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VOLUME TEN, NO. 19—September 11, 1997—September 24, 1997—Issue 239 Give the People Light and they will find their own way. V The Wisconsin Light Bill to Require HIV Test Stalls In State AIDS Activists Urge Extra Effort Assembly Committee Madison—A bill that would make Wis- consin the only state to require HIV tests For September 21 AIDS Walk for people seeking a marriage license is stalled m an Assembly committee. Rep. Mike Huebsch, R-Onalaska, Greg Louganis to Attend Statewide Event in Milwaukee chairman of the Assembly Children and Families Committee that held a hearing on Milwaukee— The AIDS crisis is not the bill Thursday, said there is no need for over. a vote because the legislation lacks sup- The renewed hope and excitement that port on the committee. has been generated by improved HIV Four other Republicans on the commit- treatments and promising new drug com- tee co-sponsored the bill; four Democrats binations must not result in losing our oppose it. bearings about exactly where we are in Huebsch said he is the key vote on the the fight against AIDS. Infants, teens and issue, but since he came away from the adults of all colors from every part of hearing with more doubts than ever, the Wisconsin still struggle to live with HIV bill won't be scheduled for a vote. and AIDS. Prevention, research and life The measure, sponsored by Assembly care services must increase. If we act like Majority Leader Steven Foti, R- AIDS is over... IT NEVER WILL BE! Oconomowoc, "has its share of prob- "The fight against AIDS has really just lems," Huebsch said. begun. I know because I live with HIV He cited the experience of Illinois, every day of my life. I am thrilled with the which had a similar law that was later re- medical progress and new drug therapies pealed. Many couples got around the Illi- that are helping some people, but we can't nois law by going to neighboring states to stop fighting until there's a cure. I hope be married. everyone will join me at AIDS Walk Wis- Foti said he proposed the bill to slow the consin. Bring your friends and family. We spread of AIDS among heterosexuals, need your support now more than ever," where it is increasing faster than in any said Greg Louganis, Olympic gold medal other segment of the population. winner and AIDS Activist. HIV tests would stop one spouse from Louganis will be the Honorary Chair ot infecting another or a child they have, Foti the 1997 AIDS Walk. said. Throughout the HIV epidemic, the peo- Under the proposal, no marriage license ple of Wisconsin have been national lead- could be issued unless the couple proved ers in the fight against AIDS. Let's not Mourning Princess Diana Elton John and his partner David Fulness leave Westminster Abbey after the fu- stop now. that they had a blood test for the HIV vi- neral of Diana, Princess of Wales. John brought tears to eyes of Royal family and many others when he sang Dollars raised from some AIDS rus at least 30 days before applying for the his rewritten song "Candle in the Wind" during the service. AP Photo by Adam Butler Walks in other states have declined, hope- license. fully not in Wisconsin. Couples would not have to tell county • The new drug therapies have given us clerks, who issue marriage licenses, the Princess Diana Remembered For Being in the all hope but are only working fin one- results of the tests, and no one could be third of the people taking them, and the prohibited from marrying if the test was Forefront of the Fight Against AIDS long-term effects of the toxic drugs re- positive for HIV, under the legislation. main unknown. Mike Gifford, director of public policy San Francisco—The news of the death someone I love to go through something • Thousands of people do not have ac- for the AIDS Resource Center of Wiscon- of Princess Diana of Wales left the Gay like that. We lost a good friend for Gays. cess to the expensive new drugs which sin, testified against the bill. community in shock. In San Francisco, We all lost a good friend." cost over $15,000 per year per person. There are more effective strategies mourners gathered at a makeshift memo- The couple stood on Castro Street be- • Caseloads of people living with HIV against the HIV virus than requiring blood rial in San Francisco's Castro district to fore flowers, notes and teddy bears m and AIDS have never been higher. With honor the princess who championed AIDS honor of Princess Diana. some people living longer, AIDS organi- tests for it before marriage, Gifford said. zations are struggling Dane County Clerk Joe Parisi predicted causes. One note read, - You