LGBTQ+
U.S. progress in HIV fight continues to trail many other rich nations
NBC News, May 23, 2023
New HIV infections continue to ebb only modestly in the United States, while many other wealthy Western nations have posted steep reductions, thanks to more successful efforts overseas to promptly diagnose and treat the virus and promote the HIV prevention pill, PrEP.
NBC News, May 23, 2023
New HIV infections continue to ebb only modestly in the United States, while many other wealthy Western nations have posted steep reductions, thanks to more successful efforts overseas to promptly diagnose and treat the virus and promote the HIV prevention pill, PrEP.
Rise of mpox cases in Chicago raises concern about possible summer spread
NBC News, May 8, 2023
A recent uptick in mpox diagnoses in Chicago, some of them in people vaccinated against the virus, has raised concerns about a possible summertime increase in cases among gay and bi men. Chicago's Howard Brown Health reported eight new cases of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, since April 17. By comparison, only one case was reported to the Chicago Public Health Department in the previous three months.
NBC News, May 8, 2023
A recent uptick in mpox diagnoses in Chicago, some of them in people vaccinated against the virus, has raised concerns about a possible summertime increase in cases among gay and bi men. Chicago's Howard Brown Health reported eight new cases of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, since April 17. By comparison, only one case was reported to the Chicago Public Health Department in the previous three months.
Tennessee blocked $8 million for HIV, now ends up with $13 million, stunning advocates
NBC News, April 21, 2023
Tennessee has gone from blocking $8.3 million in annual federal funds to combat HIV to newly including $9 million in the state budget approved Thursday to combat the virus. This development came after the CDC announced that it will circumvent the state government and continue providing about $4 million in HIV-prevention funds to Tennessee nonprofit groups, despite Gov. Bill Lee’s objections.
NBC News, April 21, 2023
Tennessee has gone from blocking $8.3 million in annual federal funds to combat HIV to newly including $9 million in the state budget approved Thursday to combat the virus. This development came after the CDC announced that it will circumvent the state government and continue providing about $4 million in HIV-prevention funds to Tennessee nonprofit groups, despite Gov. Bill Lee’s objections.
PrEP's promise to change the course of HIV has succeeded—but only for white gay men
NBC News, March 18, 2023
A decade into the era of the HIV prevention pill, called PrEP, efforts to leverage its heralded power to curb new infections have stagnated in the United States. This shortfall is a key reason the nation lags far behind many others in combating HIV, with a national epidemic long plagued by racial inequities and only a modestly declining new infection rate.
NBC News, March 18, 2023
A decade into the era of the HIV prevention pill, called PrEP, efforts to leverage its heralded power to curb new infections have stagnated in the United States. This shortfall is a key reason the nation lags far behind many others in combating HIV, with a national epidemic long plagued by racial inequities and only a modestly declining new infection rate.
CDC warns about the rise in almost untreatable Shigella bacterial infections
NBC News, March 1, 2023
The CDC is warning about a rise in extensively drug-resistant cases of the bacterial infection Shigella, a major cause of inflammatory diarrhea. The agency calls the new form of the stomach bug, which causes the diarrheal condition known as shigellosis, a “serious public health threat.” Evidence suggests the illness is spreading among gay and bisexual men in particular, apparently through sexual contact.
NBC News, March 1, 2023
The CDC is warning about a rise in extensively drug-resistant cases of the bacterial infection Shigella, a major cause of inflammatory diarrhea. The agency calls the new form of the stomach bug, which causes the diarrheal condition known as shigellosis, a “serious public health threat.” Evidence suggests the illness is spreading among gay and bisexual men in particular, apparently through sexual contact.
Mpox is highly fatal among people with advanced HIV, study finds
NBC News, February 21, 2023
Mpox can have a devastating impact on people with advanced cases of HIV, leading to severe lesions and causing death in as many as 1 in 4 of highly immunocompromised people. This is according to the first major study of mpox in this population. The analysis included 382 people from 28 nations, all of whom had HIV and a CD4 a count below 350. Twenty-seven of these individuals died.
