A.I.D.S. Also A Threat For Lesbians (Press, 5 January 1988)

On 5 January 1988, reports surfaced concerning the potential risk of A.I.D.S. (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) transmission between women, particularly within the lesbian community. While A.LD.S. has predominantly affected homosexual men and intravenous drug users, some evidence has begun to emerge suggesting the possibility of female-to-female transmission of the virus, raising concerns among lesbian activists.

Historically, the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, including A.LD.S., among lesbians has been considered low. According to Gayle Lloyd, a spokeswoman for the United States Centres for Disease Control (C.D.C.), although there have been cases of A.LD.S. among women and girls, the majority of documented cases have involved intravenous drug use or sexual contact with gay or bisexual men. As of late December 1987, the C.D.C. had recorded 3,890 cases of A.LD.S. in women but had not tracked the sexual preferences of those affected. Consequently, the exact number of lesbians with A.LD.S. remains unknown.

Despite there being no proven instances of direct woman-to-woman transmission, two letters from medical professionals have sparked discussion within the gay press. These letters indicated that, in some recorded cases, it appeared that the A.LD.S. virus may have been transmitted between women through infected blood during sexual activities. One cited instance involved a woman contracting the virus from her drug-using female partner after blood contact during intimate relations. Another case discussed involved a Filipino dancer who tested positive for A.LD.S. after exclusively having female sexual partners, without any known risk factors such as intravenous drug use or blood transfusion.

Dr. Stanley Weiss, one of the authors of the discussions regarding transmission risk, noted that while the available reports suggest female-to-female transmission could be possible, such occurrences are still considered to be rare. This has led some lesbian activists to advocate for precautionary measures, such as using surgical gloves and dental dams during intimate encounters, which are designed to prevent the exchange of bodily fluids.

On the other hand, there are voices within the community who view these recommendations as unnecessarily alarming, arguing that the main groups affected by A.LD.S. continue to be homosexual men and intravenous drug users. Health officials estimate that between 1 million and 1.5 million Americans have been exposed to the human immunodeficiency virus (H.I.V.), the pathogen responsible for A.LD.S., with transmission primarily occurring through sexual contact, shared needles among drug users, and from infected blood or blood products.

The potential for female-to-female transmission of the A.LD.S. virus indicates a new area of concern that the lesbian community may need to address in light of the ongoing epidemic.

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