Group Wants Ban on HIV+ Tourists Reinstated

gaygames.jpegThe federal government temporarily repealed a ban on HIV-positive visitors to the US, allowing athletes with HIV to legally participate in the Gay Games. Never mind the fact that we were horrified to learn there was a ban on HIV-positive travelers in the first place. Although we can’t imagine how they enforce the stupid rule.

Now Peter LaBarbera, Executive Director of the Illinois Family Institute, has called on the government to reinstate the ban, as he believes inviting thousands of potentially HIV-positive people to the US creates a major public health threat.

He specifically criticizes the Gay Games’ website as promoting “extracurricular” activities that are dangerous: the site includes ads for Steamworks and Man’s Country, two bathhouses/sex clubs in the Chicago area, which he believes promote “highly dangerous homosexual behavior”:

“[A bathhouse is] a place where men with a homosexual problem go for anonymous sexual activity. And so it’s very, very dangerous activity that’s going on behind closed doors.

We really believe this waiver of the HIV ban is going to lead to more people being infected with HIV here in the Chicago area and possibly all across the nation and the world.”

In response to the “dangerous behavior” accusation, our investigative team here at Queerty called Steamworks and Man’s Country, and confirmed with them that they do provide condoms for free to anyone who wants them. We would also like to point out that Steamworks is right smack-dab in the middle of Boystown, and the lines to get inside can literally stretch down the block like it’s a ride at Disneyland. Everyone already knows it’s there, the ads aren’t really promoting much.

Obviously, LaBarbera’s request will fail; Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago and brethren of Tony Soprano, loves the gays and the huge tax revenues that Boystown generates. Those Gay Games will be better protected than Fort Knox.

Group targets HIV+ athletes [Chicago Sun-Times]

Ban on HIV-positive travelers to US repealed [Agape Press]

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