VOICES FROM THE MOUNTAINS:
AIDS - Less Than Fabulous 9

Tom Aloisi

While Greg Louganis bravely comes forward
about his AIDS diagnosis, the jury is still out on
how the public will ultimately perceive him. Is he
a good, "innocent victim" like Ryan White and
Magic Johnson? Or will he be perceived forever
as someone evil - deserving of AIDS - a gay man
who may have put the entire 1988 Olympic
Games at risk for AIDS with a few drops of
blood in a chlorine—filled pool? One person I
know called Greg Louganis an "asshole" for not
telling anyone that he was putting other divers at
risk. When I explained that there was no possibil-
ity that another diver could have been infected,
she responded, "So what's the big deal?" Exactly.

Fifteen years into the AIDS epidemic, the straight
world seems to be more concerned (paranoid?)
about AIDS than ever. The myths and mis-
conceptions seem to linger, and the media always
enjoys stirring up the pot of paranoia about AIDS.
As gay men, we need to continue to fight for
each other's lives. We can't depend on the straight
population (especially the straight media) for ac-
curate, non—incendiary information. Un-
fortunately, there has been a drastic decline in
AIDS activism among gay men. Why is this? Is it
because HIV is no longer the hip new disease?
What ever happened to ACT—UP, did they run
out of combat boots? Did electing a president
who was supposed to be our friend make us all
complacent? It seems to me that this apathy may
be caused by the proliferation of AIDS among
people who are already disenfranchised in the gay
community ~ injection drug users, the poor, gay
men of color - those invisible men for whom no
one seems to advocate in our community.

We have a responsibility as gay men to ac-
knowledge the changing faces of AIDS. Not all
of us are Greg Louganises or Rock Hudsons. The
hysteria of the Louganis story spread by the
straight media has shown us once again that we
need to continue to rely on our own community
for support. In 1995, most educated, informed
gay/bisexual men have access to risk reduction
information, and many have the ability to nego-
tiate safer sex practices. It is often the closeted or
disenfranchised members of our community who
are still becoming infected. If you are reading

this article you are much more likely to be able to
get the education and on-going support to protect
yourself from HIV infection. We cannot con-
tinue to turn our backs on those of us who are not
constantly hearing the safer sex message. We
have to acknowledge that this virus is primarily
still infecting men who have sex with men, and
we need to develop prevention programs and
methods of support for all members of the gay
community, regardless of race, wealth, per-
sonality, culture, or physical appearance.

Too often, I read obituaries of people who have
died of AIDS, mostly men, in local Vermont
newspapers. Who are these people? No one in the
out, politically active gay community seems to
know who these people are. Many of these peo-
ple are gay men on the fringe of our community;
if they're not at all the fabulous parties or political
events they don't really matter to us. In these in-
stances, it's easy for us to ignore their existence
until we read their obituaries, and wonder,
"who?"

In San Francisco, it is widely known in the gay
community that most AIDS obituaries are re-
served for the "A-list" gay men. The'young and
fabulous set. Even in death, many dis-
enfranchised San Franciscans remain invisible.
This must not happen in Vermont. The next less-
than-fabulous man you see at 135 Pearl may be

. living with PHV/AIDS or may be on the path to

becoming infected. It is time for all of us to put
down our biases and get involved to support all
members of our community. After all, you never
know who our next "innocent victim" may be.

Tom Aloisi currently works with the Vermont De-
partment of Health AIDS Program. His views do
not necessarily reflect those of the Vermont De-
partment of Health.

All readers are encouraged to take their turn at
the editorial bat and let their voices be heard on
the topic of their choice. Send articles/columns to
Out In The Mountains, P. 0. Box 177, Burling-
ton, VT 05402, or via the Internet at 0utVer-
mont@aol.com. V

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3

 

May 1995

 

Tom Fleury has resigned as Co-Liaison of the Vermont Coalition
for Lesbian and Gay Rights because work and career demands
prevent his continued time commitment on behalf of our com-
munity. Keith Goslant, fonner Co—Liaison, has willingly and ef-
fectively stepped in as interim Co—Liaison along with Susan Aran-
off. His energy and knowledge are highly appreciated. Keith has
not set a firm time limit on his work except to say that he will
serve through the end of the current legislative session and then re-
evaluate at the end of May. Are there any men interested in this
position which requires a time commitment through November
1996!? If interested, call Susan Aranoff at (802)728-4121.

