University takes educational role with AIDS
ny i»ary Jimenez
and Linda Hahn
Of th> Kimrild
At a time when concern about
AIDS is spreading across this
country, the University is
beginning to conduct a series of
educational seminars to inform
those in high-risk groups, as
well as the general population,
about the risks and causes of
Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome.
This response by the Univer
sity mirrors a trend nationwide
by schools, iails, hospitals, den
tal offices and other institutions
to contend with the spread oi
the disease.
For example, the National
Educational Association recent
ly set forth a set of guidelines
for dealing with AIDS victims
in the schools. However,
University officials have stop
ped short of adopting a similar
set of institutional standards.
“We’re not going to provide a
remedy unless we're sure
there's a problem.” said Dan
Williams, vice president for ad
ministration. “We have had
preliminary discussions about
it."
It is the position of both
Williams and Dr. Jamfli
Jackson, director of the Studen
Health ('enter, that the Univer
sity should assume an educa
tional and Informative role ir
dealing with the threat of AIDS
“We're dealing with «
population which has a very
high level of awareness and
maturity," Williams said. "I’m
not sure the institution needs to
play a parental role."
Jackson agreed saying AIDS i«
not transmitted through the
kind of casual contact that takes
place in the University setting.
Jackson said his main concern
at the University is not with the
high-risk population — primari
ly homosexuals. They have
been counseled and are aware
that the disease can be transmit
ted sexually, he said. They have
been advised to taka precau
tions in the private aspects of
their lives, he added.
"My main concern is that all
individuals should be concern
ed about the possibility of ex
posure to AIDS," he said.
Exposure through intimate
contact, he said, can lead to
three possibilities — 5-10 per
cent will come down with the
full-blown disease, 20 percent
will come down wiih a mild
foim and 60-70 percent will be
carriers, Jackson said. Carriers
generally develop no symptoms
of the disease, but can cause its
spread.
Of the 14,000-plus cases na
tionwide, however, 90 percent
fall into known high risk
populations: homosexual men
account for 73 percent of all
cases: intravenous drug users
for 17 percent: transfusion reci
pients of blood or blood pro
ducts for 1 percent; and
heterosexual men and women
with multiple partners for 1
percent.
"There is a growing concern
that this will become a
heterosexually transmitted
disease," Jackson said.
In fact, the national Centers
for Disease Control has
documented cases of the disease
being spread through sexual in
tercourse. The primary way the
disease is being carried into the
heterosexual population,
Jackson said, is by prostitutes
and bisexual men.
The evidence shows that peo
ple should exercise caution in
their sex lives, he said.
The problem is that the
disease can be carried in the
body for up to two years,
Jackson said. And 70 percent of
those who contract the disease
never develop any of the symp
toms. Nor is it known why only
5 to 20 percent of those who do
become exposed actually
develop the “full-blown AIDS
syndrome” that almost always
results in death.
The bottom line for residents
of the University, according to
the American College-Health
Association, is that AIDS is not
believed to be spread by
“casual, ordinary contact.”
Even families of AIDS victims
are not affected by ordinary
family contact with afflicted
members.
According to a paper from the
American Health-College
Association:
•There is no reason to ex
clude AIDS victims or carriers
from campus academic, social
or cultural activities.
•Shared classrooms, study
areas, libraries, theaters, etc.,
do not represent problems.
•There is no reason to alter
dorm assignments simply
because of a gay or bisexual
./V T I Continued from Page 1A
Shoemaker says. After several
complaints, however, the sta
tion’s manager took the sign
down.
Shoemaker admits that he
isn't sure that increased acts of
prejudice against homosexuals
can be entirely attributed to
AIDS, however. It may be that
the pendulum is just swinging
back the other way and even if
AIDS had never come up.
discrimination might still have
been on the increase, he says.
Liberal legislation that was
making some heodway during
the 1970s is now coming under
fire from right-wing conser
vatives. Abortion, women's
rights and even arms limitations
now are being scrutinized by a
more conservative government.
And so are gay and lesbian
rights.
While the Keagan administra
tion has never supported any
sort of gay rights legislation.
Shoemaker says, neither have
the fundamentalist religious
organizations that have in
fluence on government just by
virtue of their numbers.
Hob Powell, who also is in
volved with GALA, says that
religious leaders, particularly
fundamentalists such as jerry
Falwell, have been instructing
followers to write to legislators
urging opposition to HR230, a
bill that would mandate gay
rights.
Whether AIDS has actually
brought on an increase in
discrimination against
homosexuals or whether it has
just made opponents more vocal
is unclear. But the disease has
made it easier for people to at
tack homosexuals — physically
as well as verbally. Shoemaker
says.
It is becoming more common
for homosexuals to be beaten up
outside gay bars, Shoemaker
says. While this is more com
mon in New York and San F'ran
ciso, it also happens in Eugene
at predominantly gay
establishments such as Ferry's
On Pearl and Cassady's Tavern,
he says.
Meanwhile more and more
restrictions are being placed on
gays because they are in a high
risk group for contracting AIDS.
The military has begun testing
all personnel for the AIDS virus,
discharging those who test
positive. In New York, the state
Public Health Council, asser
ting an AIDS emergency is at
hand, ruled that authorities
could close gay bathhouses.
And it is now a felony in many
states for homosexuals (and
others in AIDS high-risk
groups) to donate blood.
While there are some valid
health concerns to consider, it
is important to remember that
AIDS is not a gay disease, says
David Funk, board member of
the Mid-valley Action Commit
tee. a local organization that
acts as an AIDS resource by of
fering counseling and educa
tional services.
‘it’s not a gay issue; it’s an
issue of public health.” Funk
says.
In other areas of the wond,
AIDS affects males and females,
heterosexuals and homosexuals
indiscriminately. But in the
United States, says Funk, the
disease just happened to break
out in the homosexual popula
tion first.
Funk is pressing for more
anonymity in AIDS testing in
order to make people feel more
comfortable about being tested,
he says.
‘‘There’s an element of
paranoia with AIDS,” Funk
says. "It's not just that one has
tested positive, but the
knowledge that someone has
even been tested that will have
repercussions.”
Funk is working with other
agencies such as the Oregon
AIDS Task Force and the I,ane
County Health Department to
create an awareness of the
disease among the public and
health care workers because
"AIDS is not a very popular
disease to have.’’
One positive thing that has
come out of the AIDS scare is
that it has banded homosexuals
together, says Leah Juniper, co
director of GALA.
Shoemaker admits that the
crisis has. in a sense, given
homosexuals a common tend.
A group of lesbians in Califor
nia, known as the ‘‘blood
sisters” have been donating
blood for AIDS victims.
Shoemaker says.
Still Shoemaker isn’t sure
that's good enough to outweigh
the discrimination. “It can
make us stronger, but we still
have a big opposition.”
r
roommate.
•There is no current evidence
that AIDS is transmitted by
sneezing, coughing, shaking
hands, or hugging. It cannot be
obtained from toilet seats, door
knobs, eating utensils, plates,
glasses, clothing, books or
furniture.
•The appropriate areas of
concern are those of shared
needles and sexual relation
ships with those in risk groups.
Caution is not only warranted
but essential.
The Student Health Center of
fers literature on AIDS as well
as an antibody blood test to
determine if a person has been
exposed to the disease. Jackson
will be available to groups who
would like presentations on the
subject.
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