LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Rehoboth's new Gay Men's Health Program |
by Sal Seeley |
It has been widely perceived among health and local authorities, healthcare providers and primary care teams that working with gay and bisexual men is difficult and controversial. This perception is often the product of the mythology surrounding the lives of gay men fueled by the moral judgments pursued by the popular media.
In reality, gay men exist in all walks of life and have health needs which are largely the same as the general population and require little more adaptation to services than a change in staff attitude. The experience of the range of people involved in the planning and delivery of services working with gay men as an explicit target group is limited to the pre-AIDS invisibility of these men. AIDS has brought attention to gay men and their specific health needs in a dramatic and problematic way; it requires decision makers to address their own attitudes to gay sexuality. Responses to this challenge have been varied and gross inequities in service provision across regions and countries have been constructed as a result. HIV and AIDS still predominantly affects men who have sex with men and funding authorities are gradually acting on their responsibility to provide services on the basis of need and not popularity. The greatest gains in preventing HIV can be made by working with those communities and individuals most affected. In a resource limited environment the question purchasers must ask themselves is how they can justify not prioritizing gay men. This targeted approach fits national planning priorities, making basic sense in terms of potential health gain and cost effectiveness of services. It is crucial that the opportunities afforded by the increased visibility of gay men generated by HIV and AIDS are grasped. Ensuring effective and appropriate responses to HIV is a current challenge. Applying what is learned to ensure the broad range of health needs of this group are met is the challenge of the future. In order to meet these needs, CAMP Rehoboth Community Center Project has formed the Gay Men's Health Project of CAMP Rehoboth. Funded by a private grant from the Gill foundation and Delaware Pride and staffed by volunteers. The Gay Men's Health Project of CAMP Rehoboth works to empower and assist the gay/bi men of Sussex County to develop strategies that work to promote the health and well being of the community and its individuals. The Gay Men's Health Project works with other mental, physical, spiritual and sexual health organizations to create a climate in which gay men's health needs are acknowledged and met with respect and dignity. Stay tuned to Letters for a schedule of activities and more information on the Gay Men's Health Project. Sal Seeley can be reached at 302-227-5620 or by email at SalvatoreSeeley@aol.com. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 11, No. 7, June 15, 2001. |