NBC News, February 21, 2023
Mpox can have a devastating impact on people with advanced cases of HIV, leading to severe lesions and causing death in as many as 1 in 4 of highly immunocompromised people. This is according to the first major study of mpox in this population. The analysis included 382 people from 28 nations, all of whom had HIV and a CD4 a count below 350. Twenty-seven of these individuals died.
Taking an antibiotic after sex helps gay men curb STDs, but might fuel drug resistance
NBC News, February 20, 2023
A broadening chorus of public health experts are calling for the CDC to endorse prescribing a preventive antibiotic pill to gay and bisexual men and transgender women at high risk of STDs. But some experts are concerned that widespread use of the antibiotic for this purpose could fuel the global crisis of antibiotic-resistant infections.
NBC News, February 20, 2023
A broadening chorus of public health experts are calling for the CDC to endorse prescribing a preventive antibiotic pill to gay and bisexual men and transgender women at high risk of STDs. But some experts are concerned that widespread use of the antibiotic for this purpose could fuel the global crisis of antibiotic-resistant infections.
HIV Tennessee axed millions in HIV funds amid scrutiny from far-right provocateurs
NBC News, February 2, 2023
Tennessee’s recent decision to reject over $8 million in federal funds to combat HIV was motivated, at least in part, by right-wing provocateurs stoking anti-LGBTQ sentiment, according to four sources within the state Health Department. The move by Republican Gov. Bill Lee will hamstring, if not cripple, efforts to combat one of the country’s most poorly controlled epidemics of the virus, HIV advocates said.
NBC News, February 2, 2023
Tennessee’s recent decision to reject over $8 million in federal funds to combat HIV was motivated, at least in part, by right-wing provocateurs stoking anti-LGBTQ sentiment, according to four sources within the state Health Department. The move by Republican Gov. Bill Lee will hamstring, if not cripple, efforts to combat one of the country’s most poorly controlled epidemics of the virus, HIV advocates said.
Trump vs DeSantis - where do they stand on LGBTQ+ Rights?
Thomson Reuters Foundation, January 9, 2023
LGBTQ+ rights advocates said they are uncertain who would be worse for the community, former president Donald Trump or Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, adding that a presidential win for either would lead to an erosion of rights. "Trump and DeSantis are two extremist politicians that are cut from the same cloth," said Geoff Wetrosky, the campaign director of the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ rights group.
Thomson Reuters Foundation, January 9, 2023
LGBTQ+ rights advocates said they are uncertain who would be worse for the community, former president Donald Trump or Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, adding that a presidential win for either would lead to an erosion of rights. "Trump and DeSantis are two extremist politicians that are cut from the same cloth," said Geoff Wetrosky, the campaign director of the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ rights group.
LGBTQ+ 'rainbow wave' brings U.S. midterms boost but battles ahead
Thomson Reuters Foundation, Nov. 2022
A "rainbow wave" that lifted record numbers of LGBTQ+ candidates to victory in the U.S. midterms is a promising sign of growing acceptance. But tough legislative fights still lie ahead in many Republican-controlled states. Even as Republicans gained a slim majority in the House of Representatives, the absence of the predicted "red wave" could act as a buffer against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the new Congress.
Thomson Reuters Foundation, Nov. 2022
A "rainbow wave" that lifted record numbers of LGBTQ+ candidates to victory in the U.S. midterms is a promising sign of growing acceptance. But tough legislative fights still lie ahead in many Republican-controlled states. Even as Republicans gained a slim majority in the House of Representatives, the absence of the predicted "red wave" could act as a buffer against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the new Congress.
In a first, two gay men contest the same congressional seat
Thomson Reuters Foundation, November 2022
History is in the making. For the first time, two openly gay candidates are competing for election to a U.S. congressional seat. Analysts say the race in New York's 3rd congressional district, where Democratic marketing executive Robert Zimmerman is facing off against Republican financier George Santos, highlights the huge strides LGBTQ+ representation and acceptance have made on the political stage.
