Today is World AIDS Day to promote awareness. It’s likely you’ve seen a few mentions about it before viewing my post. It’s 2011 and I’m grateful for our attitude toward people with AIDs and for all the work people have done over the last few decades to get here. We have a long way to go but today I am grateful we are more compassionate and understanding. AIDs scares me. Thinking about it terrifies me. I know and fully understand that anyone can get it. Disease does not discriminate. Sometimes I think about the things people with AIDs have to face. The drugs they need to take, how ill they (can) become, and worst of all, how much they face from their community.
I read this CNN article about Crystal, who is HIV positive and homeless in Atlanta. She asks, “What am I gonna do if I don’t use? Who am I gonna be if I’m not an addict?” She says it’s scary to have all of this space, of not knowing who she’ll be if she’s not addict, because people do dangerous things when they have too much space. My first thought was, “What could be scarier than having AIDs?” But like most things in life, what we fear is actually manageable. It’s scary but it isn’t so bad that alone is holding her back. For me, it was a welcomed reminder to not be afraid of even your scariest fears. Even if it turns out to be true, life will continue. Inspiration happens where you cannot predict.
I hope Crystal realizes, one day, that she is more than an addict; she is a person who deserves a good life.
Anyway, Planned Parenthood (as usual) is doing something marvelous for the community. They are offering a 50% discount for HIV testing until December 16th. Thank you, thank you, thank you Planned Parenthood.
Sometimes I don’t know what to write about on this blog. Every time I read something and want to write about it, I ask myself is this relevant to “sex culture.” Technically AIDs is a disease and though we can get it from having unprotected sex it shouldn’t be related to sex; but it’s something we associate it with.
Gay couples shouldn’t be roped in with sex culture (it should be a part of relationship or family associated) but.. they are. I wanted to share this video, here, on this blog. I’m just smiling thinking about what he says to counter the argument that gay people cannot, or should not, have children because it will corrupt them. He’s a young, successful person; son of a gay couple and thriving. I just love him for standing up to talk about family values. I wish I could give him a hug.
Anyway, it’s late. My post is a little all over the place and I apologize for that. I just wanted to write these thoughts down rather than wait and never post.
Modern Sex Culture 