"Distributing syringes to drug injectors had prevented at least 32,000 HIV infections and 100,000 hepatitis C infections across Australia in the past 10 years, new research has found.
"Harm reduction campaigner, Mr John Ryan, said the national Return on Investment 2 study showed that needle and syringe programs (NSP) had saved Australia $1.28 billion in health costs in the past decade years. ...
"'Only 0.1% of drug injectors are HIV positive, but 14% would be if there were not needle and syringe programs throughout thousands of places in Australia,' Mr Ryan said.
We've got the State AIDS Director on the run...
...or does he just really need to get his teeth cleaned?
ACT UP went to Harrisburg to confront State AIDS Director Joseph Pease as he welcomed folks to a Ryan White funding conference. We were planning to call him out in front of his bosses and constituents for returning $11 million that was supposed to go to Pennsylvanians with HIV/AIDS, and failing to apply for an addition $4 million... because that would have required working on the weekend! Pathetic excuse...
So we show up, all business casual with fancy fliers and a speech prepared, and Mr. Joseph Pease is (once again?) AWOL -- citing a dentist appointment (Really? You schedule a dentist appointment the morning you're supposed to welcome your colleagues and federal grantmakers to a big conference?)
We think it's time for Joseph Pease to meet with those he's accountable to and answer to this:
ACT UP went to Harrisburg to confront State AIDS Director Joseph Pease as he welcomed folks to a Ryan White funding conference. We were planning to call him out in front of his bosses and constituents for returning $11 million that was supposed to go to Pennsylvanians with HIV/AIDS, and failing to apply for an addition $4 million... because that would have required working on the weekend! Pathetic excuse...
So we show up, all business casual with fancy fliers and a speech prepared, and Mr. Joseph Pease is (once again?) AWOL -- citing a dentist appointment (Really? You schedule a dentist appointment the morning you're supposed to welcome your colleagues and federal grantmakers to a big conference?)
We think it's time for Joseph Pease to meet with those he's accountable to and answer to this:
Queer Health Is Political -- or, why attend the AIDS rally at the big gay march this weekend
If you are going to be in DC for the Equality March this weekend (or even thinking about going), you should make it a point to go down to the ellipse Saturday evening for the AIDS rally and candle(glowstick)light vigil. Because:
1) While AIDS is not now and has never been "a gay disease" it does continue to affect gay men and transpeople disproportionately. Especially gay men and transpeople of color. And that's wrong and needs to be fought. It needs to be fought by fighting stigma and homophobia, by targeting homophobic doctors and insurers and lawmakers, changing hearts and minds and policies until everyone has access to the tools they need to stay healthy.
2) AIDS is not over. Thanks to AIDS activists, more people than ever have access to treatment that has turned an HIV diagnosis from a death sentence to a mostly manageable condition. But not everyone has access to the medicine they need, and HIV cases are rising among gay men, the only demographic in the country for which cases are rising.
3) AIDS activism is among the most effective, fun, smart, creative, and yes, sexy activism there is. Seriously. Kiss-ins, die-ins, big sexy rallies with sexy queers, glowsticks, music, poetry, and more. Groups like ACT UP have always known that the way to build a movement is to win stuff and have fun doing really serious, fierce, life-saving work. That being in-your-face about sex and drugs is the only way to lift stigma about sex and drugs and start the conversations that need to happen so we can stay safe and healthy.
So ACT UP is bringing the message that:
1) While AIDS is not now and has never been "a gay disease" it does continue to affect gay men and transpeople disproportionately. Especially gay men and transpeople of color. And that's wrong and needs to be fought. It needs to be fought by fighting stigma and homophobia, by targeting homophobic doctors and insurers and lawmakers, changing hearts and minds and policies until everyone has access to the tools they need to stay healthy.
2) AIDS is not over. Thanks to AIDS activists, more people than ever have access to treatment that has turned an HIV diagnosis from a death sentence to a mostly manageable condition. But not everyone has access to the medicine they need, and HIV cases are rising among gay men, the only demographic in the country for which cases are rising.
3) AIDS activism is among the most effective, fun, smart, creative, and yes, sexy activism there is. Seriously. Kiss-ins, die-ins, big sexy rallies with sexy queers, glowsticks, music, poetry, and more. Groups like ACT UP have always known that the way to build a movement is to win stuff and have fun doing really serious, fierce, life-saving work. That being in-your-face about sex and drugs is the only way to lift stigma about sex and drugs and start the conversations that need to happen so we can stay safe and healthy.
So ACT UP is bringing the message that:
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