AIDS test equals
big bucks
Following Food and Drug Administration
approval in March of two blood tests to detect
antibodies to the HTLV-III virus. Wall Street
analysts projected a $ 175 m illion worldwide
market for the tests.
C h e m ica l Week magazine reported that
the tests are manufactured by Abbott
Laboratories of North Chicago and Electro-
Nucleonics of Columbia. Md. The Red Cross
contracted with Abbott to supply a m inim um
o f 6 m illion tests per year to its 57 regional
blood services. Electro-Nucleonics was ex
pected to begin distributing about 150,000
tests immediately to many of the country's
2.300 blood banks, plasma centers and
laboratories.
Gay leaders have expressed serious con
cern over the tests, which supposedly detect
antibodies to the virus believed to be
associated with AIDS. The accuracy of the
tests is being questioned, along with its
psychological effects on those testing posi
tive. Leaders warn that test results could lead
to com pilation of a blacklist on those testing
positive.
For inform ation regarding the tests, please
contact Cascade AIDS Project, 223-8299.
Supreme Court
stymies gay rights
efforts
The Ü.S. Supreme Court March 6 reached
a 4-4 split decision on an Oklahom a law a
Federal Court of Appeals had ruled violated
the free speech provision of the First
Am endm ent
The tie vote, made possible by the absence
o f ailing justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr., autom ati
cally upholds the lower court decision. It can
not be used as a precedent for other cases.
At question was an Oklahom a law allowing
dismissal o f teachers who "advocate,
encourage or promote homosexual activities."
It was passed in 1978 at the urging of Anita
Bryant and was the only law of its kind in the
country. The legislation was immediately
challenged by the National Gay Rights Advo
cates (NGRA).
Both sides claimed victory following the
decision. Leonard Graff. NGRA legal director,
said. “ Whatever the vote, the bottom line is
that the court affirmed the rights of individu
als to discuss homosexuality. This is a land
m ark victory for every gay man and woman in
America."
Larry Lewis, attorney for the Oklahoma City
Board of Education, said, “ We also consider
it a victory. I am quite sure that what will
happen is that the legislature will simply seek
to pass a new law."
In March, the Supreme Court refused to
hear an appeal of a lower court order banning
the Detroit Metropolitan C om m unity Church
from holding group worship services in
Michigan prisons. Despite a strong dissent
from Justices Brennan and Marshall, the
court also refuses to hear a case brought bv
an O hio guidance counselor who lost her job
after adm itting she was bisexual.
Libel suit nets
perjury conviction
Two Columbia. S.C., women have been
sentenced to three years in prison for perjury
for testim ony that they were not lesbian in a
libel suit against Sports Illu stra te d Magazine.
The C olu m bia Record reports that Pam
Parsons and Tina Buck had all but four
m onths of their sentences suspended by a
CJ.S. District Court judge.
Parsons, form er University of South
Carolina women's basketball coach, sued
S ports Illu stra te d for $75 m illion after the
magazine alleged that Parsons resigned fol
lowing the discovery that she and Buck were
having an affair. Buck was a (JSC basketball
player.
The wom en testified they were not lovers
or lesbians. Sports Illu stra te d attorneys
introduced testimony from a disc jockey at a
Salt Lake City lesbian bar who said he saw the
w om en dancing and kissing in the bar sev
eral tim es in the sum m er of 1983.
The perjury investigation was ordered by
CI.S. District Court Judge Clyde Hamilton af
ter a jury found the magazine not guilty of
libel in May, 1984. Parsons and Buck pled
guilty to perjury charges in November.
Survey on Social
Security benefits for
persons with
AIDS and ARC
National Gay Task Force, (NGTF) has
com pleted a survey of AIDS service organiza
tions and their social service advocates which
indicates that, overall, it is now easier for
persons with AIDS and AIDS-related c o m
plex (ARC) to gain expeditious access to the
benefits the Social Security Administration
provides to disabled persons than was the
case in the spring of 1984.
