Two stories in Bay Windows, reporting to the "gay" community on some of their particular health crises. These are the health risks we don't mention to all the teenagers being "educated" with the help of the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, GLSEN, PFLAG, BAGLY, etc.
First, CDC releases data on rare STD found in gay men (5-10-06). "...(CDC) told press about the recent outbreak of a sexually transmitted disease called lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) among gay and bisexual men in the United States, primarily in New York City. The disease, which is caused by a form of Chlamydia bacteria, can cause inflammation and bleeding of the rectum and colon, and CDC officials believe it is transmitted through anal sex. Up until 2004, when cases of LGV were first diagnosed among MSM in the U.S., the disease was largely prevalent in parts of Africa, Asia and South America but rarely seen in this country."
Also, CDC conference shows rise in syphilis in gay men (5-11-06). "... in 2005 infections among MSM [men who have sex with men] took a sharp upward turn, increasing by 87 percent. ...another challenge to fighting the epidemic among MSM is that more than half the men testing positive for syphilis reported anonymous sex partners, making partner notification efforts more difficult. ...MSM are less likely than their heterosexual peers to be diagnosed with syphilis during the primary stage of the disease, when it is most infectious."
Another "gay" newspaper, InNewsWeekly, notes the ongoing problem in that community with drug addiction, specifically crystal meth.
"Crystal meth is really different," says Jonathan Scott ... While Scott agrees that alcohol is still the number one offender in the GBLT community, he is finding men, and women, who become solely entwined in methamphetamine's grip. "We are seeing gay men lose partners, homes and jobs with an incredible acceleration.... crystal use can affect a broad economic swatch, like alcoholism and cocaine use, it has a particular stranglehold on the gay male community in New England. This drug at this time mixed with HIV is deadly... It can dramatically rob people of what they have."
