HIV and AIDS
 

No-one can deny that there is a HIV epidemic in the LGBT community, and it really bugs me when people say they'll be "safe" and then go around screwing everyone. It's like they're completely unaware of what's happening.

My friend's girlfriend was admitted to the hospital recently, as her HIV became full-blown AIDS. As of now, my friend (who also lives with HIV) is standing vigil over her. I knew it was going to happen, but it still comes as a shock.

What's your experience with HIV and AIDS?

i dunno anybody with HIV/AIDS

but i tend to live vicariously, and as they say, you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs

i have been screened and came out negative

i was at risk as my ex's ex was a heavy drug user and might have used heroin

Once had an AIDS test back in the early 1990s as I'd had unprotected sex with a couple of women and it came out negative. Apart from that, I've never known anybody with HIV or with AIDS. One of my best friends is gay and I've heard about people he has known, but that's not the same as actually knowing someone personally.

The issue today here in the UK, is the lack of publicity surrounding the subject. Before especially in the 1980s, it was constantly in the media but today it rarely gets mentioned but the problem still remains.

My sole experience was a friend who was an intravenous drug user. He passed on a few years back and it was very devastating to both his family and mine, which are still very close to this day. It certainly hits the gay community on a much harder level then most. There seems to be some advances in medication, but people still need to be educated apparently, because more people seem to be having unprotected sex, then when it became an epidemic in the early 80's.

The closest I've had come to dealing with HIV/AIDs was doing my EMT clinicals. While the prospect of getting infected was scary enough, if you didn't follow protocol you could actually be denied workers compensation as well, which of course would mean your employers insurance wouldn't be forced to cover it as well. Scary ****, that.

Anyways, why does there seem to be a consensus that people in the gay community continue to indulge in risky behavior because they're ignorant of HIV/AIDs? Couldn't it be they're taking an informed risk?

I'd assume it's because there's no risk of pregnancy so not much need to wear protection? I literally have no idea. I've never looked into it, but it's not ignorance to the disease.

Personally I've never known anyone with HIV/AIDS, or anyone who knows anyone.

I think a lot of people see it as a joke.
"go get AIDS" "You have AIDS" etc.
People don't realise how serious the disease is, it's quite shocking. I read a play called "Brothers of Thunder" by Ann Marie di Mambo and it really affected me. It's about a man with HIV living with a catholic priest.

You guys are too young to know what it was like when the AIDS scare was here in the UK in the 1980s, the media exagerrated the threat so much that people became a lot more careful through fear. Finally, this paranoia finally gave way to more informed debate about the subject in the 1990s and better education. Since then, informing the public on the risks has practically diminished, to such a level that people don't even give it that much thought!

I know the biological side of HIV/AIDs, I learned it in school but apart from that I don't know very much about it at all.

The vast majority of people I've met who've had AIDS or HIV have been heterosexual, actually...drug users, mainly, but heterosexual.

My best friend's uncle is one of a handful of people I've know who have been members of the LGBT community and died of AIDS.

I really do think the issue with the disease's spread is a lack of wearing protection. When there's no risk of pregnancy, why should you?

It's also passed through bodily fluids, entering the body through open wounds...and during anal intercourse, there is often some manner of tearing.

Personally, I've not met a single gay female with HIV or AIDS, only heterosexual females who contracted the disease via intravenous drug use. I also don't see it so much as being a plague predominately affecting the gay community - as quite a few gay acquaintances have claimed to me - as I feel it's a much bigger issue in Africa than here. At least here, we have some manner of education on the matter, and readily available protection. The choice not to use said protection is stupid and reckless.

aww yeah, I understand with the tearing and stuff now, I never even thought of tears. Why is tear (rip) and tear ( :'( ) spelled the same, so confusing.

I hope people see the seriousness of this film.

...and this

I do have someone very close to me (immediate family close) that has the virus, and has known about it for approximately 5 years now. He is homosexual and supposedly engaged in some promiscuous activity in the past. I say supposedly because he doesn't really talk about it. In many of ways, he seems to be the opposite of what I would expect of someone with HIV/AIDS. He almost has the attitude of "if I ignore it, it's not there." That's not to say he continues to engage in promiscuous activities or refuses to inform those close to him of his condition. He just chooses not to speak out about it. He puts off going to the doctor when problematic symptoms pop up. He just doesn't seem to be taking care of himself or making an effort to keep the community well informed about the disease in general. I'm not saying everyone who has AIDS is required to be a spokesperson for the community, but it does seem to be uncharacteristic of most people with the disease.

He probably finds it embarrassing but he should still use protection, indefinitely. It's a shame that it's so taboo to some people I wouldn't think any less if someone came clean and told me they had it. I'd be a little paranoid if it was someone I was having sex with but I'm sure most people would feel like that in the beginning even if they never voiced it.

or because buttfuck condoms are expensive

I'm sorry but I'd rather fork out an extra couple of quid than get AIDs, there's no competition really.

it's also harder to get one at the nearest 7-11

What's LBGT community? The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual community?

Got it in one :).

I didn't think there would be a lot of HIV/AIDS in the lesbian community!

There isn't:

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/survei...s/Figure-2.gif

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/survei...s/Figure-7.gif

LINK

Anyways, I brought this up in a past thread on homosexuality; you can imagine what the reaction was.

Both, I think. No-one thinks it will happen to them.