Pride Guide 2002 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

C-17

For 20 years, GLMA has worked for better health

by Ron Tierney

San Francisco-There were dark days in the 1970s and early '80s. Homophobic singer Anita Bryant was on her national anti-gay "Save the Children" campaign. The socalled "Moral Majority" had significant clout in American politics and routinely used it to bash gays and lesbians. There was a movement afoot to forbid gay and lesbians from teaching in the public schools. Oppression was open and palpable. And worse, lurking in the shadows

Harris

was an unknown virus that was just beginning to take the lives of gay men and threatening a health care system that already discounted the health of LGBT people.

"This was the setting for 64 U.S. and Canadian physicians who met to finally address LGBT health issues," said Christopher E. Harris, M.D., president of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association.

"Those were tough times," Harris said. "HIV/AIDS was upon us and the administration in power refused to address it. President Reagan could not even bring himself to mention the word AIDS, and the U.S. Public Health Service provided little help in getting out the safe sex message. The disease further stigmatized an already stigmatized population."

Since that time, the medical association has not only been active in HIV and AIDS issues, but in a whole range of health concerns. GLMA holds conferences to provide continuing medical education to physicians and other health care provid-

ers.

Its Lesbian Health Fund is the only national organization specifically focused on health research for lesbians and their families. GLMA published the only peerreviewed, multidisciplinary medical journal devoted to LGBT health. Last year, GLMA guided the production of the most comprehensive document on LGBT health ever published, a 480-page Companion Document for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health to go with the federal government's Healthy People 2010 report.

"In many ways, we've come a long way from those early days," said GLMA executive director Maureen S. O'Leary, R.N. "Unfortunately, there's much work yet to be done. Earlier this year, President Bush appointed a homophobic former congressman to co-chair the President's Advisory

Council on HIV/AIDS and then went on to pack the council with people who advocate an abstinence-until-marriage policy as a way to reduce HIV/AIDS transmission, further marginalizing LGBT people."

In addition to conferences and publications, GLMA supporters are actively engaged in public health.

'Though the atmosphere has improved immensely in the last 20 years, there is still

a great presumption of heterosexuality in many hospitals.'

"We've been on a crusade to have all men who have sex with men get immunized against hepatitis A and B. This is one STD that can be easily prevented," O'Leary said. "We have also created a health care referral program on our web site, www.glma.org, so that people can find LGBT-friendly physicians, dentists, therapists and other health care professionals. We know that if a patient can be open and honest about their orientation, they will likely receive better, certainly more appropriate health care."

Both Harris and O'Leary say they need more support for GLMA, both in terms of members who can respond to the increasing demand of patients using the referral program and in increased financial support so that they can continue their advocacy.

"Our goal," Harris said, “is to make the health care environment a place of empathy, justice, and equity."

All of us have a stake in this," O'Leary said. "Though the atmosphere has improved immensely in the last 20 years, there is still an overwhelming presumption of heterosexuality in many hospitals, doctors' offices, medical schools, and in government agencies where policies are being made and enforced. LGBT people are still second-class citizens in terms of the health care they receive. We're working very hard to change all that."

Contact the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association at 459 Fulton St. #107, San Francisco, CA 94102; 415-255-4547; www.glma.org, or info@glma.org.

Ron Tierney is communications director of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association.

Talk To Someone Who Understands

Resolving conflict and communication problems

•Ending and Starting Relationships

•Coming Out and Personal Growth Issues

•Depression/Anxiety Problems

•Abuse/Trauma Recovery

•Support/Therapy Groups for Men

James Helmuth, Ph.D

3200 W. Market St. Ste. 101 in Akron (across from Summit Mall)

www.gaypeopleschronicle.com

330-873-9866

All About Dancin'

...Ballroom with a flair

!Tango

Cha-Cha

Touch Dancing

Swing Waltz

Classes on

Wednesday evenings from 9-10:30 p.m. Call for more information. 216-651-6388

Choreographer/Instructor William Wimer

3121 Bridge Avenue Cleveland, Ohio

FLF

NOW OPEN!!!!!!

The Male Room

at Rocky's Adult Video 13330 Brookpark Road

(130th and Brookpark)

Featuring Over 2000 Male Videos & DVDs! From Falcon, Jocks, Mustang, Cadinot, Kristen Bjorn, Colt, Catalina, YMAC, and All Worlds.

Magazines

Colt Merchandise Greeting Cards Toys for Men!

Lotions Massage Oil

Pride Jewelry Travel Guides Intimate Apparel Sexy Underwear Exotic Leather Swim Suits

OPEN 24 HOURS!

MasterCard

VISA

AMER

EXPRESS

DISCOVER

Also, check out the Male Room at

West 9th St. Video

1273 West. 9th St., Cleveland

(Between Lakeside & St. Clair in the Warehouse District)