~ FR.EE -· ~ · - · _: · , . ,, : · Decen1ber· 1997 + ·:=- ~ol. 22 .No. 2 · :. Catie Curtis: Nol lust another lesbian folksinger

-page 21 Pro,iding a ,oice for gay, lesbian, blse1ual, and lransgender Virginians since 1976 Gay Republicans delight in sweep while gay Democrats laud key local race• by Ron Webster campaigi:i also mailed flyers to Ar-lington residents Contributing writer denouncing Fisette's run for office as an attempt "to promote extremist special interests." While gay and lesbian backers of ;Repuqlicans Jones-Baskaran was running as an Independent but James Gilmore, John Hager and Mark Earley celebrat­ had the backing of the Republican Party and the Log ed their decisive victories in the November 4 election, Cabin Club of Northern Vrrginia, a local chapter of-the their Democratic counterparts took consolation -in sev­ gay Republican organization. She had earlier pledged eral local races. All three Republicans were victors in not to make Fisette's sexual orientation an issue in the the races for Governor, Lieutenant Governor -and campaign. Dan Blatt, preside~t ef the local Log Cabin Attorney General. Club, condemned Jones-Baskaran's tactics as "offen­ In an historic first for Virginia and despite his sive" and '.'we denounced them immediately." Blatt opponeQ.t's last minute anti-gay attacks, ppenly gay also blamed the attack ads and flyers for Jones­ Democrat Jay Fisette was easily elected to the Baskaran's defeat. He said "They erased any advantage ArHngton Cou~ty Board of Supervisor:~: Fisette won· she [Jones-Baskaran] had because most people were overwhelmingly, wtth 62 percent of the vote, while his offended." opponent, Independent Amy Jones-Baskaran received As for the possibility of other gay and iesbian 38 percent. Virginians getting elected to public office, Fisette Fisette credits the large m_argin of vict{?ey to his issued this advice: ul'd never encoµrage anyone to run campaign's focus on broad issues. rather than gay~spe­ unless they were part of oomtnupity.11 ·It«! suggested cific concerns, and on the progremve attitudes of that groundwork laid by the Arlington Gay and Adington residents..,,He won with the endorsement of a Lesbian Alliance (ALGA) played a large role in creat­ large cross-section of organizations, .ranging from ing an atmosphere that allowed for his election. Virginia Partisans Gay and Lesbian Democratic Club According to Fisette, the AGLA provides opportunities and the_,,6ay and Lesbian Victory Fund, to the Sierra for civic, social and political involvement including Club and the Arlington Education Association. booths at the Arlington County Fair, environmental In the closing week of the campaign, Jones­ clean-ups, candidate questionnaires and forums, a pro­ Baskaranrs campaign released a radio advertisement gram that places gay and lesbian titles in local libraries On Movembcr 4, Jay Fisette became Virginia's first openly gay Jlected offisiaf, that cfiaracterized Fisette's run for office as a "power and other opportunities to meet and contribute to the when he was elected to Arlington County's Board of Supervisors. Sha~ grab by homosexual interest groups." The radio spot greater community. McDonald courted the LGBT vote in her race for Norfolk's Commissioner of the aired on WAVA-FM, a Northern Virginia affiliate of the In a key Norfolk race, Democrat Sharon McDonald Revenue, calling herself a "friend for the gay community, an ally.Jrrtity Hall.• Christian 1;3roadcasting Network. Jones-Baskaran's See Election, page J7

Jorge Sague: Bringing new meaning to the phrase "Living with HIV" by Christian P. Aldridge 41st Streefin Norfolk in a one room build­ cialist at Eastern Vi!ginia Medical School] Staff writer ing with no heat. We ran everything out of started his own p(actice to help people with , there. HIV. He was very understanding and would We are on. the eve of 1998 and America let some patients pay as they could for his is nearing its second decade of the AIDS What was it like in the early days? services. He was the only doctor who would epidemic. Topay we are able to ''manage" JS: It was scary because there was nothing handle HIV cases at that time in Hampton the disease which has killed more we could do. We really had to take care of Roads. Americans than most wars. Almost month­ each other. There was a lot of camaraderie I had some friends in the hospital ly we hear about a new treatment or possi­ - I miss that, and there were many more around that time. The nurses wouldn't even ble cure for one of our most deadly dis­ deaths. The orgal).izations were small then go into one friend's room; they wouldn't eases. Things were not always this hopeful, and we were all like a family. There was no give him food unless they absolutely had to. however. Until recently people with government intervention in those days. That is about the time when I decided to HIV/AIDS lived in_constant fear of getting Everything was very grass-roots. become an activist. I used to bring in food sicker and sicker and eventually dying. for this guy and when the doctors told him For World AIDS Day this December 1, I Was it hard to get health care? he had three days to live, I took him out to spoke with Jorge Sague, a gay man who has JS: Well, there wasn't much hospital sup­ some clubs. I made sure he enjoyed what lived with HN for 15 years, about the past, port and if you got a home health care could have been his last days of life. He present, and future of the epidemic. agency to come out, it could cost as niuch ended up living for three more years. as $600' per visit. In 1986 one of the home Our Own: When were you diagnosed. with health companies asked me to nelp them get At that time, you must have needed some­ HIV? set up in Hampton Roads to service AIDS one to look up to. Did you have any role patients. They offered me free medication models then? Jorge Sague: It was in 1983 in Atlanta. I and clinical service to do it. I turned them JS: Yes. I met a man who was, at that time, figure that I was infected around down because I didn't believe in what they a long-term survivor (laughs). He helped Thanksgiving in 1982, about 15 years ago. were doing. I though_t they were taking me get a new attitude about life and death. I was . TACrs [Tidewater AIDS Crisis advantage. of people with HIV. See Sague, page 3 Taskforce] fortieth client. TACT was on In i988 Dr. Alan Wilson [an AIDS spe- Jorge Saguc Photo by Christian Aldridge