across countries and income levels, 9 in The Lancet, follow up on a 2012 gay men continue to see dispropor- call to action from the same group of tionately high rates of HIV infection, researchers. Back then, they laid out according to a new study from Johns an ambitious framework to curtail Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School HIV epidemics in gay men, setting tarof Public Health. gets for policy reform, funding, and Though overall HIV rates have flat- improvement in HIV prevention and tened in recent years and a diagno- treatment—including expanded access sis is no longer the death sentence it to pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, was once considered, researchers are a pill that has proved highly effective concerned that the epidemic persists in reducing transmission among this globally among men who have sex with population. men. The team’s latest research found a “It’s a tragic situation and it’s painful few successes in reaching those goals, that the history of AIDS is looking like with several nations initiating PrEP its future, but that’s actually where we projects and the U.S. setting up a new are,” says study leader Chris Beyrer, a $100 million investment fund from the Bloomberg School professor and presi- President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS dent of the International AIDS Society. Relief. “But the first step in taking on a probBut for the most part, the team saw lem is recognizing and articulating it, discriminatory practices, lagging policy and we’ve really done that here.” reform, and a lack of access to treatThe findings, to be published July CANDLELIGHT ment contributing the LA continued VIGIL INto SOUTH
high HIV rates among gay men. One significant obstacle is the failure to get PrEP to the people who need it most—those who are HIV negative and are at high risk of infection. Beyrer notes that the United Kingdom refuses so far to cover PrEP. And while it’s available in the U.S., racial and economic disparities impact access, and low-income, predominantly minority communities continue to see the HIV epidemic persist. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has projected that half of all gay black men will be diagnosed with HIV within their lifetimes. For many countries, the politics of providing medical care to gay men remain difficult, says Beyrer, who will oversee the 21st annual International AIDS Conference July 18-22 in South Africa. While many nations have made great
strides in the past four years in terms of gay marriage, in other nations discriminatory policies such as anti-sodomy laws remain in place, making even getting tested for HIV a potentially dangerous ordeal. Beyrer points to a case in Malawi where a man tested for sexually transmitted diseases was arrested after it was clear he contracted the infection from another man. He also notes the backsliding of civil liberties for the gay community in countries such as Russia, Nigeria, and Uganda. “Stigma and discrimination continue to play a very big role in these epidemics,” Beyrer says. But Beyrer does see some good news on the horizon, with Mexico and other nations such as Argentina and the Netherlands expected to expand the use of PrEP, and many countries moving to repeal anti-gay laws. -- Staff-
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⚫ 8
LOS ANGELES
07.15 — 07.28.2016
TENS OF THOUSANDS GATHER IN ORLANDO
NEWS
⚫ BY TROY MASTERS
Frank Rogers murdered at Echo Park sober living home an acquaintance who asked to remain anonymous. “He uses his disability,” the sources says. Case in point, a Facebook post Bowling wrote on June 1: “I walked into court this morning on a probation tech violation. Half of me was a lil freaked out, I almost posted wish me luck but I don’t believe in luck, I believe in faith. Everyone had their attorneys and I waived council to see the judge in person. Before I went up I said ‘god let me stay humble and let me be grateful and if I forget to be humble and grateful and lose my way help guide me back so I can fullfill (sic) my destiny in whatever that
may be.’ I was out of there in less than 15 min.” Frank Rogers may have been concerned about his relationship with Bowling. In his final post on Facebook, on July 2, six days before Bowling allegedly murdered him, he wrote, “The main lesson I took from this year is not every body has a place in your life. If you aren’t getting what you need, and they are getting everything they need….dismiss this from your life…they either lift or drag you, don’t turn a seasonable person, into a lifetime person who sucks you of your joy”
FRANK ROGERS, A BELOVED MEMBER OF LOS ANGELES’ RECOVERY COMMUNITY, WAS MURDERED, POLICE SAY, IN A DOMESTIC DISPUTE WITH NICHOLAS JAMES BOWLING
Nicholas James Bowling, aka Nick James, 28, who lost both legs in 2012 after he crashed a police car he had stolen into a telephone pole on La Brea Avenue at San Vicente, was arrested on July 8, 2016, suspected of killing Frank Rogers, 48. Bowling has struggled for several years with substance abuse and has lived in a variety of rehabs and sober living homes throughout Los Angeles. Bowling had most recently been living at an Echo Park Sober Living home at Waterloo and Elsinore Streets where he is said to have strangled Rogers, who was visiting him, during what police called a “domestic dispute.” An enraged Bowling is said to have overpowered Rogers and locked him into what police describe as a “chokehold” that he held until Rogers was lifeless. It is not clear when police were called to the scene. Bowling was taken into custody by LAPD Northeast at 6pm on July 8 and book on July 9 at 3am.