touched the hand to meet the in- state and local revenue losses if the bill is "When I heard she died, I thought it of a man when others were afraid. You creased demand for medical care, trans- wasn't true," said Miguel Calle-Pesantez, heart and the hearts of mil- portation, housing, food and other serv- passed. In Illinois, he said, the number of touched my ices for those who need marriage licenses issued dropped by 22 who viewed the memorial arm-in-aim lions with your courage to do what was life-sustaining as- percent in the 18 months the law was in with his boyfriend, Kerry Kack. "I right. May you be an example for leaders sistance. thought she was immortal. I wouldn't want worldwide of what is proper behavior for "AIDS Walk Wisconsin is always a place. magnificent day marked by thousands of those in power. The world is a better place caring, because you walked here. We will miss concerned individuals who turn Domestic Partnership Fight Continues in out year after year to support the event you." and the fight Milwaukee Many in the city's Gay community against AIDS," said Doug Common Council for those with Nelson, executive director of the AIDS An Exclusive Wisconsin Light Report praised Diana for caring Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW) and Analysis grant Domestic Partnership benefits AIDS when many feared the disease. producer of the Walk. would "pass constitutional muster" but Diana visited many people with the Rick B., a person living with AIDS, had By Bill Meunier that the ACLU doesn't oppose including HIV virus over the years, especially chil- another reason he was going to participate Milwaukee—The battle to provide Do- different gender couples. dren. She opened the largest AIDS clinic in the Walk. mestic Partnership benefits to City of The legal opinion caused the proposal's in Great Britain in 1994, and in June of "Like her billions of other people, I watched Milwaukee employees engaged in Same sponsor, Alderman Paul Henningsen, to this year, an auction of some of Princess Diana's funeral, and I knew how Sex Relationships is likely continue be- amend it to include unmarried heterosex- dresses brought $3 million. Catalog sales yond this year and may very well reach ual partners of City employees. That in- and benefit sessions brought in another AIDS Walk Beneficiaries the Collective Bargaining Table say sev- clusion, however, upped the ante on the $2.5 million; that money went to AIDS Proceeds from the 1997 AIDS Walk eral sources contacted by The Wisconsin cost of the proposal. That in turn may and cancer charities. benefit 18 AIDS education and service Light. have given some Council members an ex- One Castro District resident, who said providers throughout the state: A City Attorney's opinion, Common cuse to vote against it. her full name was Oshara, left some lilies Milwaukee AIDS Project, AIDS Net- Council policy, and even Wisconsin La- According to published reports the cost and a copy of The Oakland Tribune. She work-Southcentral Wisconsin, Center bor laws are being cited as reasons why to the City would be between $5,000 and said the princess' view of AIDS was re- Project-Green Bay/Fox Valley, Central the proposal may not pass the Common $6,000 per employee applying for the freshing. Wisconsin AIDS Network-Wausau, Council if and when it comes up for vote. benefit. "It's good to see the outpouring of Northwest Wisconsin AIDS Project-Eau In what some might call an ironic turn Henningsen disputes that figure telling love," she said. " Sometimes it takes a lot Claire, Southeast Wisconsin AIDS Proj- of events, the City Attorney's office has The Light. "It's nowhere near that. It's to get people together." ect-Kenosha, Wisconsin AIDS Research issued a legal opinion stating that the pro- 3,600 each. We think it will be 30 people But despite the joyous comments, nearly Consortium, AIDS/HIV Ministry- posal must include heterosexual relation- who are Gay or Lesbian, that's $100,000. everyone said the world had lost some- Wisconsin Conference of Churches, ships as well as Gay and Lesbian partners. If its going also cover heterosexuals, I thing special. Camp Heartland, The Counseling Center According to the opinion, failure to do so think it would be another 20. So it would "There's just one less beautiful thing in of Milwaukee, East Central Wellness would violate Wisconsin's Fair Employ- be another 60,000." the world," Kack said. Project-Oshkosh, Generation Next Proj- ment Act by discriminating on the basis of Henningsen's figures (which were also A Leader in the Fight ect, Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation, sexual orientation.