Time to Re-Gay Prevention?

Are federal HIV prevention efforts ignoring gay and bisexual men? Most definitely, says a growing number of AIDS advocates who insist that the government begin "re-gaying" prevention outreach to slow the spread of the virus among men who have sex with men.

"We have been essentially ignoring gay men of all colors in addressing this epidemic," Jim Pickett, advocacy director at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, told New York City's Gay City News. "Instead, we have chosen the politically expedient path of pushing the false notion of a generalized epidemic in which 'we are all at risk.' We have to claim this, we as gay men have to own this."

In addition to urging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand its number of approved prevention approaches targeting men who have sex with men (currently just four of 49), AIDS advocates are calling for the creation of a national AIDS strategy that includes comprehensive prevention, treatment, and support services for gay and bisexual men.