A hearing is set for July 12 at 8am. He is currently being held at Los Angeles’ Inmate Reception Center at 450 Bouchet Street. Bail has been set at $2,000,000. Rogers, a well known and highly regarded member of Los Angeles’ recovery community, is described as a loving, caring and kind soul. “One of the sweetest kindest souls on earth,” Dulce Harris wrote on Rogers’ Facebook page. He was known to be a generous mentor and supporter of Bowling. Acquaintances say they were ‘on again and off again’ boyfriends. Rogers worked, according to KTLA’s Dave Mecham, “in a sales capacity at a law firm” in Los Angeles. On his Facebook page, Nick James claims to also work at a law firm. Bowling is known to be simultaneously irascible and charming. “He often said he was the most beautiful man in West Hollywood. He thinks the world owes him; he certainly had a problem with gratitude, especially when his charm worked,” said
NICHOLAS JAMES BOWLING, NICK JAMES, WAS ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF MURDERING FRANK ROGERS.
07.15 — 07.28.2016
LOS ANGELES
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LOS ANGELES
07.15 — 07.28.2016 KNOW MENINGITIS continued from p. 6
as Neisseria meningitidis. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this type of meningitis occurs most often in a region Africa called the “meningitis belt.” This strip extends from Guinea and Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east. However, it can also occur in the United States and other countries worldwide. How Is Meningococcal Meningitis Transmitted? Meningococcal meningitis is transmitted only between people. Animals aren’t carriers of this disease. The bacteria are spread through mucus or saliva. If you come into contact with one of these fluids from an infected person, you might contract the bacteria. You might contract it if you and an infected person share something that touches your mouths. This might be a toothbrush, a cigarette, or even lipstick. It can also be transferred through kissing an infected person, or by inhaling the tiny droplets that are expelled when they sneeze or cough. According to the CDC, up to 10 percent of the population may carry a dormant version of N. meningitidis. That doesn’t mean that they can’t infect you. A person can spread N. meningitidis even when it’s dormant. How Is Meningococcal Meningitis Diagnosed? Your doctor will generally diagnose meningococcal meningitis by performing a spinal tap, which is also known as a lumbar puncture (LP). During an LP, your doctor will take a sample of your spinal fluid by inserting a needle into your spine. This fluid is then tested to determine whether you have this disease. Your doctor might also perform a blood test and a physical examination for symptoms of meningococcal meningitis. While these are not as conclusive as a spinal tap, they can help give your doctor insight into your condition. How Is Meningococcal Meningitis Treated?
Your doctor will immediately admit you to the hospital if they believe you have meningococcal meningitis. They’ll treat you with an antibiotic, such as ceftriaxone. In some cases, your doctor might use another antibiotic, such as: ampicillin penicillin G cefotaxime chloramphenicol vancomycin gentamicin Because this disease is spread through close contact, your doctor may also recommend treating anyone who may have been in close contact with you. What Is the Outlook? According to WHO, this very serious form of meningitis is fatal in up to half of untreated cases. With early diagnosis and treatment, the death rate goes down to 5 to 15 percent. These deaths typically occur within the first three days of onset. One in five of those who survive the disease will have lasting problems as a result. These can include brain damage and hearing loss. This disease is very dangerous, even with prompt treatment. See your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately if you think you might have meningococcal meningitis. How Can I Prevent Meningococcal Meningitis? There’s no single vaccine that can protect you from all forms of meningococcal meningitis. Instead, there are several vaccines made to protect you against different types of meningococcal meningitis. The vaccines are generally recommended for HIV positive people and people aged 11 to 18 years. People aged 19 to 21 who are enrolling in college should also get vaccinated. Your doctor may recommend a vaccine in some other cases. For example, if you’re planning to travel to a part of the world where meningococcal meningitis is regularly found, you may be advised to get a vaccine first. Your doctor might also suggest the vaccine if you’ve had your spleen removed or if you have a chronic illness.
FREE VACCINES Los Angeles LGBT Center 1625 N. Schrader Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028 By appointment only call 323-993-7500.
AHF Wellness Center – West Adams 2146 W. Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 Call 888-836-5946 for information.
APLA Health & Wellness Gleicher/Chen Health Center 3743 S. La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90016 Call 323-329-9900 for information.
AHF Wellness Centers – Long Beach 3500 E. Pacific Coast Hwy. Long Beach, CA 90804 Call (562) 494-4983 for information.
APLA Health & Wellness Long Beach Health Center 1043 Elm Ave., Suite 302 Long Beach, CA 90813 Call 562-432-0700 for information. AHF Wellness Center – Hollywood 1300 N. Vermont Ave., Suite 407 Los Angeles, CA 90027 Call 866-339-2525 for information.
Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Public Health11833 S. Wilmington Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90059 Regular hour are Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4 pm. Call (323) 568-8100 with questions. North Hollywood Health Center (in STD Clinic) 5300 Tujunga Ave. North Hollywood, CA 91601 Regular hour are Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4 pm. Call (818) 766-3982 with questions.
LOS ANGELES
07.15 — 07.28.2016
It’s an outbreak
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EXACTLY ONE MONTH AFTER 49 AMERICANS WERE KILLED AT A GAY CLUB IN ORLANDO, RACHEL HOFF FOUND HERSELF PLEADING FOR HER RIGHT TO LIVE. OUT IN TEXAS continued from p. 6
tive are also a greater risk for infection. Of the 22 cases only one patient is HIV positive. It is not understood why the outbreak is disproportionately affecting gay men in the area. “To clear up any ambiguity, we think the message should be simple. If you are a gay or bisexual man or a transgender individual, you should receive the meningococcal vaccination,� Bolan added. The CDC has already suggested all HIV positive individuals get vaccinated, as well. The vaccine lasts for five years, however, even those vaccinated after 2011 should check with their doctor or an LGBT clinic. Adam Cohen, AIDS Healthcare Foundation Public Health Consultant, says that during previous outbreaks, like the one in April 2013, AHF offered free vaccines in LA County and in New York at its Wellness Centers. “In the span of one week, AHF provided over 3,300 free meningitis vaccines to the community in LA County.� AHF will again provide free vaccines at its four Southern California Wellness Centers. But the LGBT community deserves better than the unconscionable cultural incompetence of the LA County Public Health Department. Invasive Meningococcal Disease is caused by a bacteria that can cause severe infections in the lining of the brain, spinal cord, and bloodstream. It is not spread through casual contact; it is spread through saliva – through coughing, kissing, sharing cigarettes, utensils, beverages, joints—natural intimate behavior routinely expressed by LGBT
people, especially at the numerous Pride Month celebrations. And while the county knew about the gathering storm, no massive warning was issued until AFTER the Pride activities. The warning, issued at today’s news conference, focused on gay/bi men “who regularly have close or intimate contact with multiple partners or who seek partners through digital applications, particularly those who share cigarettes/marijuana or use illegal drugs.’’ Symptoms of Meningococcal disease start out with flu-like symptoms but can swiftly progress to headache, stiff neck, confusion, fever and a rash—symptoms a gay man might associate with partying too much during Pride. However, the disease is fatal in about one in 10 patients. Early last week, out County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl introduced a motion directing the county health agencies to develop a comprehensive vaccination campaign. “We have seen a small number of cases of this dangerous disease since 2012,� Kuehl said, “and, although our County Health Officer began recommending vaccination in 2014, we are still not seeing enough of our residents protecting themselves and getting vaccinated. We need a comprehensive response targeting the highest risk population, men who have sex with men, to ensure that individuals who are at risk get vaccinated.� The supervisors will vote on Kuehl’s motion at the July 12 Board of Supervisors meeting. How long the campaign will take to develop and distribute is another matter. -- Karen Ocamb contributed to this report.
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> Empowered even after LOS ANGELES
07.15 — 07.28.2016
NATION
Orlando, police shootings and tragic events in Dallas BY KAREN OCAMB, FOR EQUALITY CALIFORNIA
OFFICIALS AND ACTIVISTS AT THE STONEWALL NATIONAL MONUMENT DEDICATION
A touch of madness is sweeping the land, thizer murdered 49 mostly LGBT, mostly LatiNADLER. | in Orlando. Americans finallaying bare bubbling bias and CONGRESSMEMBER carving societal JERROLD nos at a nightclub DONNA fissures so deep, caring souls fear never being ly saw LGBTACETO people outside the political context able to repair the breach. And yet there is also of marriage equality and were shocked to learn a yearning for commonality that serves to start that gays still need safe places to be themselves, building bridges. momentarily escaping the perennial fear of too-ofThe first sign of both deep division and hope ten fatal gay-bashings. The massacre in Orlando came after the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. seemed to crack the impenetrable barrier built history when a self-radicalized ISIS sympaby the National Rifle Association, prompting con-
gressional Democrats to crave gun control legislation. But even after a historic sit-in, madness gripped Republicans who sneered at the attempt and Congress left for the 4th of July recess. Then last Tuesday and Wednesday the country witnessed back-to-back videotaped shooting deaths of Alton Sterling, 37, in Baton Rouge, LouMADNESS continued on p. 14
> ‘Homo-cholo’ rapper is 07.15 — 07.28.2016
LOS ANGELES
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PEOPLE
challenging notions of being gay, Latino and macho “I had to deal with Latino macho issues growing up because I thought if I was gay that I had to be feminine.”
