Is the U.S. doing enough to keep us informed about AIDS & STDs?
Monday, July 27, 2009 at 04:00PM I recently visited Paradise Island(Nassau) Bahamas, and as I was touring the island, I came across this sign:
I thought to myself, oh my word, are they serious? Is that really necessary? I chuckled and turned to my friend in a look of astonishment. But then it hit me, AIDS is real, this is necessary. I began to think about the fact that there is an increasing number of Blacks who are being infected with STDs nationwide. I see posters in subway stations and on buses in Boston encouraging people to get tested. How far does this encouragement go? I feel like to most people it seems like a broken record but many of us aren’t getting tested.
Do black people feel like they are immune to STDs? Is this why we don’t protect ourselves? Do you ever feel like “it can’t happen to you?”
According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2005 Blacks made up 49% of HIV/AIDS cases. To my surprise, 69% of those who were under the age of 25 were also Black. These numbers are frightening and disturbing.
Should the U.S. use these blatant messages to aid in our fight with this epidemic? Should we provide our high school students with condoms in alignment with a new policy that is being explored in the Bahamas? What can we do as young , educated and black individuals to keep our people from being infected? These are several questions that I wish I had definite and concrete answers to.
Several people get infected with the Swine Flu and begin to wear masks, but millions of people continue to be infected with AIDS and people still don’t wear condoms.
Remember to protect ya tings..AIDS is real.
--Contributed by Dorice Moise, BBSN Founding Board Member
