Original_To:  BITNET%"POLITICS@OHSTVMA.BITNET"
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.politics
Date:         Sun, 22 Nov 1992 16:49:00 EDT
From:         CLARK@EVMSVMS.BITNET
Subject:      Re: AIDS & HIV (was Gays in Military)

Ted Frank re-posts my stats on AIDS and HIV:

>>
>>              _Commonwealth of Virginia  11/01/92_
>>
>>
>>Number of _AIDS_ cases in general pop:          3,310
>>Cases reported from homosexual/bi contact:         64.8%
>>Cases reported from heterosexual contact:           5.5%
>>
>>Rate of _HIV_ in general pop:                     1/250
>>Cases reported from homosexual/bi contact:         32.4%
>>Cases reported from heterosexual contact:          27.0%
>>
>>A number of things come up.  First, the _rate_ of HIV infection
>>is now higher among heterosexuals.

And then says:

>What?!?!?!  Are you saying that homosexual men comprise 32% of the
>population?  I don't see how you can claim the rate of HIV
>infection is higher among heterosexuals.

Now, now, Ted, however did you pass those LSATs?  Look carefully at the stats -
when you get HIV, you *will* have full-blown AIDS within 3-10 years.  Look at
the numbers...64.8% of AIDS cases are from homo/bi contact; only 5.5 are from
hetero contact.  But ahh! look at HIV infection!  32.4% are homo/bi BUT 27.0%
are from hetero - these people will have AIDS in a very short time.  The rate
of HIV infection is growing *much* faster for heteros than homo/bis.  I know
the Conventional Wisdom doesn't support this - still a "gay" disease...but when
you have something like HIV - which means barring a cure when you have HIV
you'll get AIDS - we can clearly see that this is *now* a "mainstream" disease.


>>Second, if you're scared of
>>HIV and you're in the military, you have a better shot SLEEPING
>>with a homosexual or bisexual than with a heterosexual who's had
>>more than one sexual partner.

>You should check out probability theory.  The statistics you give
>don't indicate one way or the other until we know how many gay men
>there are in the military.  Keep in mind that anyone who tells the
>military that they got HIV from a gay sex encounter (instead of lying
>and claiming they got it from a woman) will be dishonorably discharged
>and without medical care.

Actually, Ted, the above was a bitter sarcasm to those who felt that they'd
get AIDS from wounded homosexuals bleeding on them in battle.
As for the lying about sexual status - that's not completely true.  The Navy
doesn't hold the doctor-patient confidentiality as strictly as civilian law -or
even the confessional - but there are plenty of doctors out there who took their
hyppocratic oath *before* their commission (thankfully) so being straight (no
pun) with the doctor doesn't *automatically* guarantee a discharge.


>>Suffice it to say, yet another myth destroyed in not only the
>>fight against AIDS & AIDS Ignorance, but in the fight against
>>Ignorants Who Fear Gays in the Military.

>I support allowing gays in the military (heck, they're already there).
>But your post perpetuates AIDS ignorance, rather than fights it.
>--
>ted frank

Do you think so, Ted?  I don't.  Kind of like when white Southerners (oh, I'm
for civil rights...sure...) said they weren't prejudiced, it's just that the
"negro" invites more bias when he sits at the Woolworth lunch counter reserved
for whites.

Showing the fallacies and lies of the homophobic certainly decreases ignorance
- regardless of whether or not you agree with the numbers or the tactic.


-T.