BY REBEKAH SAGER
JOSEPH THOMAS LEE, BETTER KNOWN BY HIS STAGE NAME DEADLEE, IS A RAPPER WHO COULD NEVER BE ACCUSED OF HOMOPHOBIA
Actor and rapper Deadlee is using his art to turn stereotypes on their ears. The Los Angeles resident is a self-proclaimed “homo-cholo” – referring to the fact that he’s gay and a “cholo,” a term used to refer to Mexican-Americans who identify with gang culture. Deadlee grew up in in Denver, Colorado, and at age 21 moved to L.A., where he started working as a counselor for homeless homosexual teens, many of whom had been kicked out of their homes after their families found out they were gay. “I saw kids as young as 12 who’d been kicked out of their homes. These kids were out there on their own. They were getting beaten up, but they were inspiring to me. They helped me find my music,” Deadlee told Fox News Latino. Deadlee, whose given name is Joseph Thomas Lee, is known for lyr-
ics that tackle subjects such as race, class, sexuality and police brutality. Three years ago when got married, he changed his name to LeMar, a combination of Lee and Martinez, his partner’s last name. Although Deadlee dresses like a cholo – khahki pants, sleeveless tank top, flannel shirt, bandana and lots of tats, he has never been affiliated with a gang. He says it’s more of a stylistic choice. “After I came out to my family and friends, I started hanging out in West Hollywood – the mecca for gays. I would regularly get thrown out of clubs as security guards believed I was in a gang,” he told FNL. “I’d see all these white guys have bandanas on. It was clearly because I’m Latino.” “One you’re gay in the Latino community, often the conversation stops right there,” he said Deadlee got his start when he met an influential music producer named
Goo. “I was working off a ticket doing community service, I met a music producer. His name was Goo, and he was a mentor to me. He told me to find my voice and be authentic,” Deadlee says. “He knew I liked hip-hop, so we started making music, we worked together for a couple of years. And we came up with my first album ‘7 Deadlee Sins,’ and it was my most authentic. I used a bunch of gay-centric samples from like the movies ‘Cruisin’’ and ‘Paris is Burning.’ He called it gangsta-licious.” Despite some success with “7 Deadlee Sins,” released in 2002, and then “Assault with a Deadlee Weapon” in 2006, the rapper says he’s never been invited to take the stage at Los Angeles Gay Pride. He says he was told his music is too hard core – a combination of rap, thrasher rock and in-your-face songs that take on
violence, race, sexuality and racial profiling. He’s known as an outspoken advocate for out gay rappers, once accusing musicians Eminem, DMX and 50 Cent of being homophobic. Five years ago, Deadlee started taking up acting. He says he was really bad in the beginning, starting with bit parts in B movies, and in then in 2011 a featured role in the film, “Rampart,” which starred Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster and Sigourney Weaver. Today, he says he’s developing a web program about a gay rapper, and he recently completed filming a TV pilot about a black, gay skateboarder. “I realized that I couldn’t sit around and wait for someone else to write my story. I had to do that,” he told FNL. Deadlee says he’s a new generation ofa gay men, a homo-thug, who’s confident and comfortable being Latino, gay and very macho – all rolled up in one.
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LOS ANGELES
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07.15 — 07.28.2016 in August 2014. Wilson, like vir tually every other police officer in a fatal shooting of an African Amer ican, escaped judicial reckoning. “There is a PHILANDRO CASTILE constant bomWAS MURDERED bardment of images of brutality against African-Americans, and not just brutality, but state-sponMADNESS continued from p. 12 sored brutality,” Paul Butler, a former isiana and Philando Castile, 32, in Fal- federal prosecutor and a law professor con Heights, Minnesota. White people at Georgetown University Law Center, can no longer unsee what blacks have told the New York Times. been decrying for decades – the posThat persistent injustice appar sibility of death at the hands of police ently trigger ed the deadly r evenge for simply “Driving While Black.” The perpetrated by 25-year -old for mer whole world watched as Alton Sterling army reservist Micah Johnson, who was shot point blank by police sitting ambushed white police officers guardon top of him as he repeatedly asked ing a peaceful Black Lives Matter prowhat he had done wrong. Philando test in Dallas Thursday night. Castile lay bleeding to death beside The of ficers, renowned for their his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, who community-based policing ef forts, courageously broadcast the aftermath ran towards the hail of bullets from a of the shooting live on Facebook. The semi-automatic weapon while pushpolice officer’s gun is visibly pointing i n g d e m o n s t r a t o r s t o s a f e t y . F i v e inside the car as Reynolds repeatedly police officers were killed. Among the calls the cop “sir,” asking for help for her writhing boyfriend and worried about her four -year o l d d a u g h t e r, Dae’Anna, in the back seat. They had been pulled over for a broken taillight. The officer did ALTON STERLING not render medical assistance, even though Castile was clearly incapacitated and seven other officers and two civilians bleeding out. “Would this have hap- wounded was Jesus Retana, 39, a pened if those passengers would have gay 10-year veteran of the Dallas Area been white? I don’t think it would Rapid Transit (DAR T). In 2008, Rethave,” Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton ana married Andrew Moss in Califor said after an outcry demanding police nia. The couple has been too afraid to accountability—a maddening cry that speak to reporters. (A relief fund has comes with each wave of racial bias been set up for the victims.) since unar med teen Michael Brown The sniper held police at bay in was shot and killed by white officer a parking garage for hours, during Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri which time he
