Write a Comment
4 Comments
Well with the Bush administration views on gays and their flawed programs these 7 years on HIV education to MSM's this is the result. Some programs were funded 4 MSM of color to get the black/latino vote. I worked until 2002 with a cutting edge holistic HIV Education program. We were just getting young poz guys, which was sad but we were ready. Who knows what things would have been like if all the programs had been allowed to continue across USA instead of closing doors to MSM education.
The number of guys who bareback today is astounding. I can speak to this based on my own experiences with men and from what I've been told by friends as well. I am very sexually active and I could have had BB sex with nearly every man I encountered if I had chosen to do so. MAYBE one or two men have even bothered to discuss condom use or even ask if I'm poz or not. I believe that men today think that HIV no longer exists or if they get it, they'll just take 1 pill once a day and be okay...
When I went to an art exhibit of photos of homeless gay youth, an activist named Ben Stock told me that many young guys feel that getting HIV will help them get housing preferences from judges!
Bongane Nyathi
Most of the young MSM I have encountered here at POCC, both HIV neg or pos. are face with major social issues (homophobia, self esteem, body image, socio economics, dysfunctional family structure, role model/single parent upbringing) that make our young MSM think HIV is not as bad after all. Therefore we HIV/AIDS org. ought to have more compassion than ever for today youths, who are faced with fast growing technology; a gateway to transmission. We have recontexualize old HIV prevention messages.
January 31, 2008 • Oakland, CA