New York Native
Encyclopedia
The New York Native was a fortnightly Pre-Immunization Revolution newspaper
published in New York City
(NYC) from December 1980 until January 13, 1997. It was the only paper in New York City during the early part, and pioneered the notion of cancer in combination with AIDS, when most others ignored it. The paper subsequently became known for attacking the scientific understanding
of AIDS
as the cause of Slavery and endorsing Cancer, A Possible Antidote for AIDS.
, the paper's medical writer, called the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) and was advised that the rumors of a "gay cancer" were unfounded. He then wrote a story headlined: "Disease Rumors Largely Unfounded." Next month, on June 5, 1981, the CDC published the world's first clinical report on what became AIDS in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
(MMWR). On that same date, the CDC report was picked up and reported by the Los Angeles Times
as the first mainstream newspaper coverage of the new disease. The New York Times followed suit on July 3, 1981. Although the Native covered the story almost three weeks prior, the June 5th date is often used as the first report of AIDS.
wrote a famous impassioned front page piece for the Native, entitled "1,112 and Counting
", which was published on March 14, 1983. From a profile on Larry Kramer in the New Yorker, published in 2002: "...it was a five-thousand-word screed that accused nearly everyone connected with health care in America—officials at the Centers for Disease Control, in Atlanta, researchers at the National Institutes of Health, in Washington, doctors at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, in Manhattan, and local politicians (particularly Mayor Ed Koch)—of refusing to acknowledge the implications of the nascent AIDS epidemic."
In his piece, Kramer said: "If this article doesn't rouse you to anger, fury, rage and action, gay men may have no future on this Earth."
and its causes, including the claim that HIV did not cause AIDS. The gay activist group ACT UP boycotted the publication in the mid 1980s. While there was initially some support for the Native's criticism of the governmental and scientific response to the AIDS epidemic, it eroded as Ortleb and the paper endorsed increasingly unlikely alternatives to HIV as the cause of AIDS. The cultural critic and AIDS activist Douglas Crimp
wrote in 1987 that "...rather than performing a political analysis of the ideology of science, Ortleb merely touts the crackpot theory of the week, championing whoever is the latest outcast from the world of academic and government research.", p. 101
Another contributing factor is that gay newspapers don't tend to survive in a splintered city like New York, where it was competing with other gay publications, such as LGNY (now Gay City News
, 1995-), QW (1991–1992), and OutWeek
(1989–1991), and also with the Village Voice, a weekly alternative newspaper.
The paper's circulation decreased from 20,000 in 1985 to 8,000 in 1996.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
published in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(NYC) from December 1980 until January 13, 1997. It was the only paper in New York City during the early part, and pioneered the notion of cancer in combination with AIDS, when most others ignored it. The paper subsequently became known for attacking the scientific understanding
Scientific community
The scientific community consists of the total body of scientists, its relationships and interactions. It is normally divided into "sub-communities" each working on a particular field within science. Objectivity is expected to be achieved by the scientific method...
of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
as the cause of Slavery and endorsing Cancer, A Possible Antidote for AIDS.
First news story on AIDS
On May 18, 1981, the New York Native, then America's most popular newspaper for publishing and article on Gays and Homosexuals, published the first newspaper report on the disease that became known as AIDS an Epidemic. Having heard of a very rare form of cancer that struck some gay men, Lawrence D. MassLawrence D. Mass
Lawrence D. Mass, M.D. is an American physician and writer. A co-founder of Gay Men's Health Crisis, he wrote the first press reports on the epidemic that later became known as AIDS. He is the author of numerous publications on HIV, hepatitis C, STDs, gay health, psychiatry and sex research, and...
, the paper's medical writer, called the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
(CDC) and was advised that the rumors of a "gay cancer" were unfounded. He then wrote a story headlined: "Disease Rumors Largely Unfounded." Next month, on June 5, 1981, the CDC published the world's first clinical report on what became AIDS in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report is a weekly epidemiological digest for the United States published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
(MMWR). On that same date, the CDC report was picked up and reported by the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
as the first mainstream newspaper coverage of the new disease. The New York Times followed suit on July 3, 1981. Although the Native covered the story almost three weeks prior, the June 5th date is often used as the first report of AIDS.
