Activism Change

Faces Of AIDS – Part 3

Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -` ` ` ` `                   THE DENVER PRINCIPLES   ` `                        created by   ` `              The Persons With AIDS Coalition   ` `             at the Second National AIDS Forum   ` `                         in Denver   ` `                          ——-   `                          1 9 8 3   `                          ——-  

Actually, I find it curious that you would re-publish these. As an historical document, they are principles that have guided much of AIDS activism and research and have great applicability even today. I have known some of the people involved in their development. So thanks for sharing them.                 George M. Carter

Response:

     We condemn attempts to label us as "victim," which im-      plies defeat, and we are only occasionally "patients,"      which implies passivity, helplessness, and dependence      upon the care of others.      We are "people with AIDS."

In Africa we are quite insistent that the term "living with HIV" be used.  AIDS in Africa is a very short phase. Moira, the Faerie Godmother

Response:

     We recommend that health care professionals:      1. Who are gay, come out, especially to their patients      who have AIDS.

My doctor is openly gay, as are several of the physicians who specialised in HIV/AIDS early in the epidemic.  Although, in Africa, *every* doctor (almost) is becoming skilled in treating people with HIV to some degree or other.      2. Always clearly identify and discuss the theory they      favor as to the cause of AIDS, since this bias affects      the treatment and advice they give.

Interesting.   I don’t think this holds true in the African context? Is it true in the Western context?      3. Get in touch with their feelings (fears, anxieties,      hopes, etc.) about AIDS, and not simply deal with AIDS      intellectually.

Valid for every person, not only health care professionals.  In Africa one cannot be a health care professional without having dealt with the feelings AIDS causes.      4. Take a thorough personal inventory and identify and      examine their own agendas around AIDS.

Agendas?  Other than to alleviate suffering wherever it’s found?  I think the reason that so many gay doctors became involved at the beginning of the epidemic in the USA and then throughout the world was that HIV/AIDS was originally perceived as a gay disease.  Then they just continued alleviating misery wherever it was found.      5. Treat people with AIDS as whole people and address      psychosocial issues as well as biophysical ones.

Doctors and nurses don’t always have the time to deal with psychosocial issues.  Let’s be realistic about this.  Peer support is often the answer.      6. Address the question of sexuality in people with      AIDS specifically, sensitively, and with information      about gay male sexuality in general and the sexuality      of people with AIDS in particular.

Valid. Moira, the Faerie Godmother

Response:

` ` ` ` `                   THE DENVER PRINCIPLES   ` `                        created by   ` `              The Persons With AIDS Coalition   ` `             at the Second National AIDS Forum   ` `                         in Denver   ` `                          ——-   `                          1 9 8 3   `                          ——-        We condemn attempts to label us as "victim," which im-      plies defeat, and we are only occasionally "patients,"      which implies passivity, helplessness, and dependence      upon the care of others.      We are "people with AIDS."      We recommend that health care professionals:      1. Who are gay, come out, especially to their patients      who have AIDS.      2. Always clearly identify and discuss the theory they      favor as to the cause of AIDS, since this bias affects      the treatment and advice they give.      3. Get in touch with their feelings (fears, anxieties,      hopes, etc.) about AIDS, and not simply deal with AIDS      intellectually.      4. Take a thorough personal inventory and identify and      examine their own agendas around AIDS.      5. Treat people with AIDS as whole people and address      psychosocial issues as well as biophysical ones.      6. Address the question of sexuality in people with      AIDS specifically, sensitively, and with information      about gay male sexuality in general and the sexuality      of people with AIDS in particular.      We recommend that all people:      1. Support us in our struggle against those who would      fire us from our jobs, evict us from our homes, refuse      to touch us, separate us from our loved ones, our com-      munity, or our peers, since there is no evidence that      AIDS can be spread by casual social contact.      2. Do not scapegoat people with AIDS, blame us for the      epidemic, or generalize about our lifestyles.      We recommend that people with AIDS:      1. Form caucuses to choose their own representatives,      to deal with the media, to choose their own agenda,      and to plan their own strategies.      2. Be involved at every level of AIDS decision making      and specifically serve on the boards of directors of      provider organizations.      3. Be included in all AIDS forums with equal credibil-      ity as other participants, to share their own experi-      ences and knowledge.      4. Substitute low-risk sexual behaviors for those that      could endanger themselves or their partners, and we      feel that people with AIDS have an ethical responsi-      bility to inform their potential sexual partners of      their health status.      People with AIDS have the right:      1. To as full and satisfying sexual and emotional lives      as anyone else.      2. To quality medical treatment and quality social ser-      vice provision, without discrimination in any form, in-      cluding sexual orientation, gender, diagnosis, economic      status, age, or race.      3. To full explanations of all medical procedures and      risk, to choose or refuse their treatment modalities,      to refuse to participate in research without jeopardi-      zing their treatment, and to make informed decision      about their lives.      4. To privacy, to confidentiality of medical records,      to human respect, and to choose who their significant      others are.      5. To live and die in dignity.      —-      America was BORN July 4, 1776.      Suddenly America DIED –on August 6, 1945, while giving      birth to The Superpower!      Posted September 4, 2001 only to misc.health.aids.      Non-commercial use?  Repost only to appropriate news-      groups, e-groups, lists, webpages, friends.      Commercial use?  Prohibited. ` ` ` ` ` ` `

Response:

Filed under: Activism

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