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LEXINGTON GAY/LESBIAN SERVICES ORGANIZATION, P.0. BOX 111571, LEXINGTON, KY 110575
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AVOL BENEFIT A GRAND SUCCESS! AIDS WORKPLACE PRINCIPLES
The AIDS Volunteers of Lexington IBM Corporation, the largest private
(AVOL) held a fund-raising benefit at Scott's employer in Lexington, has joined other major
home on the evening of January 20th. Five corporations to endorse the "AIDS Workplace
hundred invitations were mailed, over 250 Principles" established by the Citizen's
people attended, and $3,000 was raised for Commission on AIDS. Other prominent
local AIDS education and support activities. endorsers include ATET, Chemical Bank,
The excellent food, beverage and company Time, Warner-Lambert, Johnson 8 Johnson,
were the talk of the town during most of Dow Jones 8 Co., US News 8 World Report,
February. As AIDS continues to touch the and the City of New York.
lives of the gay community it's obvious local The principles stress that employees
gays, lesbians and their friends are prepared with AIDS are "entitled to the same rights and
to take the lead in providing education and opportunities as people with other serious or
support as has been the case in larger cities. life-threatening illnesses." The principles
The event was so successful that future reject discriminatory employment practices and
benefits are expected to draw larger crowds oppose HIV testing in either pre~employment
and generate more enthusiasm. or routine workplace physical exams. The
Special thanks are extended to everyone prinicples were formulated to "provide
who worked to organize the event, especially leadership" to the many companies which have
Scott who opened his very large home to an been groping for a policy to deal with AIDS in
overflow crowd. Numerous business owners the workplace.
contributed food and services and their The Citizens Commission on AIDS was
commitment is especially appreciated. A formed last year by a group of 17 foundations.
similar benefit is being considered to coincide It is an educational and advocacy organization
with Gay Pride Week. focusing on AIDS issues.
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PREMARITAL HIV TESTING FLOPS IN ILLINOIS
A new Illinois law requiring HIV The law doesn't prohibit HIV positive
antibody testing for couples seeking marriage individuals from marrying, but it does require
licenses produced serious problems in the first proof of testing and the sharing of results
three weeks of its implementation [New York with the prospective spouse. In addition to
Times, 1/26/88]. straining the resources of clinics and hospitals
Cook County Hospital, the state's largest which serve low income people, there has been
hospital, stopped offering the antibody test to a drop in marriage license applications. In
engaged couples because the testing center CookCounty (which includes Chicago), where
was deluged with requests. Previously the nearly half of all Illinois marriages occur,
hospital offered the test and counseling on a marriage applications dropped during the first
voluntary basis at no charge. three weeks of January from 1,500 a year ago
Some couples simply are driving to other to 600 this year. Said Dr. Renslow Sherer,
states for marriage without a test. But acting director of the Cook County Hospital
officials worry that, without a free or low-cost AIDS program: “One of the chief ways to
alternative, poorer couples will decide not to limit AIDS is faithful monogamy, and here we
get married at all. Average cost for the test have a system that discourages that very
is $70, but some physicians charge up to $300. thing."
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