"We asked them to do that because we
had had considerable discussion over the ads and had written a
letter as far back as May asking the council not to run them,"
Ms Chalkley said. "We really felt it was not for the mainstream
- not for the local newspaper. "We have funded very frank ads
when they were well targeted and put in the appropriate place
such as gay magazines.
"We have told the council we are not happy.
"There are other aspects of the council's education program
which we have funded."
The Centralian Advocate
has been inundated with letters from people objecting to the
radio, television and newspaper campaign, mainly claiming it
promoted homosexuality among teenage boys. The newspaper ad
featuring a picture of two teenage boys, states "lots of guys do
it with other guys" and promotes the practice of safe sex.
Central Australian AIDS Council spokesman Chris Rowe said the
objections were based on a "myth" that homosexuality was
learned. All the evidence says sexual orientation develops at
the same time as mind, memory and personality - at a very early
age," Mr Rowe.
Mr Rowe said the council had spent months researching the best
way to target the gay community without the benefit of gay
media.
We expected that there would be considerable community response
to the campaign based on misunderstanding and fear," Mr Rowe
said. "But we decided for the benefit of the gay community and
the public in general to go ahead."
Mr Rowe said the council had been asked by the Commonwealth AIDS
education unit to put out a press release stating the
Commonwealth had not funded the campaign
The campaign ends today.
Of course the ads and the
reaction to them were a popular topic of discussion in the
local queer community. But, after some initial delight at
the in-your-face campaign, most people were starting
to feel more than a little threatened and indirect
targets of the hatred themselves.
And,
given that there were actually few gay men on the ACOCA
committee, some were becomingly increasingly concerned
that they were apparently being held responsible for the
Council's activities and had been cast into the public
spotlight through no action of their own. As a consequence
there were some heated discussions at queer
social events and cool receptions for
those gay men associated with ACOCA. There were also few
who felt safe enough to respond publicly to the barrage of
hate mail in the press and either declare their support
for the campaign or counter the lies.
Centralian Advocate: August 10, 1993
© News Ltd:
used with permission.
|
Ads
are not okay
SIR, It
looks like the ACOCA won't do what our taxes
have paid them for, which is educate the
public about AIDS, so I'll give it a shot.
In the first
stage of infection the person shows no sign
of the disease, and may appear perfectly
healthy, but the AIDS virus permeates the
vital organs brain, lungs, liver, spleen,
kidneys, eyes and can be transmitted to
others, particularly by sexual contact.
Once
infected, there is no cure.
The second
stage occurs when symptoms begin to
manifest: sudden weight loss, persistent
diarrhoea, drenching night sweats, swelling
of the lymph nodes in armpits and groin,
chronic fatigue and psychogenic
disturbances.
The virus is
destroying cells in the brain and central
nervous system causing loss of memory and
muscle control and incoherent speech.
The final
and fatal stage is commonly called
"full-blown AIDS".
|
The immune system of
the body is now unable to fight off infections and the
body is vulnerable to opportunistic infections such as
pneumonia and fungal infections.
Half
of those diagnosed with full-blown AIDS are dead
within 18 months, and virtually no-one is alive five
years later.
More guys than you
think have died this way ACOCA, it's not pretty! it's
not attractive, and it's not okay!
So don't promote
homosexuality as an attractive, safe pastime.
Do what you are paid
for, and take your hands out of the public purse to
run your gutter level "homosexual club" advertising!
Michael Evans,
Alice Springs.
Campaign is wrong
SIR,
I am concerned regarding various aspects of the recent
advertising campaign that has been undertaken by the
Central Australian AIDS Council.
As a christian [sic] worshipping
at the Alice Springs Baptist Church, the ethical,
moral and potential life-style impact that an ad of
this nature has on our young people are aspects of
major concern.
As my church has
addressed these concerns with you, the AIDS Council
and the governments associated with this vital Issue,
I will not focus on these matters at this time.
As a concerned
ratepayer and volunteer community worker I am outraged
that a group like the AIDS Council appears to have
violated their charter by actively promoting a
particular lifestyle for our young men, namely the
promotion of male homosexuality.
I realise that the
charters and constitutions of some community
organisations are very broad and leave considerable
room for interpretation by office bearers and staff
employed by those organisations.
