Conservative RC Groups Wants Anti-Condom Ads In DC Transit
Doreen Brandt
365Gay.com Newscenter in Washington

January 24, 2002

Washington: The American Life League, a conservative Roman Catholic group, has announced it intends to place advertisements in the D.C. Metro system advocating against the use of condoms to prevent AIDS.

The posters will feature a skeleton with a red AIDS ribbon with the headline "Faithful Condom User" beside it is the  claim that condoms have a 16 percent failure rate. 

American Life League opposes abortion, and believes abstinence is the only way to prevent AIDS. 

The announcement of the ad campaign was immediately condemned by AIDS groups and a liberal Catholic group, Catholics For a Free Choice.

"It is shocking in its sheer irresponsibility that the American Life League -- an organization claiming to defend life -- should try to place advertising on the D.C. Metro that uses misleading and inaccurate statistics to discourage condom use as a way to prevent HIV transmission," said Frances Kissling, president of Catholics For a Free Choice.

"Bad advice is one thing, but bad advice that could result in death is a disgraceful way to behave in Washington, D.C., which has the highest number of AIDS cases per 100,000 people in the United States," said Kissling.

 "In a city where 1 in every 20 adults is infected with HIV and where new AIDS cases among women occur at 10 times the national average, it is practically criminal that any group would undermine AIDS prevention with misleading and inaccurate advertising."

It is doubtful DC Metro would be in a position to refuse the ads under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.