• Joanna Katzman, Harnik Gulati, Darrel H Higa, Quinten Welch, and Robert W Wood.
• HIV/AIDS Program, Public Health-Seattle & King County, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA.
• J Public Health Manag Pract. 2007 May 1; 13 (3): 244-51.

BackgroundIn response to increasing rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Seattle & King County, a task force including community members, HIV/AIDS professionals, and health department staff authored "A Community Manifesto: A New Response to HIV and STDs." The manifesto emphasized both personal and collective responsibility for gay and bisexual men to stop the spread of STDs.MethodsThe manifesto was published in local media over a 15-month period. We conducted a survey (via Web, mail-in, and street intercept), focus groups, and a community forum to evaluate the impact of the manifesto among Seattle & King County MSM.ResultsMost respondents supported the manifesto and reported that it made them think about their sexual behaviors; more than 25 percent reported changing sexual behavior as a result of the manifesto, but the document generated several controversies.ConclusionsPublicly declaring values associated with sexual behavior and attempting to establish and reinforce sexual norms within MSM communities can cause controversy; however, such efforts may increase awareness, dialogue, and behavior change at a community level and be important for increasing awareness and behaviors that demonstrate collective care and responsibility among MSM.

32 keywords...

hide…