As community
organisations we are, however, finally account able to
our community.
I take this
opportunity as a member of the Alice Springs community
to state that the recent advertising campaign
sponsored by the AIDS Council is not in my view an
acceptable interpretation of their charter and should
be removed from public circulation at the earliest
possible occasion.
Alwyn Ross Westcott,
Alice Springs.
It was three weeks after the
campaign's launch before there was finally some respite
from the overwhelming tide of rejection. Tim Rowse and
David Scrimgeour; two researchers from the Menzies School
of Health Research with strong professional interests in
public and sexual health, were among the first to provide
a reasoned statement of support for the ads and the
strategies behind them.
Campaign must go on
despite outcry
SIR, A number of your recent correspondents have
objected to the advertisement placed by the AIDS
Council of Central Australia, saying that it promotes
homosexuality which, according to your correspondents,
is immoral.
One even quotes directly, in support of his case, the
words of "our Creator".
We do not wish to dispute these moral and theological
propositions.
As researchers into the prevention and control of HIV
and other sexually transmitted diseases, we can,
however, point to good public health reasons for the
council's advertisements.
A few years ago researchers in the School of
Behavioural Sciences at Macquarie University conducted
hundreds of interviews with gay men.
The asked the men questions about their reactions to
the promotion of "safe sex". The men's answers
revealed an important difference between gay men who
felt comfortable with their homosexuality and those
who were anxious and secretive about it.
|
Centralian
Advocate: August 10, 1993
© News Ltd:
used with permission.
|
The anxious and secretive ones were
found to be less likely to adopt safe sex practices; they were
more likely simply to reduce their numbers of partners, that
is, to change their relationships rather than their sexual
behavior - safer sex, perhaps, but not yet safe.
The researchers concluded that the "safe sex" message was less
likely to be heeded by homosexual men whose homosexuality had
been driven "underground" by prevailing attitudes of moral
disapproval.
Gay men who acknowledge and even celebrate their sexuality, by
contrast, have been foremost in taking responsibility
associated with their sexuality; that is, they have more
readily adopted and promoted new modes of sexual conduct
between men.
That is why your correspondents' public condemnation of
homosexuality must continue to be met with courage by public
health agencies such as the AIDS Council of Central Australia.
The council's advertisement is appropriately aimed at young
men, as studies show that their recent rates of HIV infection
are greater.
Tim Rowse,
David Scrimgeour,
Menzies School of Health Research,
Alice Springs.
The voice of reason was, perhaps surprisingly, also heard
from another religious leader in the town; Stephen
Williams, who risked the wrath of his congregation to
endorse ACOCA's strategy, if not the specific content of
the ads. Jo Harrison, herself a long term supporter of the
Council, stepped up to face the critics as well and
provided a very personal note of encouragement to all
those facing the flood of homophobia. Stephanie Bath
voiced her unequivocal support for the ads and ACOCA's
motivation.
But the critics persisted and maintained the force and
intensity of their hatred. Roger and Sue Hollingworth drew
support from the Old Testament, just after the bit that
outlaws eating pork. V Hatcher neatly dropped same-sex
love into a box with bestiality, rape and incest, and
equated gay men with rats spreading the plague.
Ads play vital role
SIR I write to commend your newspaper for carrying the
AIDS Council advertisement.
The reaction to it in your columns amply demonstrates a
need for young gay people to gain access to accurate
information in a climate of acceptance and rationality
and to this end, perhaps future advertisements might be
framed in a less provocative style.
There is a growing understanding that the climate of
fear and secrecy in which young gay people have, to
date, been obliged to work out their sexual identity is
not conducive to mature and socially responsible moral
decision-making.
With the advent of the AIDS epidemic this creates a
danger to the whole community, especially one in which
these same young people are pressured to masquerade and
behave as sexually active heterosexuals.
The emergence of the AIDS epidemic has established "safe
sex" as an almost universally agreed moral imperative
for the sexually adventurous.
This is remarkable and very much to be encouraged.
More than anyone else, it is the gay community in
Australia which has achieved this awareness of the need
for safe sex.
