Brazil Launches First Anti-AIDS Campaign for Gays

On Tuesday, Brazil launched its first AIDS campaign aimed specifically at gays -- an effort to fight a rising infection rate among young gay men. Brazil's aggressive prevention programs have reduced HIV/AIDS infection rates to .6 percent of the adult population. But the programs avoided singling out gays for fear of fueling discrimination. "We have never wanted to reinforce that old stigma, that link between AIDS and homosexuality," said Paulo Teixeira, coordinator of Brazil's AIDS program. "But now the time has come to act."

In the centerpiece commercial to air on prime-time TV this week, a young man who has troubles with his boyfriend receives support from his parents. The final slogan reads: "Respecting differences is as important as using a condom." A magazine ad says: "Use a condom with your boyfriend... that's something a father should say to his son." The government's campaign, developed with gay rights activists, aims to raise tolerance toward gays, especially among health professionals, educators and parents. The $1.2 million campaign will also show commercials in gay movie theaters, and pamphlets, posters and key rings will be distributed in gay clubs and bathhouses by 80 gay groups.

Youths let down their guard on safe sex in the era of the drug cocktail, which the government distributes free of charge, said Oswaldo Braga, president of the Gay Movement of Minas Gerais. "These adolescents have not been through what we have, when a person was infected, became skeletal, lost his hair, developed sores all over his body and then died," said Braga.

Since 1996, the number of AIDS cases has been growing among gay men in Brazil. Between 1996 and 2001, the rate of infection for gay men ages 15 to 24 grew 8.7 percent compared with 3.4 percent growth for those ages 25 to 34. The Health Ministry says gay men have 11 times the risk of contracting AIDS compared with men who only have sexual relations with women. Among gay men, the rate of infection is 4.5 percent compared with .4 percent for heterosexual men.

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