SAN FRANCISCO — The first problem surfaced when Dulce Garcia went to a San Francisco clinic two years ago for her annual physical. As she filled out the intake form, all the questions assumed she was straight.

Then in the examining room, a nurse repeatedly offered her a pregnancy test and birth control.

“She kept telling me Latino women have a high risk of pregnancy,” said Garcia, a health educator who teaches youths about disease prevention. “I had to out myself right there and then. The nurse seemed shocked that I wasn’t heterosexual. Even here in San Francisco, this kind of thing happens.”

The health concerns of lesbians, from interpersonal difficulties in doctors’ offices to the high prevalence of risk factors for heart disease and many cancers, will be highlighted at a national summit this weekend in San Francisco.

“This conversation is long overdue,” said Dr. Sandra Hernandez, chief executive of the San Francisco Foundation and an assistant clinical professor at UCSF. “This is the first summit to bring together clinicians, scientists, leaders in their communities to discuss these issues.

“The summit will call for more research into lesbian health, and more funding for research.”

Women’s health has become a focal point of medical study relatively recently.

 See SF summit looks at lesbian health issues

San Francisco Chronicle

Reporting from Cupertino, Calif. — A day after launching her campaign for governor, former EBay Chief Executive Meg Whitman on Tuesday unveiled a sharply conservative approach to California’s fiscal crisis and offered a fusillade of positions on other issues that are likely to complicate her run for office in 2010.

In a wide-ranging interview, the first-time Republican candidate’s demeanor vacillated between that of a confident, take-charge chief executive officer delivering a PowerPoint presentation to that of an ill-at-ease novice who has studied stacks of policy binders, but has yet to master the art of political maneuvering.

Views that could potentially attract or alienate all manner of voters emerged on the subject of gay marriage.

Explaining her support for Proposition 8, the November measure that banned same-sex marriage, she called it a “matter of personal conscience and my faith.”

But Whitman, a Presbyterian who supports gay civil unions, said the thousands of same-sex marriages that took place last year before the ban should be legally recognized — a sentiment opposed by many Proposition 8 backers. Moreover, she said, gay and lesbian couples should be able to adopt children.

 See Whitman unveils conservative positions
Los Angeles Times – CA,USA

Reporting from Cupertino, Calif. — A day after launching her campaign for governor, former EBay Chief Executive Meg Whitman on Tuesday unveiled a sharply conservative approach to California’s fiscal crisis and offered a fusillade of positions on other issues that are likely to complicate her run for office in 2010.

In a wide-ranging interview, the first-time Republican candidate’s demeanor vacillated between that of a confident, take-charge chief executive officer delivering a PowerPoint presentation to that of an ill-at-ease novice who has studied stacks of policy binders, but has yet to master the art of political maneuvering.

Views that could potentially attract or alienate all manner of voters emerged on the subject of gay marriage.

Explaining her support for Proposition 8, the November measure that banned same-sex marriage, she called it a “matter of personal conscience and my faith.”

But Whitman, a Presbyterian who supports gay civil unions, said the thousands of same-sex marriages that took place last year before the ban should be legally recognized — a sentiment opposed by many Proposition 8 backers. Moreover, she said, gay and lesbian couples should be able to adopt children.

 See Whitman unveils conservative positions
Los Angeles Times – CA,USA

This month, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation is launching an innovative program designed to catch new HIV infections shortly after they occur – when the risk of transmission is the highest.

The goal of the two-year pilot project, the first of its kind in the nation, is to reduce by half the number of new HIV cases by 2015.

During the two- or three-month period after infection, the viral load is highest and the danger of transmission is also at its peak. As many as half of all new infections are estimated to occur during the acute phase.

“The virus gets in your body and starts to replicate at a very high rate before the natural immune responses of your body start to mobilize,” said Mark Cloutier, chief executive of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

The expanded testing, along with counseling, will take place at Magnet, a community health center for gay men in the Castro.

Clients who report engaging in recent, high-risk behavior will be invited to take viral RNA (ribonucleic acid) testing, which will identify those who are acutely infected. They will also be encouraged to alert their partners.

It takes two weeks to get results. During that time, said Steve Gibson, director of Magnet, clients are counseled to behave prudently, as if they were HIV-positive.

 See Novel SF program tries to cut new HIV cases
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA

We’re gonna be doing some things people haven’t seen before.”

That’s the plan from Jon Blair, the 31-year-old new chief executive officer of the gay-rights group Equality Virginia. He is an Indiana native who worked in Norfolk managing Sen. Ralph Northam’s campaign and as Del. Paula Miller’s director of field operations.

In the release earlier this month announcing Blair’s hiring, in the second paragraph from the bottom, is part of what people haven’t seen before: Blair is the first straight director of Equality Virginia and is thought to be the first straight director of any organization that falls under the national Equality Federation umbrella.

 See Yes, a straight man is leading a gay-rights group. So what?
The Virginian-Pilot, VA 

tonewall published its Top 100 Employers 2009, showcasing Britain’s best employers for gay staff. It names Lloyds TSB as the best place to work in 2009 for lesbian and gay people. In second place is Hampshire Constabulary, and Brighton & Hove City Council comes third.

The Home Office wins the award for Employee Network Group of the Year and law firm Simmons & Simmons is named Most Improved Employer.

The index is based on a range of key indicators that this year included the largest ever survey of lesbian and gay employees, with almost 7,000 participants. This consistently revealed staff satisfaction levels were highest at the top ranking organizations in the index. Gay staff working at the top 25 workplaces reported a satisfaction level almost 10 percent higher than workplaces outside the top 100. Staff members were also more likely to disclose their sexual orientation in monitoring exercises at the highest-ranking organizations.

Lloyds TSB was the Most Improved Employer in Stonewall’s 2007 Index and ranked in the top 10 gay-friendly employers last year. Their journey and progress reflects how effective a proactive diversity strategy can be when implemented.

“This was our most competitive index to date,” said Ben Summerskill, Stonewall chief executive. “We received more entries than ever before from employers who have taken heed of recent Stonewall research which found that gay people are far more likely to buy goods or services from companies they know are gay-friendly. The Index is a powerful tool used by Britain’s 1.7 million gay employees and 150,000 gay university students to decide where to take their talent and skills.” See Lloyds TSB Tops List of Britain’s Gay-Friendly Employers
Talent Management, CA

The Albert Kennedy Trust helps lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans young people who do not live in accepting, supportive and caring homes.

It provides a range of services to meet the individual needs of those who would otherwise be homeless or living in a hostile environment.

This Christmas AKT is asking PinkNews.co.uk readers to help those vulnerable young people – AKT helped more than 1,400 in 2007. “If just 365 of your online readers donate £18 each to the appeal they will have raised the money needed to keep one young person off the streets and safe in a Carer household for one year,” said AKT chief executive Tim Sigsworth.

“To donate they can visit the AKT website and click donate.”

 See Can you help vulnerable gay teenagers this Christmas?
PinkNews.co.uk, UK -