Making War on AIDS

The AIDS Resource Center, which has long had a giant jar full of condoms in its reception area, has also developed creative ways to disseminate the rubber lifesavers. Operation Penis Shield Condom Guerrillas, which began in February 1991 during Desert Storm, makes sorties into gay bars to hand out pocket-sized packages complete with two condoms, lubricant, a brochure and a treat-whether it be candy, baseball cards or raisins. Instead of grim warnings of death and AIDS, the literature includes a (safe) sex fantasy that changes weekly.

The Condom Guerrillas are just part of a larger project. “Keeping it Up,” that’s designed to promote the idea that safe sex can be fun, “Sleaze Mongers,” a sort of reconnaissance squad, targets unconventional pickup locations such as parks, malls and bathhouses to distribute packages with condoms, whistles, bus passes and emergency phone numbers.

At the Latex Support Group meeting on Tuesday nights, volunteers meet to discuss the best methods to prevent the spread of AIDS. Jamie Shield this real name), education manager at the AIDS Resource Center, says that in order to keep people listening, they have to come up with creative ideas. For example, volunteers walked through JRs bar carrying silver trays laden with condom packages.

With the prediction that by the year 2000 most new AIDS infections will hit women, Shield and program coordinator Jerry Calumn have begun planning a sally into the heterosexual community as well. They’ve created another package with an educational brochure for women and presented their ideas to bar owners in Deep Ellum. The Guerrillas1 first venture into Deep Ellum was at Club One’s “Rubber Ball”-a night devoted to the theme of safe sex. Recently, the eighth International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam encouraged the use of condoms; “Keeping it Up” tries to do so in a way that makes people listen.