Gay bars bring HIV awareness out of closet

时间：2007-06-13 06:59:54

（单词翻译:单击）

June 13 - Nineteen gay venues1 in Beijing have launched a joint2 education campaign to help curb3 the spread of HIV/AIDS among their clients.

 

The venues, mostly bars, will distribute free condoms, display AIDS awareness4 posters and even promote the safe sex message in dance performances.

 

Gay men are considered a high-risk group for HIV infection in China, along with intravenous drug users and sex workers, according to the World Health Organization.

 

Chaoyang Chinese Aids Volunteer Group has been leading a long campaign to promote safe sex among gay men, with mixed results.

 

"When our volunteers promoted the concept of safe sex in entertainment places, people always showed antipathy5 to us," Xiao Dong, chief executive of Chaoyang Chinese Aids Volunteer Group, said.

 

"The managers disliked us because it affected6 business. But now we have persuaded the owners to join in this campaign and make a united front."

 

According to the memorandum7 of understanding, bar owners are responsible for promoting safe sex among their gay clientele in their venues. They have joined the fight against AIDS with medical scientists, volunteers and government officials.

 

Condom vending8 machines will be installed in many venues, and trained staff will be offered a financial bonus for promoting the safe sex message.

 

Statistics from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that the number of gay men living with HIV/AIDS has increased to 47,000, double the figure in 2004.

 

The WHO/UNAIDS estimated that 840,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS by the end of 2004. In a plan released by the State Council early last year, China pledged it would try and control the spread of the virus by keeping that figure below 1.5 million by 2010.

 

Gay men account for almost 7 percent of the total HIV/AIDS sufferers in the capital city, according to the Beijing CDC.

 

"As the Internet develops rapidly, people are coming to terms with their sexuality much earlier, and are being more sexually active from a younger age," Xiao said.

 

"Some HIV-infected men are just 16 years old."

 

More than half of gay men are believed to have multiple sex partners, and some also have female partners, increasing the risk of the virus spreading among women. This, according to the WHO, accounts for a major reason why gay men are considered a high-risk group.

 

"I believe gays in China face less discrimination than in the West. Some people think it is just different sexual orientation," one bar owner surnamed Sun, who signed the AIDS education campaign statement, said.

 

"But this community still faces a lot of trouble and difficulties. The soaring pandemic is our greatest enemy."

 
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1 venues c277c9611f0a0f19beb3658245ac305f     
n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 )；会场；（尤指）体育比赛场所；犯罪地点
参考例句：
  • The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour. 这个乐队在英国巡回演出期间将在20个不同的地点演出。
  • Farmers market corner, 800 meters long, 60 meters wide livestock trading venues. 农牧市场东北角，有长800米，宽60米的牲畜交易场地。 来自互联网
2 joint m3lx4     
adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合
参考例句：
  • I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
  • We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。
3 curb LmRyy     
n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制
参考例句：
  • I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
  • You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。
4 awareness 4yWzdW     
n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智
参考例句：
  • There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
  • Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。
5 antipathy vM6yb     
n.憎恶；反感，引起反感的人或事物
参考例句：
  • I feel an antipathy against their behaviour.我对他们的行为很反感。
  • Some people have an antipathy to cats.有的人讨厌猫。
6 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的，假装的
参考例句：
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
7 memorandum aCvx4     
n.备忘录，便笺
参考例句：
  • The memorandum was dated 23 August,2008.备忘录上注明的日期是2008年8月23日。
  • The Secretary notes down the date of the meeting in her memorandum book.秘书把会议日期都写在记事本上。
8 vending 9e89cb67a07fe419b19a6bd5ee5210cc     
v.出售（尤指土地等财产）( vend的现在分词 )；（尤指在公共场所）贩卖；发表（意见，言论）；声明
参考例句：
  • Why Are You Banging on the Vending Machine? 你为什么敲打这台自动售货机？ 来自朗文快捷英语教程 2
  • Coca-Cola had to adapt almost 300,000 vending machines to accept the new coins. 可口可乐公司必须使将近三十万台自动贩卖机接受新货币。 来自超越目标英语 第5册

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