We need to acknowledge that is largely thanks to the gay
community that Australians are to date less devastated
by the AIDS epidemic than people in other comparable
societies.
Stephen Williams,
Alice Springs.
Worth the criticism
SIR, I want to commend the AIDS Council on its
advertising campaign.
At 17 I had no-one to talk to about my sexuality. I was
isolated and very much alone.
One year later my parents banished me from the family
home and cut all contact save useless therapy sessions
aimed at "curing" me.
Recently I watched as thousands of proud parents walked
with hundreds of thousands of gay men, lesbians and
their supporters in Washington DC.
I can only feel relief for young people who no longer
need be alone or at risk.
One reassured person will be worth all the present
criticism.
J Harrison,
Alice Springs.
|
Ad shows no caring
SIR, We are writing say that we believe as Christians
and taxpayers that the AIDS Council ad is totally wrong
and has nothing to do with their slogan "caring for the
community".
We don't like to see taxpayers' money used to promote
homosexual behavior as normal.
It's not okay just because a lot of people do it doesn't
mean it's right.
We totally agree with Steve Swartz (Centralian Advocate
30-7-93).
And we base our views on the Bible why don't you read
Lev 20.13 to what God says.
Roger and Sue Hollingworth,
Alice Springs
Ads make no sense
SIR, I would like to endorse the sentiments expressed by
B and D Harrison et al (Centralian Advocate 3-8-93).
The advertisement in question has little (if anything)
to do with preventing the spread of AIDS and sounds more
like a recruitment drive and an attempt at gaining
acceptance.
"It's been going on for ages and always will" says the
bloke on the radio - so has bestiality, incest and rape;
are they gaining acceptance too?
Perhaps the bestiality lobby will have taxpayer funded
advertisements on the radio soon too! The government
could give out free gumboots to those so inclined!
Attracted to sheep? A lot of men are!
I would like to call on Sun FM and the Advocate to
withdraw the advertisements and invite the AIDS Council
to come up with something more appropriate and less
political.
These advertisements make about as much sense as
breeding more rats to stop bubonic plague!
Before you label me homophobic - no I am not scared of
homosexuals, just curious at ACOCA's failure to get
serious about halting a killer disease because they'd
rather promote an alternative lifestyle.
V Hatcher,
Alice Springs.
|
Tax
dollars well spent
SIR, I am tickled pink that my tax dollars are being spent to
promote safe sex in both the gay and straight communities.
The recent AIDS Council of Central Australia's ads in your
paper are both sensitive and in good taste.
They in no way promote or advocate a gay lifestyle, but offer
support and health advice to those already facing their
sexuality.
The ACOCA is there for everyone but it is sometimes hardest
for young gay men and women to reach out for help because of
the thoughtless prejudice of the vocal minority in the
straight community.
Allowing these kids to know that they can he supported and
listened to unconditionally in this fearful age of AIDS is the
least we can do as responsible citizens.
If a newspaper ad can reach them it is okay with me!
I applaud your paper for publishing what was certain to be a
controversial advertisement.
Stephanie Bath,
Alice Springs.
There seemed to be no end to the accusations of evil
intentions that the ads were bringing on the heads of
ACOCA and the queer community. J J Gardner trotted out the
'gay dating service' line which was picked up by
Michael Evans and twisted into a purported
ACOCA scheme for the entrapment of young
men and their recruitment to the dark
side. David and Christine Wilson, too, thought that the
ads were bringing the evil dangerously close to vulnerable
children.
Use funds wisely
SIR, I refer to the recent rash of advertisements in the
Centralian Advocate
for homosexual contact groups.
I note with relief that it is the Federal and not the NT
Government which funds this particular perversion.
One expects the Canberra commissars to pimp for minority
groups. I believe the politically correct term to be
"consensus".
I am sure however that the Territory Government could
find better use for its contribution. The allocation of
almost $48 000 dollars per annum to a local deviate
dating service is beyond a joke in these times of
national economic crisis.
I therefore urge Health Minister Mr Reed to withdraw all
funding from the AIDS Council Central Australia, at
least until such time as that organisation can prove
that it actually does something other than handing out
condoms and contacts.
J J Gardner,
Alice Springs.