Thomson Reuters Foundation, November 2022
History is in the making. For the first time, two openly gay candidates are competing for election to a U.S. congressional seat. Analysts say the race in New York's 3rd congressional district, where Democratic marketing executive Robert Zimmerman is facing off against Republican financier George Santos, highlights the huge strides LGBTQ+ representation and acceptance have made on the political stage.
How monkeypox spoiled gay men's plans for an invincible summer
NBC News, September 2022
Lost amid the public health and media reports about monkeypox epidemiology, the delayed vaccine deliveries and the squabbling over how best to communicate about the virus are the millions of queer people whose happiness, well-being and connection to one another have in many cases been considerably compromised by the mere threat of monkeypox infection.
NBC News, September 2022
Lost amid the public health and media reports about monkeypox epidemiology, the delayed vaccine deliveries and the squabbling over how best to communicate about the virus are the millions of queer people whose happiness, well-being and connection to one another have in many cases been considerably compromised by the mere threat of monkeypox infection.
Gay men can fight monkeypox ourselves — by changing how we have sex
The Washington Post, August 2022
As during the AIDS crisis, gay men cannot wait for the government to save us from monkeypox. We need to change our sexual behavior now. We must do this as an act of empowerment to protect ourselves. Until a time when monkeypox hopefully abates, this can and should mean reducing our number of partners, skipping sex parties, practicing monogamy and even being abstinent.
The Washington Post, August 2022
As during the AIDS crisis, gay men cannot wait for the government to save us from monkeypox. We need to change our sexual behavior now. We must do this as an act of empowerment to protect ourselves. Until a time when monkeypox hopefully abates, this can and should mean reducing our number of partners, skipping sex parties, practicing monogamy and even being abstinent.
Gay men deserve the unvarnished truth about monkeypox
The Washington Post, July 2022
“Anyone can get monkeypox.” Countless public health experts have uttered statements such as this in the past two months. Members of the media and politicians have parroted the message ad nauseam without stopping to dissect what it implies or obscures. By reducing monkeypox risk to a simplistic binary equation, public health leaders are prioritizing fighting stigma over their duty to directly inform the public about the true contours and drivers of this global outbreak.
The Washington Post, July 2022
“Anyone can get monkeypox.” Countless public health experts have uttered statements such as this in the past two months. Members of the media and politicians have parroted the message ad nauseam without stopping to dissect what it implies or obscures. By reducing monkeypox risk to a simplistic binary equation, public health leaders are prioritizing fighting stigma over their duty to directly inform the public about the true contours and drivers of this global outbreak.
Lesions, headaches, debilitating pain: Gay men with monkeypox share their stories
NBC News, July 2022
Monkeypox has tended to present relatively mildly during this outbreak and has caused no deaths outside of the 11 African nations in which the virus has become endemic since it was discovered in 1970. Nevertheless, 18 gay men who contracted monkeypox told NBC News how it can cause unsightly and in some cases debilitatingly painful skin lesions — and has left them stuck glumly inside.
NBC News, July 2022
Monkeypox has tended to present relatively mildly during this outbreak and has caused no deaths outside of the 11 African nations in which the virus has become endemic since it was discovered in 1970. Nevertheless, 18 gay men who contracted monkeypox told NBC News how it can cause unsightly and in some cases debilitatingly painful skin lesions — and has left them stuck glumly inside.
Tens of thousands of monkeypox vaccine doses to be distributed immediately in U.S.
NBC News, June 2022
As monkeypox surges, the Biden administration will start distributing the vaccine for the virus across the country, focusing on people most at risk and communities with the highest numbers of cases. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will send 56,000 doses of the vaccine immediately to areas with high transmission. All told, 1.6 million doses will be distributed by the end of the fall.
NBC News, June 2022
As monkeypox surges, the Biden administration will start distributing the vaccine for the virus across the country, focusing on people most at risk and communities with the highest numbers of cases. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will send 56,000 doses of the vaccine immediately to areas with high transmission. All told, 1.6 million doses will be distributed by the end of the fall.
