6 ▼ novvmtxr 15. 1996 ▼ just out
national news
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Study finds HIV-resistant
antibody
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People with high levels of an antibody called
VH3 are relatively resistant to HIV infection
through sexual contact, a new study indicates.
Scientists from the University of California-Los
Angeles say the antibody binds to the coat protein
of HIV and may, as with other viral antibodies,
prevent the virus from entering cells or deliver the
virus particles to scavenger cells for destruction.
Pathologist Jonathan Braun, lead author of the
study, told United Press International that
“[ojverall, the amount of VH3 antibody level
made a five-fold difference in susceptibility to
HIV infection, giving a person with low VH3
antibody levels five times the risk.”
However, the study of252 gay men also showed
that VH3 antibodies are just one factor in a person’s
risk of sex-related infection. Other factors include
frequency of contact with the infected partner,
genital infection and trauma.
Although the scientists estimate only 15 per­
cent of the population has high levels of VH3
antibodies, they say the finding is significant
because VH3 levels can be controlled through
immunization.
Sexual minority Christian
churches form alliance
At the end of September, 27 independent Chris­
tian churches from the sexual minority commu­
nity came together outside Houston, Texas, to
create the Alliance of Christian Churches. The
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanksgiving
The Friends of PWA
Foundation
Invites The HIV Community and their
families and friends to Join us for dinner
Thursday
November 28, 1996
St. Ignatius Parish
3400 SE 43rd Avenue
with
Noon Social
dinner at 2 o’clock
z_
RSVP (not required, but appreciated) by Tues., Nov. 26
to Corey Baker at 245-7428 or pager 295-4548
CALL FOR RIDES
DINNER DELIVERY
alliance is meant to encourage evangelism; to
further the work of global and domestic missions;
to cultivate a deeper spirit of fellowship and
cooperation among churches; to foster the pro­
cess of education and training; and to provide a
means through which all affiliate churches may
share in these endeavors.
The two-day meeting saw the adoption of
bylaws; the appointment of up to three delegates
per church, regardless of size; the formation of
committees; and the election of executive offic­
ers, including moderator the Rev. Jerry Cook of
White Rock Community Church in Dallas.
of the diagnosis, many demonstrators stressed the
need to maintain some basis for insurance reim­
bursement for sex-change operations and hor­
mone therapies—but as a physical condition rather
than a mental disorder.
Transsexual Menace “spoketrans” Riki
Wilchins said in a press statement, “GID is not
about psychiatry, it’s about punishing difference
under the guise of practicing medicine.”
Meanwhile, Transsexual Menace, the National
Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Hermaphrodites
with Attitude and the International Gay and Les­
bian Human Rights Commission called for pick­
eting the APA’s national offices in Washington,
D.C., during NGLTF’s annual Creating Change
conference, held Nov. 8-10.
Christian Coalition
rues blunder
The Christian Coalition issued an apology for
distributing a sample voter guide that used an
African American man to represent candidates
and beliefs it opposes, reports The Associated
Press. The samples advertised actual voter guides
the coalition sends to religious organizations
throughout the country to explain the positions of
candidates for president, Congress and state leg­
islatures. The samples in question were sent to
churches in Texas and possibly several other
states.
In the sample, the white candidate supports a
balanced budget amendment, federal tax relief
and parental choice in education, while the black
candidate opposes these things and supports abor­
tion and allowing homosexuals to adopt children.
“This is yet another clear example of race­
baiting for a political end,” said Gary Bledsoe,
president of the Texas NAACP.
Mike Russell, a spokesman for the Virginia­
based Christian Coalition, contends that approval
of the sample guide was an honest mistake based
on poor reproductions of the pictures, which were
sent via fax from the firm that designed the guide.
Illinois lesbian fights
custody battle
An Illinois appeals court is considering whether
a woman’s lesbian relationship is sufficient
grounds for her to lose custody of her two chil­
dren.
William Anderson IV, an attorney for the
woman’s ex-husband, said his client sued for
custody because he thinks she is being too blatant
in her sexual preference. The father received a
favorable ruling from a Tazewell County Circuit
Court judge, who cited last year’s Virginia Su-
Gender activists protest
GID label
During the national conference for hospital
administrators and managers held in Chicago in
October, representatives of the American Psychi­
atric Association met with demonstrators who
had been picketing outside. The protesters, from
organizations like Transsexual Menace, It’s Time
America, Queer Nation, Lesbian Avengers and
TOPS, gathered at the conference to draw atten­
tion to and criticize the APA’s use of gender
identity disorder to pathologize transgendered
people who want sex-reassignment surgery and in
diagnosing and treating queer youth whose sole
symptom is their parents’ discomfort with their
gender variance.
Flyers distributed by the protesters claimed
that the current diagnosis of GID indicates “an
unnatural need to pathologize any gender behav­
ior which makes you [psychiatrists] feel uncom­
fortable.”
While clearly angered by this alleged misuse
preme Court ruling in the Kay Bottoms case and
said the woman’s orientation would bring “social
condemnation” on the children, a boy and a girl.
The father, who is remarried and works as a
paramedic, told the Peoria Journal Star, “My ex-
wife has made a lot of bad, bad decisions regard­
ing the upbringing of our children.” Although he
refused to elaborate, he added, “I can give them a
more stable, moral life to them.”
The mother, a nurse, told the same newspaper,
“They’re straight-A students. They’re in a lot of
extracurricular activities. They’re doing well.
There’s no adverse effects at all.”
Compiled by Christopher D. Cuttone