GenQ - For the not so straight individual

Hello again to one and all. I recently read an article which was basically a rebuttal to an article I wrote earlier about HIV transmission and how the VIC government does not have a law in place to ensure that HIV positive people tell any and all sexual partners of their status, when protection is used. In the following article you will note that I use the word ?person? rather than any gender specific term as this is a disease that is not by any means confined to any particular group within human society. I would also like to thank Frank P for his well written piece.

Now I am not writing this because I wish to start an article flame war. On the contrary, I am writing this because I feel that this is an excellent opportunity for 2 people with opposite views on a subject to speak out for all to see and perhaps give greater insight into this issue. I welcome one and all to write in about this as I feel that it is an issue that could benefit from greater open discussion from both a social point of view as well as a personal one.

I don't doubt the negative impacts that HIV positive people are exposed to but, everyone must consider that whilst the rights of the HIV positive population are important so are the rights of the HIV negative people.

Yes the HIV positive population are discriminated against very heavily and yes they deserve to be treated better but HIV/AIDS is a terribly feared thing and yes there should be greater education about this subject and many like it. I would like to take the time to put a few thoughts down below and get reader feedback. This isn't directed as an anti-HIV theme, once again it is merely an opinion which is open to scrutiny and rebuttal.

- There has been a lot of mention that if HIV positive people use protection during sex then why should they tell their partner of their status. Well because as we all know condoms are not 100% foolproof and from time to time they break. A HIV positive person must consider whether or not they are willing to risk the other person's health based on their confidence of a piece of latex. If the person with a positive status is willing to engage in so called ?safe sex? knowing that condoms are not 100% foolproof then is this not an active step towards taking unnecessary risks which would/could be considered illegal (by knowingly putting peoples lives at risk)? If the status is revealed to the partner and the partner accepts condoms as sufficient then you have a situation where both sides understand, accept and consent to what they are doing and what the potential is. As stated by Frank P in his article ?the risk of transmission is virtually non-existent? but that does not mean condoms are 100% effective, there is still a chance. I remember many years ago being told by a HIV positive gay man who contracted it despite using condoms that ?Condoms are a great thing and do indeed save many lives but, when your with someone who is positive its still like Russian Roulette, you never know when your luck will run out?.

- Frank made mention of the risk of contracting HIV whilst using protection is probably less likely than being hit by a car, but being hit by a car involves an event where both parties are unwilling participants. A HIV positive person engaging in sex is a WILLING participant. Now if the other person is also willing then from a moral (and perhaps legal?) standpoint there is no issue. Also from Frank ?No positive man in his right mind would intentionally pass on the virus to someone who is negative?. Now I most certainly do not dispute this and I know that there are many positive folk out there who do indeed go out of their way to protect themselves and others but its not the ?intentional? spread that is of total concern, its the so called ?accidental? spread which is no less dangerous.

- Now I agree with Frank that the gay community needs to change its direction from one of prejudice and hatred to one of sharing, learning and compassion, but it's a cold fact of life that people will fear it because they know that ANY slight slip up and they too have the dreaded and deadly illness.

- There have been many stories over the years about positive people wanting to play various sports and being prevented from doing so due to their positive status. This once again highlights a sticky situation. The people have a right to enjoy their lives and be free to do things like play sports, on the other hand negative status people have a right to do their thing in a safe environment. I remember a few years ago a story on TV about a HIV positive male who wanted to play local AFL. Now I support his right to play sport and enjoy his life but on the other hand I fully understand that in a contact sport such as AFL, there are many instances where players receive cuts and abrasions and that this can lead to fluid transfer (no matter how slight) between players, umpires and others who work closely with the players. This once again highlights a point I made earlier when discussing that condoms are not 100% safe. As with that example, if a positive person goes and plays a sport where any form of contact is made and hence the risk of fluid transfer is possible, then is this also not an example of an active step being taken to increase the risk of transmission?

At running the risk of starting an ?us vs them? mentality both sides need to be realistic of the situation. People will always fear things like HIV and will take any and all steps to prevent getting it. Whilst the rights of HIV positive people need to be protected, these people need to understand that its not them who people are fearful of it's the virus that is being feared and that positive people need to understand that they will not always be able to do the things they want because of their status. I believe that if more steps were taken to assist the HIV positive community then doing things like playing sports etc would be possible. We live in a world where if you are not prepared to takes steps yourself then no one will do them for you. Sure there are many people out there who go out of their way to help others but the HIV community also need to help themselves (not trying to insinuate that they don't already but as with any group of people the greatest achievements are often accomplished from within).

This is a topic that I, along with many others could go on about for a long, long time, but I will leave things for now and see what the readers think and perhaps get some people to write in to either rod@generationq.net or editor@queerplanet.com.au with their views on the topic.

Good luck and take care out there.