LGBTQ Pride events offer a make-or-break moment for monkeypox
NBC News, June 2022
After 27 dreary months of Covid-19 restrictions, which felled the past two years’ Pride celebrations, LGBTQ Americans are finally poised to fully celebrate their community on the public stage this weekend. But in a stroke of uncannily inopportune timing, the monkeypox virus has just arrived on the scene, threatening to put a pall over the party.
NBC News, June 2022
After 27 dreary months of Covid-19 restrictions, which felled the past two years’ Pride celebrations, LGBTQ Americans are finally poised to fully celebrate their community on the public stage this weekend. But in a stroke of uncannily inopportune timing, the monkeypox virus has just arrived on the scene, threatening to put a pall over the party.
Nursing home settles historic transgender discrimination complaint
NBC News, June 2022
In a landmark settlement, a Maine assisted living facility has agreed to establish policies and procedures to ensure it is a welcoming place for LGBTQ seniors, after a 79-year-old transgender woman levied an accusation of discrimination. When Marie King filed her complaint with the Maine Human Rights Commission in October, it was believed to be the first complaint of this kind in U.S. history.
NBC News, June 2022
In a landmark settlement, a Maine assisted living facility has agreed to establish policies and procedures to ensure it is a welcoming place for LGBTQ seniors, after a 79-year-old transgender woman levied an accusation of discrimination. When Marie King filed her complaint with the Maine Human Rights Commission in October, it was believed to be the first complaint of this kind in U.S. history.
Roe v. Wade: Is gay marriage at risk after U.S. Supreme Court leak?
Thomson Reuters Foundation, May 2022
A leaked U.S. Supreme Court opinion suggesting justices are poised to overturn abortion rights has left LGBTQ+ advocacy groups fearful that same-sex marriage could also be at risk. Queer advocates fear that if Roe v Wade is overturned, this could open the door to legal challenges targeting same-sex marriage and other landmark civil rights rulings.
Thomson Reuters Foundation, May 2022
A leaked U.S. Supreme Court opinion suggesting justices are poised to overturn abortion rights has left LGBTQ+ advocacy groups fearful that same-sex marriage could also be at risk. Queer advocates fear that if Roe v Wade is overturned, this could open the door to legal challenges targeting same-sex marriage and other landmark civil rights rulings.
Transgender woman, 79, can claim Maine nursing home discriminated against her
NBC News, March 2022
A 79-year-old woman has reasonable grounds to claim that a Maine assisted-living facility discriminated against her for being transgender when it rejected her as a potential resident, the Maine Human Rights Commission found. The commission’s 3-2 vote sets in motion a process that could result in a lawsuit being filed against Sunrise Assisted Living in the town of Jonesport on a claim of violating state nondiscrimination law by denying Marie King’s application for residency.
NBC News, March 2022
A 79-year-old woman has reasonable grounds to claim that a Maine assisted-living facility discriminated against her for being transgender when it rejected her as a potential resident, the Maine Human Rights Commission found. The commission’s 3-2 vote sets in motion a process that could result in a lawsuit being filed against Sunrise Assisted Living in the town of Jonesport on a claim of violating state nondiscrimination law by denying Marie King’s application for residency.
While straight men face educational crisis, gay men excel academically, study finds
NBC News, March 2022
A new study offers important nuance about the widening educational gender gap in the United States, coming to starkly opposing conclusions about how growing up gay appears to affect the academic performance of males versus females. On an array of academic measures, gay males outperform all other groups on average, across all major racial groups. Conversely, lesbians perform more poorly in school overall and Black gay women have a much lower college graduation rate than their white counterparts.
NBC News, March 2022
A new study offers important nuance about the widening educational gender gap in the United States, coming to starkly opposing conclusions about how growing up gay appears to affect the academic performance of males versus females. On an array of academic measures, gay males outperform all other groups on average, across all major racial groups. Conversely, lesbians perform more poorly in school overall and Black gay women have a much lower college graduation rate than their white counterparts.
