New York City’s HIV epidemic continues to spread. Despite official statements calling infection rates “stable,” Gay City News has obtained a 6-page memo in which health commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden says otherwise.
New York City is now experiencing an increase in syphilis and an increase in HIV infection in men who have sex with men. In view of this increase it is appropriate to re-evaluate New York’s current policies regarding commercial sex venues to see if policy changes could reduce the spread of these infections.
The city’s policies began in 1985, when they closed dozens of bathhouses and sex clubs, mostly gay, to stem HIV infection. Frieden’s memo suggests increasing inspections and closing venues that don’t comply with warnings. What’s interesting is that two of the suggested solutions – extending policy to private sex parties and clubs and using the Sanitary Code to shut them down completely – specifically warn that implementation will piss off the gays. Frieden knows his shit.
John k.
Regulation of for-profit businesses is absolutely necessary, but it’s absolutely unacceptable to extend law into private parties.
victor
um.. i would suppose most people are becoming HIV+ by hooking up on the internet. The sex clubs are probably not the reason the numbers are going up.
DavidDust
I agree with Victor – the internet, apathy, and meth use is facilitating this increase in infection.
mrmansonx
But internet hookup won’t raise HIV (though I guess it is plus syphilis), if people took to notice more who they are fucking and wore a godamn condom. Same for sex clubs. Though I’m guessing those going to those places care even less about the people they are fucking.
seitan-on-a-stick
Male-to-Male sex has been pushed so far underground and HIV positive stigma is alive and thriving in the Poz capital, New York that a rise in infection rates is a no brainer except we probably won’t find out until 2 years later as slow as government statistical-gathering is. Hustling is an epidemic in New York and has overtaken the internet chatrooms and is the last resort economic choice for a chronically under-employed community. If men lied about AOL inches in the past, lies about HIV, Hepatitis B or even Syphillis status as well as those who pray on vulnerable gays for material gain is to be expected. Sometimes, the most accepting gay environments can be the sex club whereas gay nightlife has diminished into sex-less banality catering to the “pots and pans” crystal-crowd. I miss the drunks! Most men in New York, including a large number of so-called “Negative” claiming same-gender loving men simply do not use condoms or will “go with the flow” of the moment when issues of self-esteem, body facism, ageism, looksism, internalized homophobia and econonomic disparities are ignored. Instead, Dr Frieden-stein will drum up Super-AIDS hoaxes, threaten to close all gay establishments, reduce AIDS services and hope we all join the Log Cabin Republicans and Shut the Hell Up! Homo don’t play dat!
lushess
i never been with someone was gay i have been with my bf 12 years i went out one nite i made mistake and guy told me after wards he hiv just find out he was cleaned and tested i was tested clean at 3 mo but my last test i took adam gave me i didnt know he had hep are did i know he had hiv he was allow to used needle do my test well things didnt go right they told me its one time needle well the type needle he used i was able to unlock it they said check it out i showed guy that works there and my soon be husband watch me do it i been sleeping on sofa cause i wanted keep him clean untill i was sure i was well that day never happen cause of my test im female i never even been with female i dont do drugs are am i drinker but i do smoke cig that day been nite mare i cant wake up i wish we could go back in time but we cant i have been up there they point there fingure at me i must messes up why would i be gettig tested if i was going go out there and do that dont make scents and was going get married and be happy
Posted by: lushess | October 07, 2010 at 03:23 AM
PLZ HELP ME WHAT HAPPEN TO ME WAS NOT RIGHT
Posted by: lushess | October 07, 2010 at 05:10 AM
i have asked him why all he does hide from me he will never answer me i know its to late but i just like know once why he hurt me what i do so wrong
Posted by: lushess | October 07, 2010 at 08:57 AM
i might never see my kids grow up and i might never see my grandkids cause adam thompsom