Report Back By The Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association

Report Back By The Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association

LGBTQ+ magazines

STDs

Sexual health

Health care for LGBTQ+ people

Gay men

Decriminalisation

LGBTQ+ civil rights

A "Report Back By The Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association," as entitled on the front page. Second page is an article from page 3 of Gay Star magazine, dated September/October 1980 and entitled "The Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Disease". Opening statement says: "We hope this will be the first of a series of articles by Dr Reginald Maw, of the Special clinic at the Royal Victoria Hospital, dealing with the subject that is of great importance to all of us." States the purpose of this article is to provide "a brief background to the workings and aims of the Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) service in Great Britain, with special reference to the situation in Northern Ireland." Discusses the establishment of the service, the advent of the wonder drugs, sulphonomide and penicillin, used for treating gonorrhoea and syphilis, which "showed a dramatic fall in the years following World War II until the mid fifties, when it was even considered the that the clinic service could be shut down in the near future, having fulfilled the purpose for which it was established." Also discusses the phases involved in first encountering with patients on a first come first served basis: the matter of privacy and confidentiality with clinic records that are "totally separate from other hospital records and do not leave our department"; history and full physical examination; taking of tests and examination in their laboratory on site; and making a diagnosis and giving treatment on the day. Notes that they are "chronically understaffed".
Third page is page 4 of same article. Discusses the homosexual community: how "male homosexuals at least are statistically more likely to contract STD than their heterosexual counterparts"; the need for regular sexual health screening check-ups; and encouraging gay men to "discuss problems openly with the doctors in the clinic" and disclosure of sexuality with their own doctor. Concludes with a request for participation in a survey about homosexual patients. Second column of third page is a report on the progress at Strasbourg regarding the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Notes that "[a]ll 20 member states commissioners - including Britain and Ireland - were agreed that homosexual acts should not be prohibited!" Includes a "Pen Friend Request" at the end. Fourth page is a handwritten note by Sean Mcgovern(?)

Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association

Arthur Leahy Collection

1980-09/1980-10

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application/pdf

eng

report

Text

2017.21.5.1.374

1980

Northern Ireland