my alice july column and interview with the department of health:

"Silver Thoughts
On the 25th Anniversary of HIV/AIDS
and an Interview with the
San Francisco Department of Public Health HIV Research Section"
In June of 1981, when the first reports of what became known as AIDS were publicized, I was all of 10 years old. My formative teenage years were during the time that AIDS began. I knew about AIDS before I was openly Gay, before I was an adult, even in my early teens. So, AIDS wasn't something that all the sudden hit my Gay community or my friends within it because I wasn't a part of the community yet. All I knew was about the effect it was having on the overall Gay world, the big-name stars like Rock Hudson and Liberace contracting it and dying, and all the other overall societal impacts it was making.

When I did come out in 1990, at the age of 19, I already knew about it generally, knew I better be safe, knew I needed to know more, and knew everybody needed to know more. One of the first things I did upon Coming Out was to learn about how to be safe-- reading materials, going to a clinic, asking questions, learning about safe sex, going to courses at school, and taking the test. It's all very overwhelming for a newly minted Gay man who's still a teenager. But, in many ways, I'm considered lucky with the timing because I didn't have to go through the extra-hard years of the early to mid-80's during the "don't know what is happening" and "losing all my friends" years. That was before me and I was 'lucky' in that respect. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to see all your friends die around you every week. Living in San Francisco now, and thinking about what it must have been like had I lived here in this same space during that time, makes me realize just how difficult this whole epidemic is.

My first test for HIV was probably the scariest and most OCD-induced two weeks of my life. The waiting was the killer. I had barely done anything, sexually or otherwise, prior to the test to warrant exposure, but it didn't matter at the time-- I was so scared and nervous and figured I was doomed. I couldn't wait til the end of the two weeks, and then, when they were over, I was scared to death to go back to the clinic to find out. This was still back in 1990 and I was still very young and very naive. The guy took me into the back office, sat me down, and told me that I was negative. I was so relieved, and yet felt guilty, like I should be positive because I was a Gay man and because I was a "bad" person. AIDS has so greatly affected our culture and the mindset of people that even we Gay men put such internal-homophobic and anti-Gay feelings upon ourselves as if we are supposed to inflicted with it.

Somehow I've continued throughout the years to stay HIV-Negative. But I also know that as long as it's out there, it impacts us all in the community and in the world. As such, I have personally looked for ways to help end this madness as soon as possible. And I know my fellow Alice members have all been involved in many ways throughout the years through giving, participating, walking, riding, writing, singing, dancing, staging, directing, marching, marshalling, rallying, and organizing, organizing, organizing. And for all of that, I and the community thanks you.

As part of the 25th anniversary, I interviewed Dr. Albert Liu, Director of HIV Prevention Intervention Studies with the San Francisco Department of Public Health HIV Research Section, on ways that we can help with his department's work. (I am currently a participant in an AIDS drug study known as Project T with the department.) Below is the interview:

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Interview with Dr. Albert Liu, Director of HIV Prevention Intervention Studies
Reese Aaron Isbell (RAI): Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions about the studies you are conducting right now and how Alice can help. First off, can you tell us about the program in general?

HIV Research Section (HRS): Project T is one of several HIV prevention studies at the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH). Project T is testing the safety of a daily HIV pill, tenofovir, in HIV-negative gay and bisexual men. If it is shown to be safe for the bodies and behaviors of HIV-negative men, in the future it may be tested to see whether it can prevent HIV infection (we currently don't know if it does). This study is being conducted in San Francisco and Atlanta, and similar studies are occurring around the world.

RAI: Now that we know a little bit more about what you guys are doing, please tell us how Alice can help. As you know, the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club is a local political club here in San Francisco and has a diverse membership throughout the Bay Area. How can we, as individuals and as a local political and social organization, help you in your research programs?

HRS: Alice can help by spreading the word about the importance of research in HIV prevention. In San Francisco, there are 15-20 new HIV infections/week, and worldwide, there are 11,000 new HIV infections per day. We urgently need new prevention tools, and community involvement in research is critical in the fight against HIV. People can find out more information about Project T at www.projectt-sf.org.

RAI: I've been a member of the Project T study myself since last summer, recruited right off the street in the Castro by one of your lovely outreach workers. Please tell the rest of Alice what they might expect should they decide to get involved in the study as an individual. What time commitments, activities, benefits, concerns, and especially oh-so-fabulous prizes can they expect?

HRS: People interested in Project T first come in for an informational session where we provide in-depth information about what's involved in the study. Volunteers who choose to enroll in the study will be asked to take a daily HIV pill and come in for visits over a two year period. We provide free risk reduction counseling and rapid HIV testing at each visit. We also provide free physical exams at visits and free STD screening and treatment during the study. Participants who enroll in the study are provided a small stipend at each visit to thank them for their time.

RAI: Any further thoughts you'd like to share with Alice? And what's the best way to contact you?

HRS: We are incredibly thankful for the over 100 men who have volunteered thus far in Project T - we are just past our halfway mark of enrolling 200 participants. Their participation is an invaluable contribution to the community and toward the fight against HIV. For more information about Project T and the HIV Research Section at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, please visit our website at www.projectt-sf.org.

RAI: Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions about your work and sharing your thoughts with Alice. And a further thanks to you for all the great work you are doing every day in this fight. It is greatly appreciated.
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On the 25th Anniversary of HIV/AIDS, let us recommit to end the epidemic.