"Dear Mom, I have AIDS," is not table talk and it is definitely not a conversation that anyone wants to have. Although it happens, on a daily basis those words come out of people's mouths. Along with those words comes pain, embarrassment, and sadness. It is time to make a change. AIDS can affect anyone of any age, background, social status, and financial status. It is a disease that eats you from the inside out and tricks your body into thinking that you are the enemy. AIDS can be caught a number of ways, but the most common way that AIDS is contracted is through sexual intercourse. We have to realize that even though sex is good, it is not worth risking our lives for. So stay protected, because I promise you AIDS medication is more expensive than a box of condoms.
The thing that people who are not in the AIDS community have failed to realize is that AIDS victims range across any spectrum. A person with AIDS is not just a person who goes around sleeping with a lot of people, nor a person who identifies as a homosexual, nor is it a person who has a drug problem. A person with AIDS can be a child who was born to a mother that was raped. It could be a woman who was faithful to her husband, but her husband was not faithful to her. It could be a person that contracted it while saving a life.
I live in Atlanta, it is not any different than any other big city on the map. Atlanta has a growing music scene and a lot of people move here with big aspirations and determination to make their dreams come true. Atlanta is full of hopefuls trying to make it in this world. The city has numerous institutions of learning, museums, fashion houses, and clubs, but Atlanta is also home to one of the fastest populations of people infected with HIV. It is said that 1 out of 51 people in Georgia will become infected. HIV is known as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. More than 70% of people affected by HIV develop AIDS within three years. AIDS is known as the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, it attacks your immune system. It is possible to live years without knowing that you have contracted HIV and or AIDS. Although, the sooner you know the better your chances are of living. I know that it can be scary having a disease like AIDS or HIV. It is a disease that can take over your life. Nevertheless, if you have contracted it, it is illegal to not tell your sexual partner that you have it. The truth is that it is scary to love someone and if you have the disease and you tell them, they might run away. Although, if you love someone, sometimes you have to let them go. And if they decide to leave, they are not worth your time. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is easy to prevent with the use of contraceptives. Also, even though the disease is not treatable yet, there is ongoing research to try and help individuals live full lives. If you are affected, please tell the person that you love so they can protect themselves. Also, use a condom.
Not living with HIV/AIDS is one less thing to worry about, but it is very easy to change that status in a matter of thirty seconds or less. Be aware of your surroundings and trust your significant other. Do not ignore the signs of infidelity, distress, or drug problems. It is okay to love someone with this disease, because they are not their disease, they are a person. Remember to use a condom, to wear gloves and cover any open wounds on your skin when dealing with the fluid of another person. Also, remember to start taking a medication called PReP, which helps prevent HIV.
The reason that the HIV/AIDS Pandemic is growing is because of a lack of communication and trust within our society. We are always so quick to put labels on a disease and on a person, we never truly hear out their stories. Well- now more than ever is time to listen. It is time to put more money into research to finding a cure for a disease that takes the lives of its victims. There is no such thing as "asking for it" or "putting yourself in a position to catch it". It is a disease that can host anyone. Therefore, be careful. Ask questions. Stay protected. Seek treatment. Your life is golden, do not let it end too soon.
