I found out this morning that a friend of mine has been diagnosed with a horrible illness. As much as part of me wants to hug her, there is a part of me that wants to jump on a plane and fly to where she is just so that I can slap her upside her pretty little head and ask her what planet she’s been living on.
My friend is someone who has GID (Gender Identity Disorder) is living transgendered (as a woman) and has HIV.
There is a huge part of me that is so angry. Angry at the very existence of this disease, but even more angry that we know how it’s spread, we know how to stop the transmission of the virus and still we go off half cocked thinking that it’s something that only happens to other people.
HIV is not bigger than humanity; humanity can obliterate it from the face of the earth, but people? You HAVE TO follow the goddamned rules!
I know there are a plethora of people on the earth living with HIV. I know that it is entirely possible to have the HIV virus and never have it turn into the actual AIDS stage, but one would think, especially in a more advanced and highly civilized society that the numbers would decrease on a rapid scale instead of maintaining or increasing. This; this alone is the snapping point for me; this alone makes me crazy and makes me want to pull my hair out.
We know how to prevent it and still there are people out there who contribute to the survival of it. We know that it’s a horribly painful death and still there are people out there who are running the risk of contracting and what’s worse, spreading the virus. What the hell ever happened to an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure?
It’s long since past the time where humanity can claim ignorance. Sure once upon a time ago we could, we didn’t know what we know now, but we DO know now and so that theory/excuse is out the proverbial window.
Most drug addicts won’t take a knife and slit their own wrists, but are still stupid enough to share a needle. Most people wouldn’t inject themselves with Ebola, but they’ll sleep with a stranger without protection. I will never understand the logic of it.
Stop sleeping with people you don’t know and stop being too shy, too shameful or just too stupid to ask your partner to have an HIV test BEFORE you commit to an intimate relationship with them.
Stop making up excuses for not using a condom. Yes, yes it does deaden the sensation a bit, but a little sensation loss VS loss of life should be a no brainer!
And I don’t care what monkey is riding your back, if you are able enough to read this entry and know that you’ve been sharing needles to get high, cut it the fuck out already! There are plenty or resources available, such as needle exchange programs, that are out there and their only objective is to keep you safe and stop the transmission of this stupid, senseless virus!
And..and..and… for the love of all things holy and un…
TEACH YOUR CHILDREN SAFER SEX PRACTICES! Don’t leave that little ditty up to the school systems. Sit your ass down in front of the internet, go to a library, talk to a doctor or nurse and educate yourself so that you can educate your children.
A long, long time ago, in a different world, ignorance was bliss. Now ignorance is just stupidity by another name that could well lead to a death sentence.
WAKE UP!