Trans U.S. seniors fear bleak future in residential care
Thomson Reuters Foundation, February 2022
As the first substantial generation of people living openly as transgender reaches old age in Western countries, LGBTQ+ advocates say care systems are woefully unprepared. Ties with family members have often ruptured over their gender identity and many struggle to find and maintain well-paid jobs during their working lives, limiting their care options in old age. Only a handful of nonprofits are trying to plug the gaps in caring for elderly trans people.
Thomson Reuters Foundation, February 2022
As the first substantial generation of people living openly as transgender reaches old age in Western countries, LGBTQ+ advocates say care systems are woefully unprepared. Ties with family members have often ruptured over their gender identity and many struggle to find and maintain well-paid jobs during their working lives, limiting their care options in old age. Only a handful of nonprofits are trying to plug the gaps in caring for elderly trans people.
AIDS and ACT UP: Sarah Schulman Puts Women and People of Color Back at the Heart of the Story
The Guardian, May 2021
Just weeks shy of the 40th anniversary of the CDC’s ominous first report of what became known as AIDS, the veteran AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) activist has come armed with a 700-page magnum opus she hopes will set the record straight about one of the most consequential social movements of the 20th century.
The Guardian, May 2021
Just weeks shy of the 40th anniversary of the CDC’s ominous first report of what became known as AIDS, the veteran AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) activist has come armed with a 700-page magnum opus she hopes will set the record straight about one of the most consequential social movements of the 20th century.
As Meth Overdoses Soar, Scientists Develop First Regimen to Treat Addiction to the Drug
NBC News, February 2021
Just as the National Institute on Drug Abuse has issued a report detailing the U.S.'s soaring rate of overdose deaths tied to meth, a national research team has reached a milestone by developing the first safe and efficacious medication-based treatment for addiction to the often ruinous stimulant.
NBC News, February 2021
Just as the National Institute on Drug Abuse has issued a report detailing the U.S.'s soaring rate of overdose deaths tied to meth, a national research team has reached a milestone by developing the first safe and efficacious medication-based treatment for addiction to the often ruinous stimulant.
Pressure to Keep Up: Status Imbalance a Major Factor in Stress in Gay Men
The Guardian, February 2020
The persistence of mental health hardships among gay and bisexual men, which endure even as LGBTQ people gain greater acceptance and civil rights, can be explained at least in part by the corrosive effects of status consciousness, competitiveness and racism within the gay community itself.
The Guardian, February 2020
The persistence of mental health hardships among gay and bisexual men, which endure even as LGBTQ people gain greater acceptance and civil rights, can be explained at least in part by the corrosive effects of status consciousness, competitiveness and racism within the gay community itself.
Truvada and the Truth: Is HIV Prevention Propelling the STI Epidemic
The Guardian, October 2018
Among gay and bisexual men, a rapidly expanding STI epidemic is fueling questions about whether the steadily rising number of people who start Truvada for HIV prevention subsequently change their sexual behavior in ways that increase their risk of contracting chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and, in rarer cases, hepatitis C.
The Guardian, October 2018
Among gay and bisexual men, a rapidly expanding STI epidemic is fueling questions about whether the steadily rising number of people who start Truvada for HIV prevention subsequently change their sexual behavior in ways that increase their risk of contracting chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and, in rarer cases, hepatitis C.
"'Born This Way' May Be The Wrong Song." (Second Nexus, Feb. 2016)
The vast chorus of personal testimony about the unchangeable nature of sexuality notwithstanding, there is weak scientific evidence supporting the notion that infants emerge from womb already primed as gay, lesbian or bisexual. And a new study now suggests that born-this-way arguments may not actually be the best way to promote acceptance toward gays.
The vast chorus of personal testimony about the unchangeable nature of sexuality notwithstanding, there is weak scientific evidence supporting the notion that infants emerge from womb already primed as gay, lesbian or bisexual. And a new study now suggests that born-this-way arguments may not actually be the best way to promote acceptance toward gays.
“It Really Might ‘Get Better’ for LGBT Teens.” (The Atlantic, February 2015) A new study lends support to the idea that bullying and depression decrease over time.
