Housing Works and the Campaign to End AIDS Demand More Than Talk from President Obama

Housing Works and the Campaign to End AIDS applaud President Obama for discussing the AIDS epidemic at tonight’s Human Rights Campaign dinner, on the eve of the National Equality March. However, we continue to decry the president’s failure to fulfill his campaign promises around AIDS and show the leadership necessary to ending epidemic.

In his speech to the Human Rights Campaign, Obama noted the work of AIDS advocates, and said HIV/AIDS continues to be a public health threat in many communities, but made no major promises for addressing the epidemic. He said he’d work to renew the Ryan White CARE Act, and that the head of the Office of National AIDS Policy is organizing meetings throughout the country. He said that he pulled back the HIV immigration ban. However, although steps have been taken to lift the HIV travel and immigration ban, the ban is currently still in place.

Tomorrow, tens of thousands of LGBT people will convene on the Mall in Washington, D.C. to demand equal civil rights. Because of discrimination, such as the prohibition of same-sex marriage, LGBT people do not have equal access to health care in the U.S, including the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. According to the CDC, gay men are 50 times more likely to become infected with HIV. HIV infections among young gay men increased 12% between 2001 and 2006.

“President Obama will not earn the full support of the LGBT community until he shows that he actually cares about our health. Talk will not stop young gay men of color from getting HIV. Talk will not stop the discrimination that forces transgender people to engage in high-risk sex work. President Obama must take meaningful action on AIDS,” said Housing Works President and CEO Charles King.

Today, at the same time that Obama was delivering his speech, hundreds of AIDS activists gathered at the Ellipse for the Equality to End AIDS rally and vigil. A diverse list of speakers living with HIV reminded the world that ending AIDS, not just in the US, but worldwide, remains a priority for the LGBT community. With the one year anniversary of his election around the corner, the campaign promises around AIDS that Obama has yet to fulfill include:

• creating a National AIDS Strategy to replace the nation’s patchwork and ineffective response to the epidemic
• asking Congress to lift the federal ban on funding for needle exchange, without amendments that would sabotage its intent
• allowing PEPFAR funding to be used for needle exchange programs in foreign countries
• lifting the ban on people living with HIV visiting or immigrating to the U.S.

For comments and more information, please contact Diana Scholl at d.scholl@housingworks.org or 917-402-2576.

HOUSING WORKS is the nation’s largest AIDS advocacy organization. Housing Works also provides lifesaving services, such as housing, meals, medical care and job-training, to homeless and low-income New Yokers living with HIV AIDS.

The Campaign to End AIDS is a national coalition of people living with HIV who believe the tools exist to end the AIDS epidemic. The coalition demands that elected officials exert the political will to use those tools today.

Posted on October 8, 2009 at 9:09 pm

OUR MISSION Housing Works is a healing community of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Our mission is to end the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS through relentless advocacy, the provision of lifesaving services, and entrepreneurial businesses that sustain our efforts.

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