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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 4, 1999)
lune 4.1 rTìTTTìTTÌTI news trated on HIV-positive men who have anal sex, but the influence of HPV has also been seen among HIV-negative men who have anal sex, according to Sue L. G oldie, assistant pro fessor of health policy at the Harvard School of Public Health. Anal cancer is hard to detect because there are few symptoms. Approximately 44 percent of people who con tract anal cancer die within five years. It is e stim a te d that 35 out of every 100,000 HIV-negative men will get anal cancer. The rate nearly doubles for those who are HIV positive. Pap smears becam e a regular part of women’s health care in the 1960s. A t that time the rate of cervical cancer was about 40 per 100,000 women. The rate is now down to eight per 100,000. The test costs about $25. It can detect both cancer and the abnormal cell changes that are likely to lead to cancer. Researchers say more studies are needed. However, Joel Palefsky, professor of laboratory medicine at the Universtiy of California at San Francisco and co-author of the study, says he expects Pap smears to become a regular part of medical care for men who have anal sex. he U .S. Supreme Court issued a ruling last month in a case involving a Maine dentist who refused to treat an HIV-positive woman except in a hospital. The high court let stand a lower-court ruling in favor of the patient. This was the second trip to the Supreme Court for the case. In Septem ber 1994, Sidney Abbott informed Dr. Randon Bragdon that she had HIV but no A ID S symptoms. Bragdon deter mined that Abbott had a cavity, but insisted it would have to be treated in a hospital, not his office. Abbott sued Bragdon under a provision of the Americans with Disabilities Act that bans discrimination in public accommodations, including doctors’ offices. That time, the Supreme Court ruled that HIV is a condition covered by the ADA . The case was sent back to the lower court for a new hearing. A federal appeals court ruled once again in Abbott’s favor. Bragdon again appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that medical profes sionals should be allowed to determine when a “reasonable accommodation” is outweighed by risk. The Supreme Court rejected Bragdon’s review request. T 19 ROSENBAUM & ASSOCIATES A u t o B ro k e rs Leading or Buying! L e t us m ake y o u r n ext vehicle pu rch ase a p leasan t an d affo rd a b le experien ce. New & Used No Hassle, Personal Service All Rebates & Warranties Apply Trades & Factory Orders Welcome Jean Rosenbaum Ed M cM ah on 503-297-5250 Licensed & Bonded Motor Vehicle Dealer Homes That Sparkle I From People Who Shine, j How can u>e be sure our cleaning is the best? Simple. We hire the best and qive them the best training.. OFF Sere Tn O aten Ot Yarn H r* O em t* ■ Com piled by KRISTINE CHATW OOD ^attijCooC Antiques & Treasures (form erly A ntique Attitudes) Gift certificates available New cu sto m e rs on ly Not valid with other otters 641-1738 In Portland 541-754-0003 in Corvallis T exas S howdown D espite appeals by President Bill Clin ton— and perhaps because of inaction by Gov. George W. Bush— the James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes A ct died May 14 before it could reach the floor of the state Senate. The bill, named after a Jasper, Texas, man who was dragged to death behind a vehicle because he was African American, had previ ously passed the Texas House. Proponents who worked most closely on the measure say Bush could have used his influence to bring it to a vote, but chose not to because the legislation contained explicit protections for gay men and lesbians. The bill was tied up in a Sen ate committee and did not reach the floor for a yote. A filibuster on the Senate floor by Democrats also failed to get the bill to a vote. “I am disappointed with the Senate Repub licans’ resistance to an open and free debate on hate crime legislation,” says state Rep. Sen- fronia Thompson, a Democrat from Houston and the author of the House version of the bill. Thompson had successfully maneuvered the measure through that chamber with only minor compromises. (The phrase sexual orien tation was replaced by sexual preference as part of a House compromise.) “I wish Governor Bush would have shown some leadership on this issue,” Thompson says. “Senators told us that the governor was using his influence to break the impasse. If that was using his influence, Lord help us if he becomes president.” Darrell Verrett, Byrd’s nephew, lobbied leg islators for more than a week for passage of the bill. Byrd’s mother, Stella, also supported the bill but was too ill to travel to the Capitol in Austin. “My family came to the Legislature for clo sure," Verrett told reporters. “What we got was a closed door.” Dianne Hardy-Garcia, executive director of the Lesbian Gay Rights Lobby of Texas, adds: “I am utterly and completely saddened that George Bush has shown his true colors on our issues. I had always hoped that deep down he was a good guy. Although I’m saddened by it, at least people know what kind of man he is. Bush spokesperson Scott McClellan did not return a call requesting a comment from the governor. Instead, he faxed a copy of an Associated Press story about the bill’s failure. In it, Bush sa d the inclusion of sexu al preference was not the sticking point for him. He said he simply wanted to wait to see what action the Senate took. “If something doesn’t go some body’s way, they’ll say, ‘Oh, it was just presdential politics,’ ” Bush said. “I’m getting used to i t ” All other things aside, Hardy-Garcia says the filibuster attempt was an important show of support for the gay and lesbian community. It caused an 11-hour delay which meant that hundreds of unrelated bills also facing a leg islative deadline died because no action could be taken on them. “I was never prouder than...when our sen ators decided to filibuster,” she says. “N o one has ever fought for us that hard.” Clinton, who was in Austin recently, met and talked with Hardy-Garcia and members of Byrd's family about the hate crimes legislation. “It was fairly amazing that he met with us,” says Hardy-Garcia, adding that during the meeting the president promised to "do every thing possible” to get the bill passed. 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