PRESIDENT OBAMA AT DALLAS MEMORIAL
told negotiators he wanted to kill as many whites as possible, according to the New York Times. “He said he was upset about the recent police shootings,” Chief Brown said. “The suspect said he was upset at white people. The suspect stated he wanted to kill
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ISRAELI SOLDIER continued from p. 14
white people, especially white officers.” Johnson was subsequently killed by a bomb-carrying robot. Of ficials confir med that Johnson—who was discharged from the Army for sexual harassment while serving in Afghanistan—was a loner and a lone wolf with no ties to terrorist organizations, though he apparently embraced what Reuters calls “militant black nationalism.” After searching his home, detectives found “bomb making materials, ballistic vests, rifles, ammunition, and a personal journal of combat tactics.” The sniper attack against DAR T and Dallas police officers was the worst death toll for law enforcement since Sept. 11, 2001. The assassination happened just blocks from Dealey Plaza where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by a lone gunman on Nov. 22, 1963. At a prayer vigil on Friday after noon—where unity was very visibly on display as a rabbi hugged his friend, an imam—Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings obliquely referred to the late JFK, who pledged a civil rights bill before his murder. “This is on my generation of leaders,” Rawlings said. “We have led the next generation down a path of rhetoric that has pitted one another against each other.” He encouraged citizens to hold the “relatively few” police officers who abuse their position of power accountable, while supporting the 99 percent who “do their job professionally.” Finally, he said, “We must love one another because if we don’t, this cancer of separatism will kill this body.” “It is deeper than sadness,” Joli Angel Robinson, manager in the Office of Community Af fairs for the Dallas Police Department, told Salon. “We need to deal with some things that have been festering within our society that we have been trying to avoid. Poor race relations are real. That’s not just black and white. That’s not just Hispanic. That’s not just majority and minority. That is a culture of a variety of people from various backgrounds. We have to learn how to get along here on this one planet Earth that we’ve been given. That is how people can help moving forward.” Texas Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who attended the vigil but wasn’t invited to speak, missed the memo about unity. In an interview with Fox News on Friday, Patrick blamed Black Lives Matter activists for the ambush of the Dallas police officers. “I do blame people on social media…for their hatred towards police,” Patrick said. “I do blame for mer Black Lives Matter protests. The one last night was peaceful, but others have not been.” He added that he was “sick and tired” of people protesting police, which he believes puts police lives in danger. “Too many people who
aren’t criminals, but have a big mouth, created situations like we had last night,” Patrick said. Many in the LGBT community remember Patrick’s hateful comments last June after the Orlando massacre of mostly gay Latinos. “Don’t be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” Alicia Garza, the lesbian co-founder of Black Lives Matter, told Essence: “I think that it’s really difficult, this framing around ‘good cops’ and ‘bad cops.’ Policing as a system is incredibly corrupt, period,” Garza said. “There are people inside of these departments who want to reinstate a level of integrity into those departments and they should be commended. But they cannot do that on their own.” Attor ney General Loretta L ynch seemed to sum up the reactions of many: “This has been a week of profound grief and heartbreaking loss,” she said. But the response must not be violence. “The answer must be action: calm, peaceful, collaborative and determined action.” L ynch added: “We must reject the easy impulses of bitterness and rancor and embrace the difficult work of finding a path forward together. Above all, we must remind ourselves that we are all Americans – and that, as Amer icans, we share not just a common land, but a common life.” L ynch said the DOJ stands behind and is deeply grateful to “our brothers and sisters who wear the badge.” She also seemed to rebuke Dan Patrick: “To those who seek to improve our country through peaceful protest and protected speech: I want you to know that your voice is important. Do not be discouraged by those who use your lawful actions as cover for their heinous violence. We will continue to safeguard your constitutional rights and to work with you in the dif ficult mission of building a better nation and a brighter future.” L ynch concluded by appealing to the better angels of America to not allow “the events of this week to precipitate a ‘new normal’ in our country,” but to stand together and support and heal each other as “one nation,” “one people.” However, there may already be a “new normal,” with six out of 10 black men claiming that they have received unfair treatment from police because of their race, according to a 2015 study. Additionally, based on data of U.S. police killings collected by The Guardian, “black males between the ages of 15 and 34 were nine times more likely to be killed by police officers than any other demographic.” The Guardian estimates that in 2015, at least 306 black people were killed by police. The data does not appear to be broken down by sexual orientation or gender identity. Meanwhile, for those looking at the
