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New laws take effect Permit flap is proxy fight in 2016 against AHF
Vol. 46 • No. 1 • January 7-13, 2016
by Seth Hemmelgarn
W
ith the beginning of the new year, several California laws affecting LGBTs have gone into effect. The legislation addresses collection of data on sexual orientation and Rick Gerharter gender identity, as well as providing benefits Assemblyman to transgender people, David Chiu among other areas. Arguably the most consequential bill to advance last year was Assembly Bill 959, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Disparities Reduction Act authored by Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco). It requires four state agencies to start collecting demographic data on gender identity and sexual orientation by July 1, 2018. The bill specifically instructs the departments of health care services, public health, social services, and aging to collect the “voluntary self-identification information” pertaining to LGBT people. “After years of being left out of statewide demographic data, LGBT individuals will now be able to share their experiences to provide much-needed data to understand and ultimately reduce long standing health disparities that have disproportionately impacted these communities,” stated Chiu. Equality California sponsored AB 959. Rick Zbur, EQCA’s executive director, has told the Bay Area Reporter that he expects to see state forms and computer systems be updated with LGBT-specific questions prior to the deadline set in the legislation. “I think many of the agencies will do it faster,” said Zbur. “From our perspective, we didn’t want to give them too much time but enough time to update their forms under the normal rotation for updating forms and computer systems. This is not a hard thing for them to do.” Like the other LGBT-related laws, AB 959 took effect Friday, January 1. One of the many other bills Governor Jerry Brown signed into law was gay Senator Mark Leno’s (D-San Francisco) Senate Bill 703, which requires out-of-state companies bidding on state-funded contracts to offer their transgender employees the same benefits other employees receive. California-based companies are already required to do so. Specifically, the bill prohibits a state agency from entering into a contract in the amount of $100,000 or more with any company that does not offer equal benefits based on an employee’s gender identity. “Denying equal benefits to employees at See page 13 >>
by Matthew S. Bajko
A A notice for public hearing is taped to the window of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation clinic on 18th Street.
permit request by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to relocate its pharmacy in the Castro has turned into a proxy fight over the Los Angeles-based agency’s stances regarding HIV prevention and AIDS funding. The agency has faced derision in San Francisco for its opposition to
widespread usage of PrEP as an HIV prevention tool. AHF does support PrEP as “a good solution for individuals who have multiple partners and never use condoms,” but contends strategies such as HIV testing, treatment for people living with HIV and AIDS, and condom usage should be given higher priority by health officials when it comes to funding. See page 13 >>
SFAF’s Strut center opens at last
Rick Gerharter
by Liz Highleyman
Four years in the making, the new building will house the foundation’s he San Francisco AIDS Founservices geared toward gay, bisexual, dation’s new Strut health and and trans men, including sexual health wellness center opened its services (formerly Magnet), substance doors at 470 Castro Street Monday use services (formerly the Stonewall after a long delay, and hosted an Project), Positive Force, the Elizabeth opening celebration and ribbonTaylor 50-Plus Network for men age cutting ceremony Tuesday, January 5. 50 and older, the DREAAM Project for “We’re here to encourage and young African-American men, and the support a new era of care in the Bridgemen volunteer program. HIV/AIDS world that is focused “It’s an entirely new model – a on the whole individual – holistic one-stop shop,” SFAF social marhealth and wellness, not just sickness keting manager Lyndal Cairns told Liz Highleyman and disease,” said former SFAF CEO the Bay Area Reporter. “Even when Neil Giuliano, who flew up from Former San Francisco AIDS Foundation CEO Neil Giuliano, going from one site to another Tempe, Arizona for the occasion. left, joined foundation board member Michael Kidd, city there’s a disconnect. We want to take “The model of care taking place at Treasurer José Cisneros, SFAF interim CEO Tim “TJ” Jones, that disconnect out and make it as Strut will be replicated around the Supervisor Scott Wiener, Campaign for Health and Wellness easy as possible for people to maincountry and most likely around the leadership committee chairman Tom Perrault, Strut Executive tain their health.” world, just like the San Francisco Director Tim Patriarca, and foundation board chair Philip Strut’s sexual health services – model of care has been for 30 years.” Besirof in the Strut ribbon cutting Tuesday, January 5. which include the popular PrEP Gay District 8 Supervisor Scott program – opened for business in its Wiener, who identified himself as important effort to visualize a new day when new location January 4. To date the both a neighbor and a client of Strut, recalled that we no longer have any new HIV infections or program has helped more than 600 men access he moved to the Castro in 1997 when protease HIV deaths. We’re going to get there, and Strut PrEP and figure out how to pay for it. inhibitors were a new thing and the city was just is going to be a key part of that, because we’ve “When I arrived at 9:30 yesterday there was starting to turn the corner on the HIV epidemic. come to recognize that it’s not just about HIV, already a line,” sexual health services director “For so many years it was all about playing it’s about overall wellness and making sure Steve Gibson told the B.A.R. “About 50 percent defense against HIV and to try and survive as people have access in one place to all of their of our daily clients come for PrEP, and our a community. But gradually over the past 20 health and wellness needs.” combination of clinical services and benefits years we’ve been turning that around so that He was referring to the city’s Getting to Zero counseling is key.” we’re on offense and in a position to defeat this initiative to drastically reduce the number of See page 14 >> epidemic,” he said. “Getting to Zero is such an HIV infections by 2020.
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