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Topics on AIDS,
the intersexed discussed
in conference
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Last week, Boise State University unveiled the second annual Point of View Academic Conference: Sexuality in a Diverse Society. Tuesday, Nov. 16. The conference opened with a juried art exhibit, reception and awards. "The Performance of Pink." followed at 7 p.m. The conference continued all day on Wednesday and concluded that evening.
Among the myriad of topic covered was 'The Hyper-Sexualization of Gay/Bisexual Men Amidst the AIDS epidemic: A Multi-Analytical Approach' presented by Taylor C. Newbold, psychology student and HIV prevention activist, and 'Widening Our View to Include the Intersexed,' presented by professor Heidi Reeder of the Communication Department. The variety of topics brought in a diverse audience.
"I thought it was interesting,? said Boise State student Coral Spitler in regards to Newbold's presentation, ?I think an important aspect of the AIDS epidemic is overlooked."
"I wanted to offer a different perspective of sexuality that isn't seen on the Boise State campus," Newbold said. He spoke about the history of the AIDS epidemic, and the current focus and behavior of AIDS. "My presentation is not meant as an assault on the [gay] community but, to inform others and ask questions which are often neither asked nor answered," he said. Professor Reeder mostly covered a specific type of intersex condition called Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS).
"This syndrome results when an XY fetus is resistant to the androgen that would produce a masculine appearance, and thus develops physically as a female," Reeder said.
"Since the 1960s, 13 women have been asked to leave the Olympics because they were given a chromosome test that proved they were actually men," Reeder said.According to Reeder, AIS occurs in one out of every 13,000 births. Severe cases occur in one in every 3,000 births, and mild cases are one out of 100.
Reeder has been studying gender and education for about eight years, which triggered her interest in AIS. She first heard about it from the Stanford University alumni magazine.
"I thought [Reeder's presentation] was really informative," said Boise State student Perri Gardner, from the audience. "But I was disappointed by the turn-out. I thought BSU students would be more interested with a topic like this."
Student Activities Program Coordinator Autumn Haynes broke ground for the conference two years ago. "I felt that the student activities office needed to present a program that was academically charged," Haynes said. Haynes said the conference is improving every year. Attendance this year was up and there was more involvement, "I see this becoming a strong program at Boise State," said Haynes.
Cassie Gutierrez
News Writer