Ads must be axed
SIR, We believe it to be totally inappropriate for a
newspaper which we bring into our home and which is read
by our children, to run the ACOCA advertisements.
Furthermore we believe the content and message of the ad
is highly questionable, misleading and objectionable.
What it advocates in not okay and we feel the AIDS
Council of Central Australia is way off the mark
advertising in such a manner.
Please seriously consider the non-appearance of this ad
in future editions of your otherwise informative
newspaper.
David and Christine Wilson,
Alice Springs.
|
Fishy problems
SIR, In reply to the AIDS Council of Central Australia
advertisements In your paper.
Something's fishy in Todd Street!
The sharks at the AIDS Council of Central Australia
continue to plunder thousands of taxpayers' dollars to
fund their fishy campaign to lure unstable young men
under 26 into their homosexual net.
Why didn't they use photos of men who are in the full
blown stage of AIDS who acquired the disease thinking
they had "safe sex"?
Because when you go fishing you must use live bait or a
pretty lure so you don't scare the unwitting fish away!
Safe sex is their hook; sounds catchy but the truth is
it only takes one faulty condom and it ain't safe any
more!
Will they promote what the virus does? Not if it is a
deterrent to their self-interest in young men.
It appears they do not want to advertise to this
community that the primary method of acquiring AIDS is
in the net of homosexual activity and most certainly
"safe sex" is no barrier to the AIDS virus.
When will the Federal and NT Governments scuttle the
derelict vessel known as ACOCA and make the pirates who
raised the skull and crossbones over her walk the plank?
Michael Evans,
Alice Springs. |
Then,
just when things seemed like they couldn't possibly get
any worse, they did. NT Health wrote to the editor of
the Advocate publicly stating that the Commonwealth
government did and would not release
funds to ACOCA for running the ads.
|
Centralian Advocate: August 13, 1993
© News
Ltd: used with permissio
|
Commonwealth did not fund
campaign
SIR, The AIDS Council of
Central Australia recently ran a series
of advertisements in the Centralian
Advocate and on Imparja TV
which targeted gay young men.
However, contrary to
reports, the Commonwealth Government did
not fund them to do so.
|
Safe sex
advertisements were originally proposed by the
AIDS Council as one part of a $13 O00 CAPE
(Commonwealth AIDS Education and Prevention) grant
to inform young men who engage in homosexual
activity about the dangers of HIV Infection.
Epidemiology in
Australia consistently indicates that such young men
are one of the groups most at risk of HIV infection
and subsequently AIDS.
The
Commonwealth Government, which owns the copyright on
material produced under such a grant, considered the
advertisements suggested by the AIDS Council
unsuitable for the wide audience proposed, and wrote
to the Council in May 1993 directing that they
should not be used.
The AIDS Council
released a statement last week in which they said
they had funded the project themselves.
Australia's success
to date in containing the spread of HIV/AIDS has
owed much to the fact that governments have not
shied away from funding direct, forthright and
appropriate education strategies which target high
risk behavior by homosexual men and other groups in
our society whose behavior may lead to infection.
The Commonwealth
Government takes the approach that, in the absence
of a cure or vaccine for HIV, education and behavior
change are the only means of prevention.
Nevertheless,
because some messages may offend sections of the
community the Commonwealth Government always alms to
target those messages very carefully so that they
reach the intended audience only.
Bruce March,
Manager,
NT Dept of Health,
Housing,
Local Government
& Community Services.
The
Advocate
went straight to the source for comment and obtained
confirmation of the details, including ACOCA's apparent
breach of copyright by using the ad without permission.
At the same time all of this was being directly and
firmly conveyed to the council by both levels of
government.
To add to the indignity, the Australian Federation of
AIDS Organisations, the peak national community body,
weighed in on the side of the Commonwealth and asked
ACOCA to stop the campaign lest there be negative
consequences for other councils' future
access to funds.
By now ACOCA seemed to have very few friends indeed.
Centralian Advocate: August 13, 1993
© News Ltd:
used with permission.
|
AIDS Council asked to
justify funds
By GENNY
O'LOUGHLIN
The
AIDS Council of Central Australia has been
a asked by the Commonwealth AIDS Education
Unit to justify full payment of a $13 000
grant.
