New York, NY -- This World AIDS Day, December 1, 2007, Lambda Legal joins the National Black Gay Men's Advocacy Coalition and the National Coalition for LGBT Health in calling on our nation's LGBT organizations to place an aggressive response to the HIV epidemic at the center of their agendas.

Statement from Bebe Anderson, HIV Project Director at Lambda Legal:

"Since the earliest years of the epidemic, Lambda Legal has taken a leading role in fighting in the courts for the rights of people living with HIV in the US. This year Lambda Legal affirms its commitment to provide leadership in the movement to fight HIV discrimination.

"It remains beyond dispute that the global AIDS crisis continues with 2.5 million new infections worldwide in 2007 alone. The US continues to have one of the world's largest populations of people living with HIV, with a tremendous impact on gay men, including a disproportionate number of black gay men. Despite advances in treatment, access to medical care remains a problem for many. And, even those who receive proper care still face widespread discrimination in employment, immigration, insurance, parenting, and other areas of life.

"It is for these reasons that, on World AIDS Day 2007, Lambda Legal urges leaders of our nation's LGBT organizations to join in working to end the epidemic and the discrimination and stigma facing people living with HIV around the world."