AIDS Week encourages 'awareness'

Despite numerous flyers and enthusiastic promotion on Locust Walk, AIDS Awareness Week -- sponsored by the American Medical Student Association and Facilitating Learning About Sexual Health -- got off to a slow start. On Tuesday, the AIDS Awareness Fair in Bodek Lounge drew only modest numbers, leaving FLASH members disappointed. "I'm hoping the turnout is better," said Alex Kutnick, a College of General Studies student. "Many people are reluctant to come because of the topic and are self-conscious." The fair included presentations from AIDS awareness and support groups such as Philadelphia FIGHT, Action AIDS and ACT UP Philadelphia. The groups offered students free condoms, pamphlets and information about their organizations. Representatives from SmithKline Beecham were also at the fair to conduct surveys of student opinion on OraSure, a new orally administered HIV test. Logan Levkoff, a College junior and member of FLASH, also expressed dismay at the small turnout. "People don't want to be seen at something that they are actually concerned about," Levkoff said. "Just because this is an Ivy League institution, people aren't necessarily smarter or safer." Toni Resnick, a member of Dykes and Dames -- also known as Philadelphia's Lesbian Health Initiative -- was on hand at the fair to encourage pap smears and breast exams for lesbians: "Since lesbians don't lead a 'traditional' women's lifestyle, they think they don't have to worry about their sexual health." Philadelphia Community Health Alternatives also promoted their free HIV test clinic at 12th and Chestnut streets and their volunteer training programs, while volunteers demonstrated the Reality female condom to interested students. "We hope that people take advantage of the opportunity to learn more and get involved," said College senior Ed Lomotan, co-president of the University's AMSA chapter. Four panels of the AIDS quilt were also on display Wednesday in Meyerson Hall as part of AIDS Awareness Week, and Positive Voices, a group of people living with AIDS spoke about their experiences Wednesday night. "We are so excited about this week? we want to get out the fact that attitudes and perspectives of AIDS are changing, especially in the medical field? where doctors have been seen as desensitized to the epidemic," said College junior Christine Boulos, a member of AMSA. The week's keynote speaker, Lorna Lynn of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, will lead a panel discussion tonight about changing attitudes towards the AIDS epidemic. The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Annenberg Center. College sophomore Maggie Hymowitz, a member of AMSA who helped to organize the week's events, noted that college students need to become more educated about AIDS and HIV. "We want people to know what resources are out there and to bring the disease out in the open," she said. "Not enough is being done on campus for AIDS education."

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