The
request follows controversy over the
council's use of an advertisement
specifically rejected by the education
unit.
The
council had been granted the money partly
to develop an anti-AIDS campaign aimed at
young homosexual men in Alice Springs.
|
The
education unit found the campaign inappropriate but
nevertheless owned copyright.
A spokesman for the unit said the Alice Springs AIDS
Council breached the agreement when it ran the ads
after being told not to.It would be asked to
justify an outstanding payment of an undisclosed
amount of the grant and to liaise on its future
strategies'
"It was not their
material to use," the spokesman said.
"They were funded to
come up with an idea but we said no to that
proposal."
"What we're saying
now is 'tell us what your plans are for further
activities so that we can determine if we are
willing to release the balance of the funding'," the
spokesman said.
The NT Government
also threatened to cut funding to the Alice Springs
AIDS Council over the ads which attracted strong
criticism from sections of the community.
The main criticism
claimed the ads promoted homosexuality among young
men.
The Alice Springs
AIDS Council cancelled a second series of anti AIDS
advertisements at the last minute on Monday.
AIDS Council
spokesman Chris Rowe confirmed the council would
liaise further with the Commonwealth AIDS education
unit before embarking on the new series.
"We need to reassess
the strategies in the light of what has happened,"
Mr Rowe said.
Mr Rowe said he
believed the anger expressed over the campaign did
not necessarily re[f]lect the majority of the
community.
He said members of a
well known Alice Springs Christian group had
verbally abused in public two people they knew to be
associated with the Alice Springs AIDS Council
likening homosexuality to murder and theft.
The council had
received many abusive phonecalls since the campaign
began.
But it had also
received a record 18 genuine calls from young
homosexual men wanting information
"I really don't know
just how much support and how much anti-[gay] feeling
there is out there," Mr Rowe said.
"I know there is a
lot of support but those views haven't been
sufficiently aired. Most of the negative public
reaction is based on misunderstanding and fear."
Recognising that the
battle had ultimately been lost ACOCA withdrew all
further bookings for the ads. However, rather than admit
defeat, the council boldly published a defiant statement
of its motivation clearly
affirming of the campaign's worth,
even though they were simultaneously debating behind
closed doors who should be blamed for the mess.
CAMPAIGN BASED ON
PROVEN PUBLIC HEALTH PRINCIPLES
We would like to address some of the concerns in
regard to the ACOCA advertisements which have
recently appeared in the local media.
These advertisements are just one part of a project
targeting young gay and bisexual men. Australia's
National HIV/AIDS Strategy identifies these young
men, particularly in rural areas, as a group in need
of further education about the risks of HIV
infection.
There are several reasons for this.
1. Young gay and bisexual men often face
considerable difficulties in coming to terms with
their sexual orientation. They are very vulnerable
to the judgements which society makes about them,
and because of this often feel confused and alone.
As a result, their self-esteem often falls to such a
low level that they care little for their health.
2. Young people are often less confident talking
about and negotiating safe sex with their partners.
3. Youth often brings with it a certain feeling of
invincibility. This can lead some young people to
discount the risks involved in deciding to have
sexual relations, including the risk of contracting
HIV.
4. The majority of young gay aid bisexual men in
Central Australia remain well hidden, usually for
fear of prejudice and discrimination. Because of
this, they do not have access to the support and
information networks of the gay community.
|
 Centralian
Advocate: August 13, 1993
|
The current ACOCA project is
based on peer education principles recognised
internationally as being integral to Australia's success in
minimizing the spread of HIV to date. Experience has shown
that these peer-based education mechanisms not only provide
an avenue for disseminating HIV/AIDS information, but also
address more holistic issues such as boosting self-esteem,
without which there is little motivation for people to after
their behaviour.
The advertisements which have appeared are designed to
reassure young gay and bisexual men that they are able to
seek information and support from ACOCA without fear of
being judged. This maximises our opportunities to interact
with these young men and establish the peer support groups
so important to sustaining risk-free behaviours. Conversely,
to appear judgemental in any way would only add to the
existing climate which drives these young men underground
and away from the support necessary to assist them avoid
risk behaviours.