07.15 — 07.28.2016 Dallas sniper’s catch of weapons, the House seems poised to recess on July 15 without taking any action on gun safety. The House will reconvene on Sept. 6. NRA Executive Vice President Wa y n e L a P i e r r e e x p r e s s e d “ d e e p anguish” over the killings of the Dallas police but said nothing about the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. An NRA podcast host, however, did note that the police shooting of Castile “does not look good.” Cam Edwards, host of the “Cam & Co” NRA podcast, pointed out that both Castile and Alton Sterling had guns in their position; Louisiana is an open-carry state; and Castile had a concealed-carry permit for his handgun in Minnesota, which he told the officer. “What we know does not look good,” Edwards said. “Our right to keep and bear arms is not based on the color of our skin.” But that’s the outcome, according to an extensive report in The Atlantic. Sterling was outside a store when police came. But the store’s owner, Abdullah Muflahi, who knew Sterling, “said that Sterling was not reaching for the gun, and videos don’t show any evidence that Sterling was reaching for his gun,” which was recovered from his pocket after he was shot and killed. Raw Story also reported on how the Second Amendment applies differ ently for white and black gun owners, citing eight incidents where whites pointed guns at police – and didn’t get killed. “When a white guy is seen wandering around in public waving a gun, the police usually try to talk him down; he’s probably just having a bad day. Even if the white guy happens to be pointing his gun directly at an officer, his interaction with the police is unlikely to end in the exchange of gunfire. This is called white privilege,” they write. “Recent history suggests there’s a certain methodology for how police handle nearly identical gun-related incidents: white guys get arrested, while black guys get shot. Outraged? If not, you need to pay attention.” The African American and LGBT communities both feared and distrusted the LAPD before the LA Riots in 1992, prompted by the exoneration of four police officers caught on tape beating black motorist Rodney King. The post-riot Christopher Commission Report detailed how cops suspected of being gay did not receive back up in dangerous situations and how cops dispatched to gay domestic disputes would message NHI to indicate “No Human Involved.” However, after LAPD Chief Daryl Gates was forced out, African Amer ican Chief Willie Williams instituted community-based policing, reached out to the LGBT community, and awarded openly gay LAPD Officer Lisa Phillips with the Medal of Valor for rescuing her downed partner and a
civilian while surrounded by an angry mob during the riots. New Republican Mayor Richard Riordan also appointed the city’s first openly gay police commissioner. Bearing in mind the progress made—and knowing the work yet to do—it might be helpful to understand that for all the institutional issues with policing, community-based police departments—which include LGBT officers—are suffering through a similar kind of unadulterated pain the LGBT community suf fered after the Orlando massacre. Those cops were targeted for killing, like the gay Latinos. “[T]hese mourning bands are a symbol that cannot express the pain in our hearts. And the pain is not just about personal loss; it’s not just about the loss of another law enforcement officer; it’s not just about the attack on American institutions,” LAPD Chief Charlie Beck told the graduating class of new officers on Friday. “It is a symbol of a breakdown, of a schism that has occurred within our society, where we have done what societies do when they are in trouble: we have separated, we have broken into tribes…. We must move beyond that. This not about black lives; not about brown lives; not about blue lives. This is about America.” So what can an ordinary LGBT person do? Join a pro-equality, pro-gun safety group. Say thank you to first responders, just like after 9/11. But most importantly, get empowered by voting for legislators who want to break down barriers, deal squarely with racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia and unite the country. “Elections matter and voting is important,” says Allison VanKuiken, Equality California’s new transgender program director for community mobilization. “Electing leaders who work towards the interests of the entire community is the best way to build strong communities. And when elections are close, voting matters even more.” Equality California has developed the Vote for Equality Program, geared towards the greater LGBT population and underrepresented communities within the LGBT community. “The program will meet people where they are and engage them,” she says. “This means we are canvassing Pride events and other LGBT events, LGBT neighborhoods, LGBT communities of color and various regions across the state where our efforts can make a difference. To date, we’ve conducted 19,000 conversations and moved over 6,000 people to take action by registering or pledging to vote in November.” The deadline to register is Oct. 24. L i k e c o m m u n i t i e s o f c o l o r, t h e LGBT community has a great stake in this election, not only to protect and win equality but to heal divisions that are “deeper than sadness.”
> LGBT rights 07.15 — 07.28.2016
LOS ANGELES
NEWS
vs. ‘religious freedom’
BY CELISA CALACAL & EVAN POPP, THINK PROGRESS
Guests in Town? Celebration Coming Up? Staff Needs A Day Off?
