NEWS BRIEFS/December

NEW AIDS GROUP PLANS PROTEST TRIP

Activists spearheading a new HIV advocacy group are organizing a trip to Austin to attempt to influence a decision that will restrict medications provided through a state-funded program.

On January 9, AIDS Coalition Texas Now Houston (ACT Now) will travel to the state capital for the vote by the Texas Board of Health on proposed changes to the eligibility criteria for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), which provides life-saving medications to thousands of Texans. Under a recommendation approved by the state health department, the eligibility requirements will be dramatically raised, effectively eliminating at least 4,200 people from the program over the next 36 months.

"The purpose of our trip is to put a face on this issue for the board of health so it's not just numbers on paper," ACT Now Houston's Tracy Wilson said in a mid-November interview. "The more people that show up, the bigger impression we are going to make"

Wilson is the new chairman of the patient advisory council at the Thomas Street Clinic, one of the county's medical facilities for individuals living with HIV/AIDS. He is also a member of the local Ryan White Planning Council.

The departure time for the one-day January 9 trip had not been determined at press time. Lunch will be provided. Interested individuals may contact Wilson through the organization's e-mail address, ACTNowHouston@aol.com. ACT Now will also soon establish a Yahoo group site for posting information and holding discussions.

Wilson said that he plans to embark on "a whirlwind Texas tour" in January to organize ACT Now chapters in other major cities in the state, including Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio.

For more on the prospects for HIV/AIDS funding, see Health, page 60.

MOTHER RAY

"Hill is an unlikely role model for hardened convicts. First off, he's openly gay, and as he puts it, 'Being a punk in prison isn't low status-it's negative status.' But he's outspoken about his sexual orientation, hoping it will create some tolerance for gay inmates on the inside. 'If they don't like me being queer, they can go listen to the straight prison show,' he says with a laugh, knowing that there isn't one." -From "Jailhouse Talk," an interview with Houston activist Ray Hill in the current Mother Jones about the KPFT "Prison Show"

GAY MAG HITS TABS

In a June OutSmart interview, actor Tony Curtis had the following exchange with our Blase DiStefano:

But as beautiful as you were, I'm assuming that youÉ

I had more action than Mount Vesuvius.

So, both men and women put the make on you.

Men, women, children. Animals!

I can't wait for the headlinesÉ

When we picked up the supermarket tabloids in October, we discovered that OutSmart had gone national-the National Examiner, anyway.

WRITE ON

Four young writers have revived the Montrose Writers Project at the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center. James Hall, Jericho Brown, Tiffany Rayl, and Viet Dinh offer the seminar for beginning and experienced writers on the second and fourth Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. Hall also frequently reads his work at Poetry Night at the Center, hosted by poet Mike Bolin at the community center on the first Friday of every month.

MOUNTAIN HIGH

Before the post-holiday doldrums kick in, many Houstonians begin planning for Aspen Gay & Lesbian Ski Week. For information on the January 19-26 snowfest, check out www.gayskiweek.com.

DATEBOOK

All month. Gay & Lesbian Switchboard Houston will set up volunteer tables at clubs to recruit individuals for January training class. Info: 713/529-3211.

Dec. 13. First anniversary reception of Lotus Works Center, offering services from meditation to nutrition training, 4040 Milam, 6-9 p.m.

Dec. 15. Colt 45s Christmas Show, benefiting the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center, at EJ's.

TRANSITIONS

Jim Vilven, 60, died on November 20 of carcinoma. The art director of Vilven Design Group, he was a longtime activist and community figure. Jim was also a member of the OutSmart family. We learned of Jim's death at press time, and we will have more on his life in the January issue.

Harry Hay, 90, died on October 24, in San Francisco. Among his many contributions, Hay founded the Mattachine Society in 1950, which proved the catalyst for the American gay rights movement. For more on his life, see Stuart Timmons' 1990 book The Trouble With Harry Hay: Founder of the Modern Gay Movement (Alyson Publications).