What has traditionally been thought of as something that affects only those living in poverty and third world countries has now become a living reality in the UK. The number of gay men testing positive for HIV is at an all time high and does not seem to be slowing.
Whilst it is an unfortunate fact, gay men still remain the behavioural group at greatest risk of contracting HIV. Figures released by the Health Protection Agency have seen a 63% increase in the number of newly diagnosed cases of HIV infection amongst gay men with 2,700 new cases reported in 2006 alone. The most alarming report to have been released reveals that approximately 10% of gay men living in London are HIV positive.
Joshua Smith, London Gay Man correspondent interviewed human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell, about his views on HIV and gay men in the UK:
JS: In a report published in 2002, the estimated number of people living in the UK with HIV in 2005 was 38,000. However, in 2006, reports indicated that this figure had reached 73,000 with newly diagnosed rates highest amongst gay men. Why do you think the rates are so high amongst gay men?
PT: Some of the increase is the result of more people getting tested and being identified as HIV-positive. But there are also a lot of new infections. Many of these arise from unsafe sex among gay and bisexual men. Sometimes it’s the result of irresponsibility and other times it is down to safer sex fatigue. It is hard to maintain safer sex all the time, especially when people have their judgement clouded by alcohol and drugs. Plenty of good men occasionally slip up and have a moment where desire overwhelms common sense. We need renewed higher profile safer sex education campaigns that send out a message that risky sex is irresponsible and a betrayal of the LGBT community, and which also signal that we understand how hard it can be to maintain 100% safer sex for long periods.
JS: Do you think that the government is doing enough to prevent the spread of HIV amongst gay men? If not, where do you think they are failing?
PT: Government finance for HIV prevention among men who have sex with men is woefully inadequate. We are affected the most, yet we get much less than half the funding. HIV has been degayed to the point where those most likely to be at risk of infection – gay and bi men - are often sidelined in public education campaigns. This has to change. The government must reprioritise awareness and prevention work with same-sexers.
JS: Information that charity organisations distribute make statements such as ‘HIV is not the death sentence it once was’. Do you think such information is watering down the seriousness of acquiring HIV?
PT: Infection with HIV does not have the same serious – usually deadly -consequences it once did. That’s a fact. We should never shy away from telling the truth. It is therefore right that HIV charities inform people that HIV is not a death sentence. Gay and bisexual men (and everyone at risk) need to be given the hope and confidence to get tested and treated early, because that will increase their chances of long-term survival. They are more likely to come forward for testing and treatment if they know they are unlikely to die and that HIV can be a manageable disease. But we also need to stress the many downsides of treatment, such as the sometimes unpleasant side effects, to show people that it is not always easy taking medication, especially for a whole lifetime.
JS: Due to rates of HIV being so high amongst the gay community, the National Blood Service has banned all gay men from donating blood. What is your stance on this?
PT: Much of my current campaigning on HIV involves challenging the prejudiced and irrational blanket ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men. The National Blood Service stereotypes us all as reckless, high-risk threats to the safety of the blood supply. This is nonsense. Most gay and bisexual men do not have HIV and will never have HIV. That is why the total ban is so ill-informed. It is especially shocking that organisations like the Terrence Higgins Trust and Gay Men Fighting Aids support this homophobic policy. They, too, are pandering medical and scientific ignorance. There is an easy way to safeguard all blood donations, from gays, bis and straights: ban all donors who have had sex in the previous seven days and test all blood donations for the virus (not the antibodies). The virus shows up in a person’s blood within a few days of infection. If they test for the virus, any infected blood can then be discarded. On medical and scientific advice, France, Italy and Spain have lifted their blanket ban on gay and bisexual blood donations. Why not the UK?
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