The Denver Principles

Thank you for all that participated in today’s C2EA National Outreach call with the National Associate of People Living With AIDS (NAPWA). The discussion on The Denver Principles proved to be thought provoking and help reignite the flame of passion to advocate for greater change. Since 1983, our nation has experienced major progress in development and access to care and treatment; yet, people continue to die from the lack of access as evidenced in places like South Carolina. Nationally, the oppressive funding stream has tamed service providers and forced them to play more restrictive and passive roles that often leave them in fear to engage in cause advocacy. As the affected population, we are a stakeholder and need to be guaranteed inclusion and fair representation in all aspects of the decision making process. Failing to educate us, the affected population, in the culture and language of the decision making process only increases the difficulty for us to collectively to achieve common goals. Greater discussion of The Denver Principles will help empower people living with HIV/AIDS to overcome the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS that prevents them from identifying and accessing resources to help them achieve greater health and happiness. Society in general, continues to grow more accepting and understanding of HIV/AIDS. However, there is still an awesome amount of work ahead for us to ensure every person universal access to care, treatment and support services. The time has come to awaken our passion, unite and stand together and not only demand great changes in our nation, but work to ensure great change does happen! Below, please find the link to the Founding Statement of People with AIDS/ARC “The Denver Principles”. Yours in the fight! Michael Emanuel Rajner National Secretary - Campaign to End AIDS Telephone: (305) 677-3506 Visit: http://www.campaigntoendaids.org/ Compassion without Action = Death PDF Document can be located at: http://www.napwa.org/documents/denver.pdf FOUNDING STATEMENT OF PEOPLE WITH AIDS/ARC The Denver Principles [EDITOR’S NOTE : At the second AIDS Forum held in Denver in 1983, an amazing and diverse group of PWAs and PWArcs from around the country gathered and produced the following principles. These standards are as important today as they were when they were created.] We condemn attempts to label us as “victims,” which implies defeat, and we are only occasionally “patients” which implies passivity, helplessness and dependence upon the care of others. We are “people with AIDS.” —Statement from the Advisory Committee of People with AIDS, June 1983, Denver, Colorado, National Lesbian/Gay Health Conference WE RECOMMEND THAT HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS : 1. Who are gay, come out, especially to their patients who have AIDS. 2. Always clearly identify and discuss the theory they favor as to the cause of AIDS, since this bias affects the treatment and advice they give. 3. Get in touch with their feelings ( e.g. , fears, anxieties, hopes, etc.) about AIDS, and not simply deal with AIDS intellectually. 4. Take a thorough personal inventory and identify and examine their own agendas around AIDS. 5. Treat people with AIDS as whole people and address psychosocial issues as well as biophysical ones. 6. Address the question of sexuality in people with AIDS specifically, sensitively and with information about gay male sexuality in general and the sexuality of people with AIDS in particular. WE RECOMMEND THAT ALL PEOPLE: 1. Support us in our struggle against those who would fire us from our jobs, evict us from our homes, refuse to touch us, separate us from our loved ones, our community or our peers, since there is no evidence that AIDS can be spread by casual, social contact. 2. Do not scapegoat people with AIDS, blame us for the epidemic or generalize about our lifestyles. WE RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE WITH AIDS: 1. Form caucuses to choose their own representatives, to deal with the media, to choose their own agenda and to plan their own strategies. 2. Be involved at every level of AIDS decision-making and specifically serve on the boards of directors of provider organizations. 3. Be included in all AIDS forums with equal credibility as other participants, to share their own experiences and knowledge. 4. Substitute low risk sexual behaviors for those which could endanger themselves or their partners, and we feel that people with AIDS have an ethical responsibility to inform their potential sexual partners of their health status. PEOPLE WITH AIDS HAVE THE RIGHT: 1. To as full and satisfying sexual and emotional lives as anyone else. 2. To quality medical treatment and quality social service provision, without discrimination of any form, including sexual orientation, gender, diagnosis, economic status, age or race. 3. To full explanations of all medical procedures and risks, to choose or refuse their treatment modalities, to refuse to participate in research without jeopardizing their treatment and to make informed decisions about their lives. 4. To privacy, to confidentiality of medical records, to human respect and to choose who their significant others are. 5. To die and to live in dignity. Statement of Purpose of The National Association of People with AIDS Our purpose is to promote self-empowerment of persons with AIDS and ARC by: n Enhancing understanding through education and support n Becoming equal partners with our health care providers and service organizations n Helping develop and implement the necessary services and programs that will enhance the quality of our daily lives; and n Continuing to have control over and direction of our lives. Mission Statement We are People with AIDS and People with AIDS-Related Complex (ARC) who can speak for ourselves to advocate for our own causes and concerns. We are your sons and daughters, your brothers and sisters, your family, friends and lovers. As people now living with AIDS and ARC, we have a unique and essential contribution to make to the dialogue surrounding AIDS and we will actively participate with full and equal credibility to help shape the perception and reality surrounding this disease. We do not see ourselves as victims. We will not be victimized. We have the right to be treated with respect, dignity, compassion and understanding. We have the right to lead fulfilling, productive lives—to live and die with dignity and compassion. NAPWA will network with other PWAs and PWArcs regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, gender, age, disability and sexual or affectional preference. We are born of and inextricably bound to the historical struggle for rights—civil, feminist, disability, lesbian & gay and human. We will not be denied our rights!