Homophobia, Heterosexism, and Ambivalence in the Premier Issue of \u3cem\u3eSports Illustrated Woman/Sport\u3c/em\u3e

The arrival of a magazine dedicated solely to the world of women\u27s sports was an exciting prospect for fans and proponents of women\u27s sports. But the first issue of Sports Illustrated Women/Sport disappointed many who considered it did not put women\u27s sports in the best possible light, who were worried and disappointed that its editors did not print the best stories or even focus on the most deserving athletes. Lisa Weidman decided to investigate further, using feminist theory and prior research findings to better understand the magazine\u27s messages. Through a critical analysis of the magazine\u27s editorial content - at the same time recognizing its advertisement, an aspect worthy of study - Weidman demonstrates how the first issue of Women/Sport marginalized women\u27s sports, expressed ambivalence about women\u27s participation in sports, and perpetuated homophobic and heterosexist attitudes

Eco-terrorism or Eco-tage: An Argument for the Proper Frame

What does the term “terrorism” mean? Is it accurate to lump illegal acts that destroy property but carefully avoid harming people into the same category as acts clearly intended to kill? Is this a difference of kind or just of degree? While we (the authors) don\u27t generally endorse the destruction of property as a method of generating social change, we believe that the destruction of property is fundamentally different from the intentional killing of people; therefore, to label acts of obstruction, trespassing, vandalism, sabotage, or arson as “terrorism” is inaccurate and has the potential to damage one\u27s understanding of real acts of terrorism, thereby reducing the potency of the term. We started this project with a hunch. In recent years, we have observed frequent use of the term “eco-terrorism,” in the news media and in conversations, in reference to the acts of environmentalists. Our observations were anecdotal, and we wanted to be sure they were accurate. We found no literature analyzing cultural acceptance of the term “eco-terrorism”; therefore, before embarking on an ethical analysis of this phenomenon, we set out to confirm our casual observation that the term was widely used in the United States. We conducted an analysis of the use of the term in US newspapers across a period of nearly 11 years. Our analysis indicates broad acceptance of the term among both journalists and their sources, making it all the more important to understand both the history and the implications of labeling obstruction, trespassing, vandalism, sabotage, and arson as “eco-terrorism.

Sexual Risk Behavior Among Virologically Detectable Human Immunodeficiency Virus–Infected Young Men Who Have Sex With Men

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnoses continue to increase among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Many YMSM living with HIV engage in sexual risk behaviors, and those who have a detectable viral load can transmit HIV to sex partners. Understanding factors that are related to sexual risk taking among virologically detectable (VL+) YMSM can inform prevention and treatment efforts

A Comparison of Network-Based Strategies for Screening At-Risk Hispanic/Latino Adolescents and Young Adults for Undiagnosed Asymptomatic HIV Infection

Hispanic/Latino adolescents and young adults are disproportionately impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic; yet, little is known about the best strategies to increase HIV testing in this group. Network-based approaches are feasible and acceptable means for screening at-risk adults for HIV infection, but it is unknown whether these approaches are appropriate for at-risk young Hispanics/Latinos. Thus, we compared an alternative venue-based testing (AVT) strategy with a social and sexual network referral (SSNIT) strategy

HIV Infection Among Partners of HIV-Infected Black Men Who Have Sex with Men — North Carolina, 2011–2013

The incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has significantly increased among black men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States, and young black MSM have been disproportionately affected. HIVinfected black MSM are also less likely to engage in HIV care and achieve viral suppression than MSM of other races/ethnicities. Engaging in care and achieving viral suppression is a multistep process that starts with diagnosis. Diagnosing persons unaware of their HIV status traditionally has been a critical component of HIV partner services, but partner services also provide an important opportunity to reengage HIVinfected partners in medical care. One approach for partner services involves contacting partners of persons with newly diagnosed HIV infection and using sexual and social network and molecular phylogenetic data to improve the continuum of HIV care among black MSM. To evaluate the effectiveness of that approach, results from a prospective partner services study conducted in North Carolina were examined, and one of the partner networks identified through this study was evaluated in depth. Overall, partner services were provided to 30 black, HIV-infected MSM who named 95 sex partners and social contacts, of whom 39 (41%) previously had been diagnosed with HIV infection. The partner network evaluation demonstrated that HIV-infected and HIV-negative partners were frequently in the same network, and that the majority of HIV-infected partners were already aware of their diagnosis but had not achieved viral suppression. Using partner services to ensure that HIV-infected partners are linked to care and treatment might reduce HIV transmission and might improve outcomes along the continuum of care