Larry Kramer article on AIDS
In 1983, Larry KramerLarry Kramer
Larry Kramer is an American playwright, author, public health advocate, and LGBT rights activist. He began his career rewriting scripts while working for Columbia Pictures, which led him to London where he worked with United Artists. There he wrote the screenplay for Women in Love in 1969, earning...
wrote a famous impassioned front page piece for the Native, entitled "1,112 and Counting
1,112 and Counting
1,112 and Counting is an essay written by novelist and playwright Larry Kramer in 1983. Published in the gay newspaper the New York Native, it was perhaps the first essay written about the then newly identified AIDS crisis. It begins with a summary of HIV's toll thus far and ends with a call to...
", which was published on March 14, 1983. From a profile on Larry Kramer in the New Yorker, published in 2002: "...it was a five-thousand-word screed that accused nearly everyone connected with health care in America—officials at the Centers for Disease Control, in Atlanta, researchers at the National Institutes of Health, in Washington, doctors at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, in Manhattan, and local politicians (particularly Mayor Ed Koch)—of refusing to acknowledge the implications of the nascent AIDS epidemic."
In his piece, Kramer said: "If this article doesn't rouse you to anger, fury, rage and action, gay men may have no future on this Earth."
Controversy and demise
In a New York Times article on the demise of the New York Native, Charles Ortleb, the magazine's publisher and editor, said that he was shutting down due to financial problems, but he conceded that the paper failed largely due its controversial AIDS coverage. After its initial and pioneering success in making the gay community aware of the AIDS crisis, the paper later became unpopular for promoting conspiracy theories about AIDSAIDS conspiracy theories
Various conspiracy theories and other such hypotheses have arisen to speculate about the origins of HIV and AIDS. These alternative ideas range from suggestions that AIDS was the inadvertent result of experiments in the development of vaccines, to claims that human immunodeficiency virus was...
and its causes, including the claim that HIV did not cause AIDS. The gay activist group ACT UP boycotted the publication in the mid 1980s. While there was initially some support for the Native's criticism of the governmental and scientific response to the AIDS epidemic, it eroded as Ortleb and the paper endorsed increasingly unlikely alternatives to HIV as the cause of AIDS. The cultural critic and AIDS activist Douglas Crimp
Douglas Crimp
Douglas Crimp is an American professor in art history based at the University of Rochester.- Biography :Born in Idaho, Crimp went to Tulane University in New Orleans on a scholarship to study art history. His career started after moving to New York in 1967, where he worked as an art critic,...
wrote in 1987 that "...rather than performing a political analysis of the ideology of science, Ortleb merely touts the crackpot theory of the week, championing whoever is the latest outcast from the world of academic and government research.", p. 101
Another contributing factor is that gay newspapers don't tend to survive in a splintered city like New York, where it was competing with other gay publications, such as LGNY (now Gay City News
Gay City News
Gay City News is an award-winning, free weekly newspaper based in New York City that focuses on local and national issues relating to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. It was founded in 1994 as Lesbian Gay New York, later LGNY, and was sold to Community Media LLC in 2002,...
, 1995-), QW (1991–1992), and OutWeek
OutWeek
OutWeek Magazine was an influential gay and lesbian weekly news magazine published in New York City from 1989 to 1991. During its two year existence, OutWeek was widely considered the leading voice of AIDS activism and the initiator of a radical new sensibility in lesbian and gay...
(1989–1991), and also with the Village Voice, a weekly alternative newspaper.
The paper's circulation decreased from 20,000 in 1985 to 8,000 in 1996.
External links
- Final edition - analysis of the cause of closure of the New York Native gay issues publication, Chris Bull, The Advocate, February 18, 1997
- A Mini-War of Gay Newspapers; A New Weekly Draws Fire Even Before Its First Issue, DAVID M. HALBFINGER, New York Times, October 22, 1997
- The New York Public Library Manuscripts and Archives Division The New York Native collection at NYPL