A Call for Real HIV Prevention Activism
Gregg Gonsalves
We, the undersigned individuals, support the concept of community organization and
activism to address the spread the HIV disease in our communities. However, we reject the
approach recently proposed by some community members to strictly enforce State regulation
and close commercial sex establishments.
1. There are many different viewpoints in our communities about how to address the
problem of rising HIV infection rates. All of them stem from a commitment to end the
spread of HIV transmission. Self-appointed community members should not act as
community police, forcing their particular solution onto the gay community,
particularly without first engaging in a debate about our choices. The call for the
closure of commercial sex establishments as an effective HIV prevention effort is not
representative of the views of the gay and lesbian community.
2. State regulations that purportedly protect the public health do not differentiate between
protected and unprotected intercourse. Nor do those regulations define the significant
differences in the degree of risk between oral and anal sex. It is dangerous to invoke
regulations that control our sexuality without regard to risk factors. It is even more
dangerous to ask the State, through its enforcement mechanism - the Police Department
- to enforce these over-inclusive regulations.
3. The closing of commercial sex establishments will not stop gay men from having
anonymous sex. Anonymous sex is something that has been part of the lives of gay
men for centuries. Whether or not one thinks this activity is "good" or "bad", it exists
and is a very powerful force in the lives of many gay men of all ages and backgrounds.
The closure of the bathhouses will not bring it to an end. Instead, the activity will
move to the streets, parks, piers and alleyways where it will be much harder to provide
HIV education and where we will be subject to further arrest and violence.
4. Rather than promote behavior change, the key to the success of HIV prevention efforts,
the closure of commercial sex establishments stigmatizes behavior, making
communication even harder than it already is. Discussing our attitudes and feelings
about the kinds of sex we have and about how we deal with the ever-present risk of
HIV infection is the most important thing we can do to stop the spread of HIV.
5. It is the kind of sex, not where it takes place, that creates a risk of HIV infection. There
is much data that shows that it is in the bedroom where most risks are taken.
The proposal to shut down commercial sex establishments does not address the real
problem of sexual safety in out relationships and sustaining safer sex throughout our
sexual lives.
6. If one believes that it is in the interest of public health to prohibit gay sex
(undifferentiated by risk factor) in public, then why not prohibit gay sex in private as
well, where the risk of transmission is even greater. Perhaps community members who
advocate bathhouse closure would draw the line there. Unfortunately, the politicians
that will use the statements of those advocates for their own vicious means, will draw
no line at all.
7. Owners of commercial sex establishments, bars, clubs, and phone sex lines must be
much more responsive to the needs of the communities from which they make their
money. Condoms, lube, and/or information and referral must be free and available at
all gay social establishments upon entry. Patrons should encourage condom and
information distribution and boycott those establishments that do not provide them.
8. Do not demonize gay men because of where we choose to have sex. Do not take away
our ability to make choices for ourselves. Do not characterize gay men as victims who
have no ability to control ourselves. It is important for us to have a dialogue about the
role that sex plays in our lives and our community. Do not polarize the discussion
before it even begins.
9. It is everyone's responsibility to be a prevention activist, to create and implement
strategies to stop the spread of HIV, to fight for funding for HIV prevention in gay and
lesbian communities, and to have sex safely, well and often.
The undersigned are listed as individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views of any
particular organization (list in formation-endorsements received as of February 24, 1995):
Gregory Adams--Moises Agosto--Mark Aurigemma--Sam Avrett--Dan Baker--Matt
Baney--Mike Barr--George Bellinger, Jr.--Allan Berube--Joseph Best--Jay
Blotcher--Charles Ching--Tom Coates, Ph.D.--Mario Cooper--Sally
Cooper--Spencer Cox--DennisDavidson--Charles Franchino--Stephen Gendin--Gregg
Gonsalves--Thaddeus Grimes-Gruczka--Howard Grossman, M.D.--Eileen Hansen--Mark
Harrington--John Hatchett--Amber Hollibaugh--Dan Johnston--Jonathan Ned
Katz--Wayne Kawadler--Luis Lopez--Michael Marco--Kiki Mason--Loring
McAlpin--Victor Mendolia--Charles Nelson--Laura Pinsky--Norman Schoenberg,
M.D.--Michael Shriver--Michael Slocum--ChuckSock--Joseph Sonnabend,
M.D.--Philippe Soule--Sean Strub--Adam Turner--MichaelWarner--Beck Young
To sign-on, call 212-533-9740 or fax 212-777-8919 or email
gr...@panix.com