Developing a Predictive Model to Prioritize HIV Partner Notification in North Carolina

Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) in North Carolina (NC) have less time to conduct partner notification due to competing responsibilities while simultaneously facing increased case loads due to increased HIV testing. We developed a model to predict undiagnosed HIV infection in sexual partners to prioritize DIS interviews

HealthMpowerment.org: Feasibility and acceptability of delivering an Internet intervention to young Black men who have sex with men

Young Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS in the United States and continue to experience rapidly increasing HIV incidence. We designed a tailored, theory-based interactive HIV/STI prevention website for young BMSM, called HealthMpowerment.org (HMP) and conducted a small pilot trial comparing HMP to currently available HIV/STI websites. We present findings demonstrating feasibility and acceptability of delivering the intervention to the target population of young BMSM. Retention rates were 90% and 78% at one and three month follow-ups, respectively. Evaluation immediately after the intervention’s completion revealed that participants who used the HMP website reported high levels of user satisfaction and interest and low levels of website difficulty and frustration. At the end of the intervention, there was a trend in increased behavioral intentions to use condoms and engage in preparatory condom use behaviors in the intervention group compared to the control group (p=.10). We observed a reduction in mean scores on the CES-D scale among those in the intervention group that was not seen in the control group at the one-month follow-up, though this was not statistically significant. Feedback from exit interviews with study participants suggested that HMP is relevant to the prevention needs of young BMSM. Overall, the findings support the acceptability and feasibility of delivering this prevention program to a group that has few interventions despite bearing a significant burden of the epidemic. Future trials, combining internet and mobile phone technologies, are planned to test HMP among larger and more diverse populations of young BMSM

HIV risk behaviors and sociodemographic features of HIV-infected Latinos residing in a new Latino settlement area in the Southeastern United States

The Southeastern United States (US) has a rapidly growing Latino population, yet little is known about HIV-infected Latinos in the region. To help inform future prevention studies, we compared sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral characteristics between immigrant and US-born HIV-infected Latinos using face-to-face interviews conducted at three clinics in North Carolina. Questions encompassed HIV testing, acculturation, sexual- and substance-related behaviors, and migration history. Behavioral data were compared with 451 black and white clinic patients. Differences were tested using Pearson’s and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Participants (n = 127) were primarily male (74%) and immigrants (82%). Most immigrants were Mexican (67%), had low acculturation scores (92%), and were diagnosed a median of 8 years (IQR 0–12) following immigration. Compared with US-born Latinos, immigrants had lower CD4 counts at clinic entry (median 187 vs. 371 cells/mm3) and were less likely to have graduated high school (49% vs. 78%) or have insurance (9% vs. 52%; all P 90% of participants were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and most had achieved HIV RNA <50 copies/mL (62% immigrants vs. 76% US-born; P = 0.32). In conclusion, Latino immigrants were more likely to present with advanced disease, identify as heterosexual, and report different risk behaviors than US-born Latinos, yet receipt and response to ART were similar between the two groups. Prevention strategies should prioritize finding innovative methods to reach Latino immigrants for routine early testing regardless of risk stratification and include programs targeted toward the different needs of immigrant and US-born Latinos

Neighborhood-level and individual-level correlates of cannabis use among young persons living with HIV/AIDS

In addition to individual characteristics, there may be a wide range of environmental or neighborhood stressors that contribute to elevated cannabis use in groups of youth living with HIV/AIDS (YLHIV); however, the effects of social disorganization on cannabis use in YLHIV to date have not been studied