[RightAsRain]

Page 6 is a mess...I spoke too soon 😑

[J a y]

Originally posted by MaRy

i never heard anyone blaming black people because hiv originated from africa, makes no sense, it's like blaming the bubbonic plague on idk russia because it started there

it was blamed on the gays not on blacks

Gays and blacks are evenly discriminated against. You may not have heard about the stigma, but I have. The story that a black person ****ed a monkey has long been one that I've heard for many years, it's only those that don't consider the history of HIV that reference the statistics of the virus being more common among gays.

It is also proven that there's members in this thread that are surprised to find out that HIV is more common among black people than white people (disregarding sexuality).

I have HIV, I attend HIV meetings very often. I don't just read the statistics online.

I talk to/about, assist people, educate and research HIV on a daily basis because it concerns me.

[Adonis]

Originally posted by J a y

No, not eating "food". Hunting animals with the HIV virus. Didn't think I would need to highlight that the virus can be contracted via cuts, not just by those that ate chimps and monkeys.

No wonder there's so much ignorance about HIV.

I know everyone can catch HIV from blood transfer. I just associate the hunting part of it with eating not cuts and bruises...because people have been hunting animals since forever and HIV according to what I've read can be a quickly mutating virus.

Secondly, HIV is only traced back to 1920 as you say...

[Ace Reject]

Originally posted by Phoenixstar

"Once you go black, you never go back" make sense now

Were the three points worth it?

They were for me!

[MaRy]

Originally posted by J a y

Gays and blacks are evenly discriminated against. You may not have heard about the stigma, but I have. The story that a black person ****ed a monkey has long been one that I've heard for many years, it's only those that don't consider the history of HIV that reference the statistics of the virus being more common among gays.

It is also proven that there's members in this thread that are surprised to find out that HIV is more common among black people than white people (disregarding sexuality).

I have HIV, I attend HIV meetings very often. I don't just read the statistics online.

I talk to, assist, educate and research HIV on a daily basis because it concerns me.

OMG sis sorry... well hats off to you for speaking about it so openly

[RightAsRain]

Originally posted by Ace Reject

Were the three points worth it?

They were for me!

Hahaha warn ha!

Also maybe I'm wrong but from what I've read, black people in the states don't have the most hiv positive indidviduals just the highest rate when you take into account their percentage in the general population.But with raw numbers white males still have the most infected?!

[Allie]

Literally every adult knows how to use a condom, it's common knowledge. They accept the risks of unprotected sex more often than other races, so they suffer the consequences I guess.

[abrahamjmr]

Originally posted by J a y

Gays and blacks are evenly discriminated against. You may not have heard about the stigma, but I have. The story that a black person ****ed a monkey has long been one that I've heard for many years, it's only those that don't consider the history of HIV that reference the statistics of the virus being more common among gays.

It is also proven that there's members in this thread that are surprised to find out that HIV is more common among black people than white people (disregarding sexuality).

I have HIV, I attend HIV meetings very often. I don't just read the statistics online.

I talk to/about, assist people, educate and research HIV on a daily basis because it concerns me.

You are a great human being.

I hope the stigma and the ignorance surrounding HIV will end soon. People need to be educated about topics like this instead of arguing about whose pageant from a beauty contest is better or arguing about chart positions.

Once again, you're great and I am glad you have spoken so openly about the subject. I also learned a lot because I am still in love with a person who has it and hopefully we can get our **** together and get back together and as long as I'm alive, I'll educate people about it.

[J a y]

Originally posted by MaRy

OMG sis sorry... well hats off to you for speaking about it so openly

I do live in southeast London.

It's the most populated area of black people in the UK, so maybe that's why I've heard of more black HIV cases?

Don't be sorry, I've only posted twice about it in fear of people judging me.

[Sunshine.]

I mean as "offensive" as it might appear, if you see someone who resembles you on those kinds of ads, you're more likely to stop and think twice. Now if it's always white males, you're more likely to brush it off as "their" problem or white gay problems.

If these "racist" ads are the only way to get black men to speak about HIV in their circles, then I say go for it.
We're afraid of being "stigmatized", but what's more stigmatizing than the reality that black men carry HIV at disproportional rates?

[RightAsRain]

Originally posted by Allie

Literally every adult knows how to use a condom, it's common knowledge. They accept the risks of unprotected sex more often than other races, so they suffer the consequences I guess.