Continuing on the legislative front, we and all the other or-
ganizations concerned about the Adoption Reform Bill were sur-
prised by the Senate Health and Welfare Committee's amendment
to limit adoptive parents to either a single individual or to a hus-
band and wife. The bill then went to the Senate Judiciary Com-
mittee. The Coalition was able to respond quickly by organizing
an impressive and effective group of professionals and concerned
members of our community who informed, educated and testified
before the Senate Judicial Committee. This public testimony was
focused with 35 individuals speaking in favor of fully—inclusive
adoption. Of the others testifying, 13 opposed inclusive adoption
and 29 spoke to other adoption bill concerns. The Senate Judicial
Committee has voted to not concur with the Health and Welfare
Committee amendment language, but has not yet worked out their
own language on who can adopt. The Coalition is remaining ac-
tive on this issue, submitting proposed language and assisting the
Senate committee with their deliberations as they work to have the
bill ready to present to the whole Senate next January.

The Senate Judicial Committee also held a public hearing on
three proposals affecting the Human Rights Commission. Two
proposals would effectively abolish the Human Rights Commis-
sion_,,one absolutely and the other one would keep a commission
to review the Attorney General's decisions, but both move all hu-
man rights functions (without funding) to the Attorney General's
Office. The other proposal would make both positive and negative
changes to the Human Rights Commission, especially concerning
staff functions and procedures. Susan Aranoff, Co—Liaison, and
other members of the Coalition testified on behalf of a strength-
ened and independent Human Rights Commission and against
eliminating it and moving its functions to the Attorney General's
Office. The public testimony was fairly balanced between those in
favor of the commission and those against the commission. This
wasa vast improvement over the summer study committee's pub-
lic hearings where most of the testimony was against the commis-
sron.

The VCLGR board has another unfilled seat and would ap-
preciate hearing from persons who might be interested in serving
until the next election. A female from northwest Vermont perhaps?
Anyone interested should call Mary Hurlie at (802)482-3927 or
Christopher Wesolowski at (802)365-9139.

VCLGR is expanding its educational outreach by presenting a
workshop entitled "From Homophobia to Coalition Building".
This workshop, which was presented in April at the statewide
NOW conference, is being repeated at the Conference on Ec-
onomic and Social Justice on May 6th, 11:30 am - 5 pm, at Bur-
lington High School. The Coalition is one of the co-sponsors of
this conference which is being organized by Congressman Bernie
Sanders. For further information call Laurie Labarthe at (802)223-
8962.

As the Coalition matures and embarks on new tasks and assumes
new responsibilities in the name of our community, volunteers. are
needed to provide assistance in getting big and small jobs ac-
complished. You are the coalition that will advance our rights and
place in society. If you would like to be involved please call Lau-

rie Labarthe at (802)223-8962. Thanks to those who have vol- _

unteered their-services already - more volunteers are needed!

If you need to contact the,.Vermont Coalition for Lesbian and Gay,

Rights (VCLGR), you may write to PO Box 1125, Montpelier, VT
05602, or you may call (802) 365-9139 or (802 ) 482-3927.

*****

VCLGR Board of Directors
Co-Chairs: Mary M. Hurlie (Hinesburg). Christopher Wesolowski (Neyvfane)
Co-Liaisons to the Governor: Susan Aranoff (Randolph), Keith Goslant (Plainfield

' - Interim)

Terje Anderson (Burlington), Tom Aloisi (Burlington), Judith Beckett (Bradford),
Louise Brill (South Royalton), D. Dudley (Strafford), Carey Johnson (Brattleboro),
Laurie Labarthe (Worcester), Judy Lashof (Sudbury), Susan Murray (Ferrisburg).

‘ Gabriel Q. (Northfield), Joseph Watson (East Midcllebury) V,