Moral Majority (1992)

SF AIDS Foundation unveils new gay male education effort

Right wing slogans redefined to raise gay self-esteem

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, APRIL 27, 1992 -- Today the San Francisco AIDS Foundation unveiled its annual education and prevention campaign targeting gay and bisexual men of all colors. This year's campaign seeks to raise self-esteem in the gay male community by taking right wing slogans and redefining them with gay positive images. The slogans "Right to Life," "Family Values" and "Moral Majority" are generally associated with groups which traditionally condemn or exclude gay men or seek to regulate personal decisions regarding sexuality and reproduction.

"Safe sex is the norm for San Francisco's gay and bisexual male community. But constant negative messages from extremist political and religious groups, frequently reported in the press, threaten to undermine the successes gay men have had," explains Wayne Blankenship, SFAF campaign development coordinator in charge of this project. "Validating those successes will help to raise the level of self-esteem and deepen the commitment to safe sex behavior."

The "Right to Life" poster connects the issues of one's right to personal sexual expression with a strong will to survive the epidemic. "Family Values" validates male to male sexuality, intimacy and non-traditional families within a caring and responsible environment. "The Moral Majority" congratulates the majority of gay and bisexual men who are consistently having safe sex.

Gay and bisexual men account for 94.2% of the total number of persons with AIDS in San Francisco. It is estimated that 43% of the gay and bisexual men in San Francisco (about 28,000) are HIV-positive. Although safe sex is now standard behavior among gay men, studies indicate relapse to unsafe sex is on the rise. The San Francisco Department of Public Health estimates that of the 1000 new HIV infections predicted for 1992, 600 will be gay or bisexual men.

"Gay and bisexual men have set the standard for preventing the spread of HIV by their unprecedented behavior change. They are part of the solution to AIDS. They should be proud of the roles they play in combatting this epidemic. They should be acknowledged by the mainstream community for their extraordinary contributions," concluded Blankenship.