By Larry Tate
March 29, 2004

In its HIV Prevention Grants Program, the Conference of Mayors has funded an especially innovative project in Dearborn (MI), a suburb of Detroit. The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) is conducting a one-year program to reach out to gay and bisexual Arab American men, one of the most neglected of all at-risk groups.

There are approximately 300,000 immigrants from the Middle East in the Detroit metropolitan area, and among them are significant numbers of gay and bisexual men. In Arab culture their behaviors are strongly stigmatized, to a degree where publicly mentioning their existence has been considered taboo. Men, whose gay orientation becomes known, face rejection by families and the community, and general hostility to the point of violence.

In this difficult situation, Arab American gay and bisexual men have been overlooked in prevention efforts. What research there is shows a high level of ignorance about safer sex behaviors and results of limited HIV testing show that HIV is dangerously present in the community.

The USCM-funded project continues and expands on a program begun with funds from the state of Michigan. It includes outreach and HIV testing at gay bars frequented by Arab men, often on special nights promoted as being for Arabs in particular. There are also social and educational groups held at the organization's office, and a general awareness campaign to try and bring the subject into a more open community discussion. A recent story about the program in the Detroit Free Press was picked up by the Associated Press, and educators say the community is becoming more willing to acknowledge, if not yet to accept, the gay and bisexual men in its midst.

Dr. Adnan Hammad, head of ACCESS, strongly supports the program, and praises Dearborn Mayor Michael Guido for providing advocacy for the organization's efforts with the Arab community. Hammad says of Guido, "He's always at our door when we need him. He's very supportive."

The Conference of Mayors HIV Prevention Grants program has been funding locally based HIV/AIDS prevention projects for 20 years, and continues with eight more grants to be awarded in 2004. Information about all grants is provided at usmayors.org.