A number of people have raised concerns that the
advertisements may be encouraging young men to be
homosexual. There is no evidence to suggest that this is
possible; indeed, such evidence as there is refutes this
notion that a person's sexual orientation is somehow able to
be influenced:
"The fear
that anyone. of whatever age can be diverted to a homosexual
orientation by argument, information or even 'proselytizing'
is completely unfounded. Whatever the 'causes' of
homosexuality, the information that it exists, no matter how
sympathetically presented, is not one of them. A homosexual
orientation is not a deliberate choice which is made at
puberty. The antecedents of both a homosexual and
heterosexual orientation are now generally agreed to date
from the earliest years of childhood, and to develop
coextensively with mind, memory and personality. ...A
homosexual lifestyle... will appeal only to those already
predisposed..." (NSW Anti-Discrimination Board, 1983.)
All of our work at ACOCA, whether
it be with the gay community, women, injecting drug users,
sex industry workers or the population as a whole, is
directed at minimising the transmission of HIV in order to
protect public health. We have thought long and hard about
the advertisements. After much consultation and
deliberation, we decided to proceed with them in the
interests of public health. To have done anything less would
have been abrogating our responsibility to the community.
The Committee of Management and Staff
of the AIDS Council of Central Australia.
Feeling thoroughly bruised and
abused by the sequence of events and the apparent
victory of the gay haters, Chris had little
opportunity to vent his frustration
except
to set the record straight on the ages of the models;
verbally rapping the knuckles of the journalist who
had been the willing vehicle of so much of his
despair.
Ultimately it was the quiet voice of Bert Doragio that
put it all in perspective, asking how anyone could
believe that a newspaper ad could change someone's
sexuality and why, if ACOCA's ads were so evil, had
none of the pious also objected to those for brothels
in the same editions?
Ad showed young
men
SIR, Re: Genny O'Loughlin's article (Centralian Advocate
6-8-93) about the AIDS Council advertisements.
In this article, Ms O'Loughlin asserts that these
advertisements feature a picture of two teenage
boys.
I would like to object strongly to this.
In fact, the models used for the photograph were
22 and 23 years of age respectively.
The advertisements are part of a project targeting
young men under the age of 26.
Unfortunately, your journalist's reporting has
fuelled the erroneous belief that the
advertisements are aimed solely at adolescent
boys.
Christopher Rowe,
Project Officer,
Young Gay and Bisexual Men's Project.
Double standards
SIR, It is pleasing to see outreach to at risk
groups to prevent the spread of fatal diseases.
I am surprised that many people naively believe
that sexual preference of people can be influenced
by a newspaper advertisement.
The latest "New Scientist" magazine features an
article linking homosexuality to a gene on the X
chromosome, implying sexual preference is a
genetic factor and not linked to environmental
conditioning.
It is a shame that a genuine effort to help an at
risk sector of the community receives such back
lash [sic]
when other advertisements on the same newspaper
advertise sex for sale, promoting exploitation of
women and that these ads are seemingly acceptable
to the community.
Bert Doregio,
Alice Springs Affairs Coordination Committee. |
Centralian
Advocate: August 13, 1993
© News
Ltd: used with permission.
|
The events that unfolded in the winter of 1993
provided a salutory lesson to Chris, ACOCA and the
Central Australian queer community. After almost ten
years of fairly public social activities and the
establishment of an AIDS council to service its needs,
the gay and lesbian population of the area had neither
expected nor wanted a public outpouring of hatred
against it. Whether they had simply remained under the
radar of the homophobes, or by appearing to publicly
support young gay men had crosssed some invisible
moral line remains unclear.
People were clearly shocked, angry and fearful at the
extent and viciousness of the condemnation and
accusations flung at them by the radical Christian
minority. They were also dismayed at the way and haste
in which formerly supportive government departments
and agencies had distanced themselves and refused to
support either the community or the council against
the attacks. For ACOCA and Central Network, it
demonstrated that each organisation and their
respective ambitions were clearly
separate
and independent, and that neither could automatically
assume the support and endorsement of the other.
The queers of the desert were now aware that their
existence and actions had a political dimension, and
that not everyone within their community thought or
voted the same. In many ways the You're Not Alonecampaign
had starkly highlighted the issues for a range of
political battles that were yet to come.
John Hobson
