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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 1996)
ju s t o u t ▼ d e c o m b e r 2 0 , 1 9 9 0 ▼ 7 VOICE MAIL * J U L J - T ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ 0 ◄ ► MontMy im p o rt Groups ► ifgp ► ANSWERING SERVICE ► The Community Health Awareness Group in Detroit launched the city’s first licensed needle exchange program, called Life Points, on Dec. 1, World AIDS Day, in an effort to stem the spread of HIV among intravenous drug users and their sexual partners, reports United Press Interna tional. City health director Cynthia Taueg esti mates that as many as half of Detroit’s 3,676 cumulative AIDS cases are linked to drug use. The program is modeled after Chicago Recov ery Alliance’s needle exchange, which resulted in an 88 percent reduction in disease-transmitting injection practices. M INNESOTA Steven Schochet, a retired computer systems analyst and graduate of the University of Minne sota, donated $500,000 to his alma mater to sup port gay, lesbian and transgender studies and to foster a better environment for sexual minority students, faculty and staff. The gift will be used for the development of educational materials, curriculum programming and research. “Back when I was in college, the campus climate was hostile to gay men,” Schochet told The Saint Paul Pioneer Press. ‘T his is my way of ensuring that things continue to get better for [gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered] people on campus.” MISSOURI The Kansas City-based Native American Health/AIDS Coalition is moving out on its own after years of operating from within other AIDS service organizations. According to the Kansas City News Telegraph, the nonprofit group, the nation’s only culturally affiliated case manage ment organization, was formed in 1992 by current executive director Shirley Hoskins to address the dearth of research and statistics on HIV-positive Native people in Missouri and Kansas. The coalition has a case load of around 52 people in the two states and operates one clinic and four outreach centers with a staff of five full time workers and about 50 volunteers. Hoskins says case workers take patients to sweat lodges and dances, and help them use their culture to fight the disease. arrested him for the sexual assault of Teena (which allegedly occurred one week prior to the murder) only as a pretext to keep him in custody pending the arrest for murder. NEW YORK In a statement released Dec. 1, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund gave failing grades to Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala and New York Gov. George Pataki for their responses to the AIDS epidemic. According to a Reuter report, the group criti cized Shalala for refusing to endorse needle-ex change programs, not changing federal restric tions on HIV-positive health care workers and failing to ensure suf ficient reim burse ment rates in Medic aid programs switch ing to managed care systems. Pataki was targeted for his pro posed welfare re forms, which would eliminate some hous ing assistance for people with HIV, re duce assistance to HIV-positive recipi Donna Shalala ents of Aid to Fami lies with Dependent Children and end assistance to those who test positive for drugs. Lambda’s “report card” hailed Congress- woman Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.), for defeating right-wing Rep. Robert Doman; the New York State Court of Appeals, for a ruling that gave HIV positive people access to basic health care; and the People with AIDS Health Group, for providing high-quality information. ▼ T ▼ Gay Men of African Descent held an anniver sary celebration on Dec. 7 to commemorate 10 years of service to the African American gay men’s community. The group’s mission focuses on consciousness-raising, advocacy, health and education. Among those honored for special contribu tions to the community were producer and direc tor George C. Wolfe, author E. Lynn Harris and New York State Sen. David Patterson. PAGING DISPATCH ► ► »I a a a I ◄ ◄ Speaker Empowerment Workshops ◄ ‘ love Makes a fam ily' ◄ Weekly Tak Radio Program K K E Y 1 1 5 0 A M » 7-9 a.m. W ed. ◄ î ◄ ► ◄ ► 503/228-3892 ◄ ► Fax: 503/228-3970 ◄ ◄ PO Box 11694 ► ◄ Portland, OR 97211 ► ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ A ◄ ▲ ▲ ▲ A C h ild re n 's fy rie f frroojj Portland 503-223-1191 Salem 503-391-7270 Vancouver 360-693-3601 A free group now forming for children ages 10, 11 and 12 whose lives have been affected by HIV/AIDS. Facilitated hv Debra Rodgers, MSW Wednesday evenings, 4-5:30pm Begins January 8, 1997 Group limited to 8 children. Call today! Phoenix Rising Foundation (503) 223-8299 GAY DAD'S GROUP > a s u p p o r t g r o u p f o r G A Y D A D S is n o w f o r m i n g WASHINGTON In response to the recent court decision on same-sex marriage in Hawaii, Washington Rep. Bill Thompson, a Republican from Everett, has announced plans to introduce legislation banning recognition of same-sex marriages in his state, reports United Press International. NEBRASKA Marvin Thomas Nissen, currently serving a life sentence for murdering transsexual Brandon Similar legislation was approved by the state Teena and two other people in 1993, has re House of Representatives earlier this year, but quested that the state Supreme Court grant him a was not passed by the Senate. The past election new trial due to judicial errors and police miscon- i turned control of the Senate over to the Republi duct. cans, however, and majority leader Dan McDonald Counsel for Nissen is expected to argue that has predicted a speedy passage of the bill. the murder weapon found in his home should have been inadmissible evidence and that police Compiled by Christopher D. Cuttone __ > ◄ A Public Voice for ► Lesbian and Gay Families ► Operators on duty 24 hours 7 days a week. ◄ The Parott Tocher P m d Opening H u rts l Minds ► ORDER ENTRY & Children Dialogue for Educators ► B n !« ► reporters that the verdict is a message to gay- bashers: “Society has finally realized that homo sexuals are entitled to full respect and dignity.” Neither Pinkerton’s Inc. nor attorneys repre senting the company have commented on the judgment or on any plans for an appeal. for Parents, (M ec& «c o n n M o n o », o f m crth) I \ i 1 t \ \ I I \ 1 ^ B fo r gay men who a re out and have children p reviou sly m a rrie d gay men a place Ye find s u p po rt and discuss 'dad' issues SPEAK T O Y O U R To sign up call Alan at 2 2 3 .5 9 0 7 , extension 1 0 7 Speak to Your B ro th e rs is a program ot CASCADE AIDS PROJECT :