Now, I normally don’t like to get up on a soap box, but I kind of feel the need to do so right now. This trip to the box will include a request, no, a plea, for everyone to get tested for HIV, and convince everyone they know to get tested. Now, I know what you are thinking, “this is nothing new to me, Duane, I have heard this all before”. Well, here is something that you need to hear then: In a recent study, it was found that anywhere between 35-50% (or more) of young men who are infected with HIV, don’t know it. In some groups, young men are testing positive at rates near or higher than 50%. That means that half of certain groups of young men are testing positive! And most didn’t know it! Think of those out there that have never been tested!!
Now think about this: I just said that anywhere from one third to one half of all young men that are testing, and coming up positive; didn’t know they were positive (of course, unfortunately, this is disproportionate on the African-American communities, but don’t let that think that it doesn’t effect us all). To me, that is more than a little scary, and it proves that the staple messages of “abstinence only” are not working on our nation’s youth. If you know someone that has never been tested, please urge them to get tested. If you haven’t been tested, please get tested. And if you have been tested, get tested again, and regularly, please. You could be saving your life, and the life of those you care about. Only we can do something about this, and we need to get back on track. Spread the word.
… climbing back down from the soap box… looks back and yells… get tested and wear condoms… they WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!