[net.motss] AIDS/future attitudes

fetrow@entropy.UUCP (David Fetrow) (01/22/85)

[[]]
 This may be premature and/or stupid but:
Is anybody else wondering what's going to happen if (when?) AIDS starts to
hit the straight population? I suspect bisexuals may become an extremely
unpopular group. 

 "...Paranoid? I proved there was a key..they're all against me.."
     -df

{microsoft, ihnp4, tektronix, fluke}!uw-beaver!entropy!fetrow

rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo) (01/24/85)

Of the known transmission routes for heterosexual victims, hypodermics
used in common by intravenous drug users and hetero prostitutes whose
boyfriends are IV drug users or Haitians seem to be the major routes.
There seems to be quite a few AIDS and ARC (AIDS Related  Complex)
cases among Haitians, despite the absurd political move of removing
Haitians from the list of risk groups.

Heterosexual cases may now constitute the majority of AIDS victims in 
France. African cases are nearly all heterosexual. AIDS isn't a disease
originating among, or primarily spread by, gay men.  There have been bi-
sexual cases of AIDS for years now, but they lack the "missing link"
significance you imply.

peterson@vaxwrk.DEC (Bob Peterson) (01/28/85)

>  This may be premature and/or stupid but:
> Is anybody else wondering what's going to happen if (when?) AIDS starts to
> hit the straight population? I suspect bisexuals may become an extremely
> unpopular group. 

No it isn't premature or stupid, df.

From METROLINE, a hartford conn paper, Dec 28, 1984:  (Quoted w/o permission)

			TWO MORE HETEROSEXUAL *AIDS* CASES REPORTED
	SAN FRANCISCO -- Researchers reported two new heterosexual cases of 
	Aquired [sic] Immune Deficiency Syndrome, and warned the mysterious and
	often fatal disease could become an endemic to people of all sexual
	persuasions [sic, I say ``orientations''].
	 Drs. Paul Volberding and Constance Wofsy called a press conference to 
	report their findings and to urge "safe sex" practices for all San 
	Francisco Bay area residents.
	 Volberding recommended that hetersexuals confine sexual activity to 
	one partner, avoid promiscuity and use condoms consistently and 
	carefully with new partners.
	 "It would be irresponsible not to give early notice to the 
	heterosexual community that sexual contact with persons carrying the 
	AIDS virus appears to put them at a risk for contracting the disease," 
	Volberding said.
	 The two latest heterosexual AIDS victims [sic, never say ``victim'' to 
	one who has AIDS] brings the total to four of cases outside the 
	so-called high risk category of homosexual men in San Francisco in less
	than one month. 
	 One case involved a woman who apparently contracted the disease three 
	and half years ago after an affair with a bisexual man.  Three 
	heterosexual men with AIDS have a history of sexual contacts with 
	prostitutes, Volberding said.
	 Volberding, director of San Francisco General Hospital's AIDS Clinic, 
	said the new cases "further confirm our concern that AIDS is a disease 
	that hetersexuals can develop.  The major factor appears to be direct 
	sexual contact with persons who have the AIDS virus.

I offer this article only as a note.  The article isn't the best on the block, 
but it _was_ targeted for the motss-lovin' audience who are presumed to know 
something about the AIDS situation.

Those who appreciate both genders are not always popular, and unfortunately
this will not help.  No comment on the prostitutes of the article. 

-bob