Mess!! Of course a Katy "hope you hang yourself with your h&m scarf " perry fan would be this ignorant and tactless!

[Swag]

This still open?

[EdgeOfAddiction]

Could be a multitude of reasons but a couple are:
-Can't afford protection/PrEP
-Carelessness
-Puropsely infect by sexual acts as "sleuthing"
-Fear of getting tested
-No accessibility to testing facilities
Etc

[Haunter]

Originally posted by Allie

Literally every adult knows how to use a condom, it's common knowledge. They accept the risks of unprotected sex more often than other races, so they suffer the consequences I guess.

Or they lack the education.

[Sunshine.]

Originally posted by J a y

The 'family tree' has been storied back to 1920 in Congo, and is factually the most common place for diverse HIV strains. If you then take into account migrants and sex trade, you'll see why by 1960 that the 'B' subtype of HIV-1 had been noted to have reached Haiti. This is where the racial stigma and discrimination stems from, and why they're 'blamed' for the outbreak.

Ugh. I didn't know this. I remember my first time trying to give blood and they asked about my history. And while I don't have HIV, because my family is from Congo, they said there were strains there that they couldn't yet test for. So they couldn't accept my blood.

And I'm thinking.... how do you know it exists if you can't test for it? And why are we just going to assume I have an un-testable strain when I had lived all 16 years of my life HIV free? At the time it felt like discrimination. I vowed I would never give blood if they were going to make me feel like ****. And this resolution was further strengthened when I realized I was gay and that gays couldn't give blood. What kinda double prejudice?

But now...it makes a little more sense. Still feels like discrimination though.

I mean, I just try to think about the bigger picture. It's about reducing the rates of transmission, not my feelings.

[Allie]

Originally posted by borntodiethisway

Or they lack the education.

I live in a first world country. I've never met someone who didn't know what a condom was. Have you?

[Espresso]

Everything's already been covered here.

Stigma in the community preventing those from turning to resources that are lacking for that community to begin with and stopping short awareness of the problems.

And yes, it's now been PROVEN by researchers back in the early 2000s that HIV is traced back to central Africa in ~1908.

Not conspiracies, but facts. Look it up. FACTS.

[Haunter]

Originally posted by Allie

I live in a first world country. I've never met someone who didn't know what a condom was. Have you?

It's not that easy.

[Dessy Fenix]

Originally posted by MaRy

why you post this? nobody ever blamed blacks for HIV

You'd be surprised. Even the less racists refer to a "screwing monkeys" thing as an excuse for HIV.

[kishi]

Most African American gay men deal with these obstacles...

A) coming from a community that's centered around religion, where they openly discriminate and disown based on sexual orientation, this can cause shame and depression. There's stigma around being openly gay and there's stigma around seeking mental health counseling, many engage in risky behaviors instead (condomless sex, escorting, alcohol, drug use).

B) America itself is a nation dealing with obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc. and the rates in African Americans are higher due to lack of insurance, consistent care, and poor nutrition. Most minorities are already at a financial and socio-economic disadvantage.

C) Most sexual education doesn't cater to LGBTQ individuals. Most churches and parents don't speak to their children about sex or sexuality, but even if they do, they know NOTHING about gay sex. That alone increases their chances of having condomless sex or being sexually abused at a young age (which is also happening more and more).

D) There's a ton of misinformation surrounding HIV/AIDS, STDs, condoms, and contraceptives. While there are clinics that do testing and treatment for free or affordable prices (I work at one), it's not a priority and there's a lot of fear of getting a positive diagnosis. Many would rather not know.

E) The anus is extremely sensitive and susceptible to infection due to it's fragility.

Originally posted by Allie

I live in a first world country. I've never met someone who didn't know what a condom was. Have you?

All of the time. I deliver and give out condoms as part of my job. Many people don't know what they are, have never seen them, never used them, don't know how to use them, and don't want to use them. The argument people use is "I'm married" or "Condomless sex feels great".

Originally posted by RightAsRain

Also maybe I'm wrong but from what I've read, black people in the states don't have the most hiv positive indidviduals just the highest rate when you take into account their percentage in the general population.But with raw numbers white males still have the most infected?!

I'm not sure. At one point, white gay men had the highest numbers. But I believe straight black women were the #1 new infections for a while and they may have surpassed white gay men.