However. NGTF’s AIDS Program Coordi
nator, John Boring, com mented that “though
m any of the problems and inordinate delays
have been alleviated, in some parts of the
country persons with AIDS are still experienc
ing unacceptably long waiting periods and in
m ost areas those who suffer from AIDS-
related com plex that is severe enough to be
disabling are not consistently being allowed
benefits."
The NGTF survey elicited 18 resp * ises,
including com m ents from social service ad
vocates working for 12 AIDS service organi
zations: The Gay Men's Health Crisis of New
York City. Health Education Resource O rga
nization of Baltimore, The Pitt Men's Study of
Pittsburg. AID Atlanta. Hearth Crisis Network
o f Miami. AIDS Education Programs of Key
West, The Dallas AIDS Project, Howard Brown
Memorial Clinic. The AIDS Support Group of
Seattle. Cascade AIDS Project of Portland.
Oregon, San Francisco AIDS Foundation,
and the Los Angeles AIDS Project. In three
localities, respondents were working in as
sociation with but not directly for the follow
ing organizations: The New Haven AIDS Pro
ject, and the Boston AIDS Action Committee.
Also included were representatives of three
health departments who were acting as advo
cates: O hio Department of Hearth. Cincinnati
Dept, of Hearth, and the New Jersey Dept, of
Health.
NALGAP publishes a quarterly newsletter
which includes news of activities throughout
the world designed to enhance the treatment
of gay and lesbian alcohol and drug clients. It
also presents articles and papers of special
interest to those who are concerned about
the particular needs of these clients. The as
sociation also makes available to treatment
faciltiies and other organizations educational
and training program s and seminars on the
nature o f homosexuality and how it affects
treatment.
For further inform ation on the association
or m em berhip write to NALGAP, 1208 East
State Blvd., Fort Wayne. Indiana 46805. For a
bibliography on gay and lesbian topics write
to NALGAP. 204 West 20th Street. New York.
NY 10011.
Information on the first national conference
or registration form s can be obtained by w rit
ing to Trove of Treasures. PO Box 381. Val
paraiso. Indiana 46383.
Abstracts for papers to be delivered at the
conference will be considered by the c o m
mittee. They would be sent to Bob Kajdan,
Co-chair, Memorial Hospital ATC. 527 W.
South St., W oodstock. IL 60098.
U nless o th e rw ise indicated. O ut Across
th e N a tio n Lvas co m p ile d bp R osanne K ing
fro m sources in c lu d in g Gag C o m m u n ity
N ew s. W ashington Blade. C o m in g Up.
C h e m ica l Week a n d Seattle G ay News.
NALGAP slates
first annual
conference
COUNSELI NG
The National Association of Lesbian and
Gay Alcoholism Professionals (NALGAP) will
hold its first national conference September
26-29. 1985 at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza in
Chicago. General sessions will discuss such
topics as gay spirituality, reaching out.
establishing relationships, alcohol and drug
problem s in the gay and lesbian com munity.
Conference workshops will be held in the
areas of gay and lesbian adult children of
alcoholics, sexuality and homosexuality, as
sessment and treatment of addictions and
the business end of treatment and private
practice.
NALGAP is an association of alcohol and
drug therapists, program directors, doctors,
nurses, and other hearth care professionals
who have a particular interest in the special
needs of the lesbian and gay client in treat
ment. Membership in NALGAP does not indi
cate a person’s sexual preference, many of
the association's most dynamic members are
non-gay.
Adults and Children
Families and Couples
PATRICIA I. CHANCE, MSW
THERAPIST
Depression • Relationship Issues
Personal Transitions • Incest Survivors
Coming Out Concerns
•
Sliding Fee Scale
(503) 220-0210
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Portland, Oregon
238-1464
Call for reservations
AS OF MARCH 1ST, NO SMOKING
IN OUR DINING ROOM
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1300 East Burnside 238-0470
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Just Out. Mav 1985
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