The State - News from Nov. 30, 1986

Homosexual inmates of the Santa Rita Rehabilitation Center at Pleasanton were issued separate tableware as a response to inmate fears of contracting the fatal disease AIDS. Officials said the policy, which went into effect last week, will be discontinued once all inmates have been shown a videotape on AIDS, which explains that the disorder is transmitted sexually--through the sharing of hypodermic needles and blood transfusions--but not through casual contact such as common use of utensils. One inmate said the prison’s 21 openly gay inmates were not issued personal spoons but rather were fed with disposable utensils and plates after the new policy went into effect.