TIME FOR
Exactly one month after the deadliest gun massacre in recent U.S. history at a gay bar in Orlando, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a hearing on Tuesday on a bill that would give a license to discriminate against gay individuals under the guise of freedom of religion. The bill, the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA), was introduced by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID) last year, and would provide special legal protections to individuals who oppose same-sex marriage and those who oppose extramarital sex. Under the bill, the government cannot deny tax subsidies, grants, or benefits to individuals or religious organizations who harbor anti-LGBT views. While the bill’s authors and supporters on the panel attempted to frame the bill as a logical extension of the the First Amendment’s freedom of religion clause and claimed it was “not a discriminatory bill,” opponents countered that it would merely sanction taxpayer funded discrimination. In addition to Lee and Labrador, who left without answering questions, the witnesses included three Republican majority witnesses (anti-gay former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran, Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Kristen Waggoner, and Witherspoon Institute scholar Matthew Franck) and three Democratic minority witnesses (former Rep. Barney Frank, Columbia Law Professor Katherine Franke, and success-
ful marriage equality plaintiff Jim Obergefell). At the hearing, the ranking Democrat on the committee Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland asked Franke a series of questions about whether the bill would preclude federal enforcement of civil rights laws and family leave protections to employees in same-sex relationships. After she indicated that it did, Cummings asked the full panel of witnesses to raise their hands if they believe it is acceptable for businesses to discriminate against people because of their race, gender, disability, or because they are in a same-sex relationship. None of the witnesses raised their hands, including the ones in favor of FADA. Cummings concluded by asking Franke whether the bill would make it legal for Fortune 500 companies to fire employees in a same-sex relationship or deny them health benefits without any penalty. Franke said the bill allows a company with the religious convictions that marriage should be between a man and a women to “take steps in their employment policies to advance those views. In that case, employees would be unable to bring any sort of lawsuit against those companies in federal court or using federal laws.” Currently, 170 House Republicans and one House Democrat have signed on as co-sponsors of Labrador’s bill. Lee’s identical Senate version has 37 co-sponsors, all Republicans.
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LOS ANGELES
07.15 — 07.28.2016
> “Last Men Standing,” a
MOVIES
chronicle of endurance BY JOHN PAUL KING Over her 10 years covering HIV/AIDS for the San Francisco Chronicle, health writer Erin Allred spoke with many men who had managed to live through the epidemic of the eighties and nineties, and was struck by a common thread that ran through their stories of survival. Although medical advances had removed the immediate threat of death from their lives, these men were still suffering from the collateral damage the disease had wrought upon them. Moved by their continuing struggle, Allred conceived a special feature for her paper, focusing on eight such men and sharing their stories with a world mostly oblivious to the realities of life for long-term AIDS survivors. Aided by photographers Erin Brethauer and Tim Hussin, she spent months working with her subjects- a process which yielded not only an extensive article and website for the Chronicle, but also the documentary, “Last Men Standing.” Directed by Brethauer and Hussin, the film has been making the rounds at film festivals throughout the summer (including Los Angeles’ own OutFest), and has been earning praise for reminding younger generations that the AIDS epidemic is not just a closed chapter in a history book. Using Allred’s article as a springboard, the two directors bring us face to face with the eight survivors profiled there, providing an intimate connection with them and inspiring the kind of empathy that only film can achieve. Though their stories are varied, all of these men carry the burden of memory. They still mourn the loss of friends and lovers, of countless promising young lives cut short by a plague that decimated an entire generation of gay men. In addition, they are haunted by the bittersweet experience of having lived through the seventies in San Francisco- a golden time and place where unprecedented freedom and sexual liberation made it seem anything was possible for the gay community- only to have their dream of a bright future turned suddenly into a nightmare in which a casual hook-up could lead to a death sentence. These issues have been well-documented before, of course; and though it is always important to revisit them, it is by moving beyond such well-known themes that “Last Men Standing” turns itself into something special. Bringing the story of AIDS into the here and now, the men onscreen reveal how the disease continues to
THE TWO DIRECTORS BRING US FACE TO FACE WITH THE EIGHT SURVIVORS… PROVIDING AN INTIMATE CONNECTION WITH THEM AND INSPIRING THE KIND OF EMPATHY THAT ONLY FILM CAN ACHIEVE.
