It's not abnormal for me to be the last one to figure things out. However i am appalled at myself for not knowing or remembering that today was the start of World Aids Day. Let me Give a little Background into the Why i am pissed at myself then i will move into my thoughts. When i was in Highschool i was in a foster home in a small town. I was a big city girl stuck in a small small town. For those of you who know my life story know i was never taught that Loving someone of the same sex was wrong, neither was drugs, drinking or Hooking but those lessons were for TOTALLY different Reason( lived next door to a whore house growing up) ANYWAYS Back to my Point.. I took it upon myself to Educate stupid people.. Now that sentance should tell you were it got me. NO WERE fast. I was in Highschool 1990-1994. This was a time that i remember that gave a damn about AIDS eduction and gettin the word out.. So a lost girl found a cause. LONG story short.. My Bad ass loud mouth got the Health Education Classes updated and Mandated better Aids Education. We had Wonderful speakers and people living with the Virus come in and talk.. I worked in homes with patients and sadly i lost a few friends along the way. Then i went into college, started drinking parting and had a child.. I tried to stay updated and involved but i havent. I let alot of things slip. Now i am a bitter old woman of 35 4 kids and i REALLY need to get active again because i'll be damned if i trust the schools to educate my kids the right way. OK that was the past Now on to the Future.
Today while Reading my Twitter one of my Smart but very Cute friends said "I have been HIV+ for 4 years and going strong! I prey that everyone, no matter your status is healthy, and lives a happy long life"! So i got to thinking
1. Now that i know this do i think he is any less of a Hottie? Nope Stilling looking good nearly naked to me.
2. Does this matter to other people?
Are we so shallow of a people that we would judge someone based on their HIV/Aids status? Are we any better off now in 2009/2010 then we where in 1990? Medications, over all health, prevention and Education has gotten better.. Out of all the things listed i think Education is suffering again.. The numbers went down so we as a people have forgotten and are starting to develop that God complex again. Are we telling our children LOOK.. This is still out there.. IF your going to have sex you need to be as safe as you can be BUT there are Not 100% promises. Nothing is perfect except not having sex at all. No some of us dont.. We preach dont have sex dont have sex dont have sex.. but we dont back it up with why shouldnt you.. When i look at my children this is what i see.. ME.. I never did what my mother told me i always did what i wanted.. So do i expect my kids to do anything better? Hell No.. SO when i said to my 13yr Look.. I am NOT stupid enough to think that you are going to wait to have sex so here is the Deal.. IF and when you do tell me.. I already asked her Doctor about putting her on birth control. I also said i didnt care if she had sex with Boy girls herself or all of the above i just wanted to know. i cant help her be safe if i dont know.. I am about ready to break out the banana and condom and start showing her how to do it and keep her supplied. I'm a bad parent arent i? Anyways.. This World Aids Day My suggestion is this...
Think about what you as a person can do to help educate someone who doesnt know
The next time you stare at that Picture of the Hot *fill in the blank* ask yourself does it truly matter to me.. If it does ponder why it matters.
DO something to help the Community... Volunteer some time At a home for Aids Patients
Hug Your child,Pet, whatever and thank whoever it is you thank that you have another day with them because someone somewhere is Dying of Aids Related complications.
Silver, I agree with you. No, I do not think less of people who have HIV/Aids. It's not part of my thinking when I am with someone,a friend,love someone who is HIV positive. Do I protect myself? Absolutely, but for other reasons as well. Our schools are teaching our children about sex education and how to protect themselves, but the emphasis is on teen pregnancy and general STDs. My daughter had no idea what HIV/Aids was until I had to explain it to her as I had to be tested last summer. It was a bit of a crisis moment so the children were aware something was going on with mommy. (I stopped at the scene of an accident and performed CPR and got covered in blood and broken glass while trying to stop the blood flow from a gash in the arm of this poor woman who hit a moose on the highway. Now I carry a first aid kit with rubber accessories in order to be able to do CPR safely) Anyway, its our responsibility as parents to suck it up and explain to our children why and try to keep it non-confrontational. I tell my daughter I don't want her having sex, but I will not leave her unprotected to face the situation if it does come up by educating her.
ReplyDeleteI did not realise either it was World Aids Day, but I can assure you it's part of my thoughts, prayers and actions today as it will be the rest of the year.
Good for you for doing what you did back in High School, as we grow, our focus shifts sometimes. Doesn't mean we are any less concerned, or passionate about the cause. Just gives us a kick in the ass to get moving again towards the main objective-Support and love those infected and eradicate this monster before someone elses loved one is struck.
Gros Bisou,
Cyn
Love you my friend. Thank you for making me think once again about someone else and what I can do to contribute to the world around me. I agree, the only reason it should matter to me that someone has AIDS is because that means they might need my prayers and some help.
ReplyDeleteNope would not think less of anyone would still think they are HOT!! I don't have the same outlook I guess. You can still hug and kiss peeps with AIDS and not get it. Some people are just right down stupid.
ReplyDeleteGreat post hon. I couldn't agree with you more!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Silver doll,
ReplyDeleteOf course, My life and experience have found me face to face w/ people living w/ HIV and AIDS. Thankfully after a random event that found me worried about the potential outcome, I was blessed with a negative result. Facts are though, it did give me time to reflect on the sorrow, horror, lonliness, and general despair that that kind of diagnosis would represent. I'd always wondered, if I'm this progressive and smart then why in the world would a person choose to keep thier status quiet, and not seek out support and help. Facing the possiblity that I could become one of those "statistics" reminded me, that as far as I thought I'd come, the world is still an ignorant place, and people (especially gay men, I'm sad to say) with a positive status, are treated as though they should be exhiled to an island. As I pondered what I realized could be more terrifying than death, the unknown, I realized my responsiblity to my community and the people around me is to educate. I hope I never forget how it felt for those weeks, waiting on that result. The only way we can change the world, is to leave people behind who are more tolerant, more educated, and love each other without fear.
Keep up the fight.