POZ

272 Days in Prison

U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, Kenneth Pinkela asks for an end to HIV prosecutions in the military.

“Two things mattered: 1) I was accused, and 2) I have HIV. The prosecution’s case was focused almost solely on proving that I had HIV; the military court would not allow my counsel to introduce critical evidence, as well as physical and medical evidence.

The prosecutor said, and I am quoting directly here, ‘where there is smoke there is fire…you are HIV positive so it must have been you.’ “

Screenings of Positive Women: Exposing Injustice and HIV is Not a Crime

Next Thursday, March 7, Positive Women: Exposing Injustice will be screened along with Sero Project’s short documentary, HIV is Not a Crime, with a panel discussion afterwards, at the SVA Theatre at 333 Eighth Avenue in New York.

Read more.

PACHA Calls for Repeal of HIV Criminalization Laws

POZ Newsfeed reports The Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) is seeking an end to federal and state HIV criminal laws and prosecutions.

To read more, click here.

The Increasingly Strange Case of Uncle Poodle

In the course of a few short months, Lee Thompson (“Uncle Poodle” to reality TV watchers) has managed to personify a variety of hot button issues among gay men today. He has come out as gay and HIV positive. He has sent an ex-lover to jail and sent nude pictures via Grindr.

To read more of this blog post, click here.

Uncle Poodle Presses Charges, Partner Sentenced to 5 Years

An Atlanta-based blog reports that Lee Thompson, better known as ‘Uncle Poodle’ on the ‘Here Comes Honey Boo Boo’ has confirmed not only that he has tested positive for HIV antibodies, but that he pressed charges against his former boyfriend from whom he believes he acquired the virus.

Read more of Sean Strub’s blog… http://blogs.poz.com/sean/archives/2013/01/uncle_poodle_presses.html

The Night Don Lemon Hugged Me

We talked about HIV stigma and Madonna lighting. He shared a story of seeing an AIDS patient on a New York City street years ago. I interjected my new favorite topic, the injustice of HIV criminalization. We were two very different men comfortable in our own skin, who refused to allow shame a place at the table.

Read more of Mark S. King’s blog : http://blogs.poz.com/marksking/2012/12/don_lemon.html

Introducing the HIV Justice Network

Edwin Bernard explains the launch of a new online resource for HIV criminalization.

Read the full blog: http://blogs.poz.com/edwinbernard/2012/11/introducing_the_hiv.html

Canada: Supreme Court makes bad HIV disclosure law worse

The Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Friday October 5th that individuals who know they are HIV-positive are liable to criminal prosecution for aggravated sexual assault - which comes with a maximum sentence of life in prison and sex offender status - if they do not disclose this fact prior to sex that may risk a “realistic possibility of transmission of HIV”. There’s been a lot of confusion about whether this ruling, which created the illusion of being fair, rational, just and based on the latest science, was a step in the right direction. Believe me, it wasn’t.

A blog by Edwin Bernard

(Source: )

Sex and Justice Conference

There was an almost palpable longing for these related efforts to come together as a cohesive movement with a broader base. Maybe the time is right for that to happen.