afflict their lives. One tells of the fear and depression he suffers over the impending loss of the disability benefits that provide the bulk of his income, which will expire when he turns 65- an age he never expected to see. Another has been displaced by the gentrification of San Francisco, evicted from his apartment and left without a place to live in the city he has called home for four decades. Others suffer from side effects of the medications, or from the loneliness that comes with age in a culture that values youth and attractiveness above wisdom and experience. One survivor seems to speak for them all when he says, only half-jokingly, that dying would have been easier. Though Brethauer and Hussin don’t shy away from the grim reality their subjects face, or pull punches by suggesting a rosier future ahead, they also show us the ways these brave men endure. They connect with other survivors to organize events; they participate in their community in whatever ways are available, whether volunteering at an animal shelter or dressing up to march in the Pride Parade; they transcend their ordeals by creating art or music; in short, they do whatever it takes to survive yet another day. Their interwoven stories culminate- on screen,
anyway- in a wedding ceremony which under scores their determination to accept the lives they have been given, both the good and the bad, and embrace whatever the future has in store for their remaining years. It’s a moving validation of the human spir it, and a surprisingly uplifting keynote for a film which aims to debunk the myth that the AIDS epidemic is over. “Last Men Standing” is not the first documentary which has tackled AIDS; indeed, it is only the latest of many. It rises above most of the rest, however, thanks to its directors’ journalistic integrity. They give us a film that manages to be both unsentimental and compassionate, that educates us about the hardships of a very specific community and yet evokes the struggle to reconcile the sorrow and joy in all our lives. By introducing us to these men and showing how inner strength, deepened by suffering, continues to drive them against the obstacles of daily life, their movie attains a relevance that is not only contemporary, but universal. It’s a must-see not only for LGBTQ audiences, but for the entire human race. -- featured at Outfest Los Angeles Film Festival
07.15 — 07.28.2016
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BY JEFF BERRY
T h is pa st Ja nua r y I awoke to t he news t hat Dav id Bow ie had just died. My partner Stephen told me as I walked into the kitchen. I thought it had to be a mistake, some kind of horrible, twisted hoa x. When you are 57 years old, as I am, 69 seems way too young to die. When I graduated from high school in 1976, my parents gave me an allin-one stereo system that I would play my vinyl records on (it even had a built in 8-track player!). I would listen to B ow ie’s a lbu m “ You n g A mer ic a n s” over a nd over on t he tur ntable, a nd was spellbound by Bowie – his music, lyrics, the androgynous look. Ever ything about him spoke to me, and as a slightly effeminate, young, gay man who was still in the process of coming out, he gave me confidence that everything was going to work out, and that I would eventually come into my own someday. He gave me, and others like me, hope, and made it cool to be different. A f ter test i ng posit ive for H I V i n 1989 at the age of 30, I wasn’t sure I would live to see 35, as there were still no effective treatments for HIV. When t hose t reat ments did f i na l ly a r r ive they were often difficult to take, and some had debi l it at i n g side ef fect s. While recent treatment advances have made HIV therapy much simpler and safer, there can often be underly ing issues such as ment a l hea lt h, substance abuse and financial instability that need to be addressed in order to be successful in treating HIV. Ta ke it up on you r s el f t o c r e at e your own plan and path to wellness. If you’re depressed or feel isolated, talk to someone at a support group or even an online community (there are many on Facebook such as the “International place for people with HIV/AIDS, and the people who love us” or “HIV Long Ter m Sur v ivors” ). If you a re usi ng,
there are resources to help you get and stay sober (A A, NA or CM A) or at the very least play safely and sanely (such as tweaker.org). If you’re HIV-positive, seek out an HIV case manager at the nearest A IDS ser vice organization in your area who can help you see if there a re fina ncia l resources ava ilable to you to help ease some of the stresses of day-to-day living. Consult with a provider who is knowledgeable about HIV/ AIDS, and come prepared with a list of questions about potential side effects and drug interactions that you might be concer ned about. If you wa nt to simplify your treatment or help make it easier for you to take it every day as prescribed, see if there is something available that will work for you. If you a re HI V-negat ive, P rEP, or pre-exposure prophyla xis, is a daily pill you can take to prevent HIV. Truvada is cur rently t he only approved medication for PrEP. W hile any doctor can prescribe PrEP, you can find a list of providers who are knowledgeable and familiar with PrEP at http:// w w w.greaterthan.org/get-prep. If you are HIV-positive, and are on effective HIV treatment, your virus will be suppressed to a level so low (undetectable) that it is virtually impossible for you to transmit the virus to others. Much has changed in 20 years: the daw n of the internet, smart phones, s o c i a l me d i a , e ve n t r e at me nt a nd prevention for HIV. But one constant remains. Treating and preventing HIV is as much a n a r t as it is a science. Change is inevitable, but by embracing it we “turn and face the strange,” as Bowie said, and become the architect of our own future, and master of our destiny. -- Jeff Berry is the editor of Positively Aware magazine. This column is a project of Plus, Positively Aware, POZ, T h eBody.com and Q Syndi cate, th e LGBT wire service.
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