That's right, I said it: its men who are driving this epidemic. For all of the talk about the disproportionate impact of HIV on minority women, who do we think are infecting them: men. By the way, the fastest growing population being infected with HIV is not women; its young black men who have sex with men (MSM) between the ages of 13-29. Overall, there are 30,000 new HIV infections annually among MSM. Now before you go into the "AIDS is a gay disease mode," we must remember that gay and bisexual men probably make up a small percentage of men overall. We have to stop focusing so much on labeling people: "gay," "straight," "down-low," etc.. Many people are resistant to accepting certain labels. A man who primarily has sex with women but occasionally also has sex with men, may consider himself straight. Likewise, the incarcerated man who see his sex with another man in prison, a partner who by the way, may be officially labeled in the prison as a "b***h," therefore making it more socially acceptable. The focus has to be on responsibility such as: knowing one's HIV status; prompt diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and last but not least; safe and safer sex. So for the men reading this, the 'ball's in your court.' Man-up!
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I agree that men need to Man-Up and stop driving the HIV epidemic, but women also must take responsibility for their bodies and stop having unprotected sex with any and everybody! It's not okay to "not" use anything with a guy that you've just met. More than likely if he's not using anything with you he's probably like that with dozens of other women.
It's also not okay to have sex with someone whom you know has other partners. That just creates a bigger bed for HIV and other STD's.
Ladies need to value their bodies more and take precautions so they don't end up as another statistic. Get tested before having sex with someone, get to know them, their history and continue to get tested TOGETHER during the relationship.
I believe if more women showed these men that they take their sexual health serious, we may not have the stats we do.
So I say to the ladies, Man-Up as well! Take ownership of your own body and stop getting screwed!
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