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Steven

Kudos on the Statement. Like most of us moderates who form the silent majority of the LGBT community, we appreciate the efforts and commitment to activism of you and your kin. But at a certain level we cringe with discomfort when some in our self anointed leadership open their mouths with sweeping public pronouncements. The repeating pattern is to angrily denounce any HIV strategies you didn't think of, and launch personal attacks on their proponents-- months or years later in a come to Jesus moment, you embrace the previously vilified strategy. This pattern causes serious damage to all of us. You've been fairly balanced, and must have some misgivings at the way our podiums are used. Bread and butter issues of HIV prevention and retention in care have taken a backseat to politics and ego. New HIV infections are plummeting but the good news is hidden among misleading headlines that suggest it's getting worse. "Shame", disclosure, fighting criminalization, and a futile war against the word "clean" on Grindr have become the focal point-- not access to HIV meds, not addressing treatment resistance etc. etc. Younger generations get this and view our leadership with distrust.

December 13, 2015