Organizers will also seek White House intervention in the continued fight against HIV/AIDS

By Sr. Correspondent,  D. Kevin McNeir

On October 10 -11 advocates and activists from across the country will gather in the nation's capitol for the National Equality March in support of equal rights for persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Key organizations that are leading the march or that are planning complimentary activities include the Campaign to End AIDS (with headquarters in Washington, D.C.) and the Baltimore-Washington Area Reconciling United Methodists (BWARM).

 

 
 

The weekend's events will also include a prayer vigil by Christian supporters at Capitol Hill United Methodist Church (7 p.m., October 10th) and a rally on the Ellipse in front of the White House (5:30 - 8:30 p.m., October 10th) that will feature an impressive and inspiring roster of speakers and performers (mostly HIV-positive) culminating in a candlelight vigil. The march will take place on Sunday morning.

Equality to End AIDS is organized by The Campaign to End AIDS and sponsored by Housing Works, Broadway Cares/Equity Fight AIDS, The Human Rights Campaign, POZ Magazine, National AIDS Housing Coalition, SisterLove and a host of others.

"The weekend is about achieving full equality for LGBT Americans," said Cleve Jones, founder of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt and one of the March's organizers. "We need to use that political power to remind the country that the AIDS epidemic continues."

According to recent date, gay and bisexual men are 50 times more likely to acquire HIV than any other demographic in the US. Among gay men, the number of HIV infections increased by approximately 12 percent each year from 2001 to 2006. And while treatment has become effective enough that many people can anticipate living fruitful lives despite being HIV-positive, some research now indicates that those living with HIV live an average of 21 years less than their HIV-negative counterparts.

"Many of our more energized LGBT activists are too young to remember the devastating impact AIDS had on the gay community," said Charles King, President/CEO, Housing Works, in a prepared statement. "We must re-engage the larger LGBT community in AIDS activism. Ending the HIV pandemic is an issue of justice that must be their fight as well."

GBMNEWS will be on hand covering the rally, March and vigils and interviewing many of the featured speakers, entertainers and activists, as well as some of the key organizers who made this important event possible. We will have a full report and photographs for our readers in the coming days. Stay tuned.