In Sept. 2010—spurred by a slew of media reports about LGBT young people committing suicide—sex columnist Dan Savage posted a YouTube video with his husband, Terry Miller, directly addressing LGBT teens struggling with bullying. “It gets better,” the couple promised, pointing to their own lives as inspiration.
In Sept. 2010—spurred by a slew of media reports about LGBT young people committing suicide—sex columnist Dan Savage posted a YouTube video with his husband, Terry Miller, directly addressing LGBT teens struggling with bullying. “It gets better,” the couple promised, pointing to their own lives as inspiration.
“Busting The Myth That Condoms Don’t Protect Gay Men Against STIs.” (POZ, Sept. 2014) Some gay men have started to believe that condoms don’t matter for STI protection.
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“Younger Gays and Aging." (The Advocate, Dec. 2010) Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of young gay men like he thought of losing their youthful veneer.
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“Jackie Warner Weighs In.”
(Out Traveler, Spring 2008) An interview with the star of Bravo’s “Work Out.” |
- POZ, Oct. 2014: “PrEP and Prejudice.” Can personal choice and public health find common ground in pre-exposure prophylaxis? Can PrEP reverse the rising rates of HIV infections among gay and bisexual men in the United States? (This article received the Excellence in HIV/AIDS Coverage Award in the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association's Excellence in Journalism Awards.)
- POZ, July 2014: “100% Efficacy for Gays Who Adhered in PrEP Study; Most Didn’t.”
- POZ, June 2014: “Hepatitis C Transmits Sexually in HIV-Positive Gay Men.” This silent epidemic has largely traveled under the radar, seriously endangering the health of HIV-positive gay men and questioning the safety of serosorting.
- Out magazine, Nov. 2013: “Too Close for Comfort.” Why serial monogamy isn't so safe.
- The Advocate, Dec. 2010: “Younger Gays and Aging.”
- The Advocate, Dec. 2010: “Social Groups for Gays.”
- The Advocate, Dec. 2010: “Coping with and HIV Diagnosis.”
- The Advocate, Nov. 2010: “Gays, Substance Abuse, and Depression.”
- The Advocate, Nov. 2010: “Helping a Friend or Family Member Who Is Depressed.”
- The Advocate, Oct. 2010: “Body Image: Never Big Enough.”
- Out, March 2009: “Mr. Lips to You.” Broadway’s Nick Adams.
- Out Traveler, July 2008: "Hot Hotel Gyms."
- Out Traveler, Spring 2008: “The Best Gay-Owned Spas in the U.S.”
- Out Traveler, Spring 2008: “Jackie Warner Weighs In.” An interview with the star of Bravo’s “Work Out.” (The byline is incorrectly attributed to someone else. My name is mentioned in the opening paragraph.)
- HIV Plus, May 2006: “What’s Gone Wrong?” Why are HIV rates so high among black men who have sex with men
- Gay.com, Nov. 2005: "Kicking Butts, Gays and Smoking."
- Gay.com, Aug. 2005: "Fashion Guinea Pig: Sexy Short Shorts."
- The Advocate, June 2004: "Bordering in Equality." Maine recognizes domestic partnerships; Virginia bans them.
- The Advocate, May 2004: "The Two Faces of George Bush."
- The Advocate, May 2004: "Out in the Terry Family." Randall Terry says his son's coming out was a "betrayal."
- The Advocate, May 2004: "Digging Out of Debt."
- The Advocate, Dec. 2003: "The Fire Under Fierstein." Profile of Harvey Fierstein.
- The Advocate, Nov. 2003: "Free to Damn Matthew Shepard?" Fred Phelps unleashes his wrath.
- Out, Oct. 2003: "Gay Talk Jocks."
- The NY Observer, Sept. 2001: "Crackdown on Prostitutes?" Community Bd. contradictorily backs decriminalization.
- Columbia Spectator, March .1999: "That 'Guy Who Sings' Makes His Mark On the Downtown Club Scene."