Posted by jo on August 29, 2003 at 22:59:16
In Reply to: Comment on the abstinence debate posted by anovagrrl on August 28, 2003 at 08:28:10:
Add to this the fact that some groups are more reluctant to discuss modes of transmission and safer sex that are badly in need of it but feel immune because they believe a few encounters won't hurt them , or if the person looks clean and well, they must be healthy. Enter some of the faster growing newer infectees... Bankers and their wives, Mid to older corporate America, and certain communities that believe as long as they are having sex with the opposite sex, they are therefore protected. Then there are the poor and
street kids here. Many of them are infected and addicts as well.It is such a sad life. And when education which reduces risk is cut, more and more of these people go on with out getting help to prevent the spread, or to treat it appropriately. Things people need to learn is proper use of condoms, proper types of condoms, their own health (some are allergic to latex), which lubricants to use with condoms, how to put them on leaving a space at the tip. Not carrying them around in a wallet and squashing it, not using outdated ones, or ones stored in too hot temperatures or for too long of a time.
There is also education pertaining to the fact that when people are under the influence of different drugs incl. alcohol, they don't often bother or care about using protection. Or about spreading it. Because of this, anyone engaging in sex with another human being needs to know that person real well, and even then there is no 100 percent guarantee that they have not been infected. I wonder sometimes how the AIDs/HIV epidemic has affected SGs? Any SGs that know about this? And I also wonder how many have been tested since symptomology can take years to show possible infection, and early treatment can improve changes of long term and better quality of life survival. Babies can get infected in childbirth via blood upon delivery and via breast milk after. An interesting thing recently is that early treatment in pregnant moms (with AZT) causes the birth of babies of which some are postitive but then convert to negative. So there is much greater hope now for infected mothers to give birth to children that will not go on to develop AIDS. Also AIDS itself is not a disease, but a syndrome meaning there are different illnesses and damage to the immune system that have to occur when HIV infected for the diagnosis of AIDS to be given. It is also interesting to note, that there have been long term survivors with little or no repercussions who have the HIV, but do not have AIDS.
I mentioned some things I would share with my gay roommate that had full blown AIDS. Well here are some things I would not share! I would not share a toothbrush. I would not share a razor. I would be careful if I came into contact with his blood.
People with AIDS are more in danger from getting ill from exposure to us than we are of getting exposure from them! Anyway, I hope that I am not getting boring with this, and anyone wanting to hear more specific statistics, explanations etc. that are up to date, ask and i will research it and print some articles.