Of course, sexual health educators should still teach everyone to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS. But researchers have created an interactive online “HIV/AIDS Atlas,” which shows how only one-fifth of America’s counties make up 80 percent of the cases. It’s sometimes hard to make public health topics “interesting” and “cool,” but a map does a good job of it! Keep reading »
Okay, so I know pimps usually aren’t the nicest of guys. But in China, where there are now more than four million young female sex workers, some are resorting to a nasty trick—they’re telling their prostitutes that they’re giving them a shot to protect them from HIV and other STDs. Obviously, no such shot exists—they want their women to be more open to sex sans condoms. As a result, sex has overtaken intravenous drug use as the number cause of HIV dissemination in China. Although the Chinese government is trying its best to educate sex workers, in such a large country with so many women, this is nearly an impossible task. All I can say is: evil. Keep reading »
An estimated 26 percent of the population of Swaziland in Africa is HIV positive. But instead of instilling fear with grim AIDS campaigns, the Population Services International charity has introduced a new technique for raising awareness: The “love test.” (Check out the clip above.)
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An article on CNN yesterday turned me on to Zimababwe native Betty Makoni, CNN hero of the week. She is a teacher, a volunteer, and the executive director of her organization, Girl Child Network (GCN), which boasts 30,000 members in Zimbabwe alone. She was also raped when she was 6 years old.
Check out this ad for MTV’s Staying Alive global HIV and AIDS prevention campaign. What better way to visually represent how people’s past sexual partners stay with them forever and become entangled than with name-shaped pubic hair! [Copyranter] Keep reading »
Swaziland parliament member Timothy Myeni recently had a lightbulb zinger of an idea to solve his country’s HIV/AIDS problem. He wanted to brand all HIV-positive people on the butt(ox), so that people could physically check their partners to make sure they’re clean before getting down with them. We get that this idea was well-intentioned, but seriously? Branding people. Like cattle? Thank lordy Myeni came to his senses. At a news conference today, he said, “I’m very sorry. If you need me to show a sign of how sorry I am, I’m ready.”
Myeni, we forgive you. But, really, how did this ever sound like an idea people would actually get behind? (Behind, hehe.) Myeni, if you’re out there, next time you’re proposing an idea, why don’t you think about how you’d like to be on the receiving end of it. No one likes being the butt of a joke. Okay, I’ll stop now. Keep reading »
Remembering to take birth control pills every day at the same time can be a hassle. Buying condoms adds another thing to our pages-long to-do list. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were an effective birth control and STD-preventative in one? Dr. Brij Saxena, a reproductive biology and endocrinology professor at the Weill Cornell Medical College, has developed a vaginal ring that may prevent sexually transmitted HIV and unintended pregnancy because it releases several types of non-hormonal agents and microbicides. The device has proven to prevent HIV infection in laboratory trials, Saxena said, and it could give women the power to protect themselves effectively and conveniently from an unintended pregnancy and HIV, if future clinical trials are successful. Keep reading »
Yeah, too bad it’s just The Empire State Building — unless you’re into that sorta thing like this woman. But it was all for a good cause. The pop star was chosen to light up the city skyline to commemorate the 24th Annual AIDS Walk New York. [NYC, 5/14/09] Keep reading »
It takes a lot for us to be excited by clothes designed by celebs (we blame you, Jessica Simpson), but we could really get behind, not to mention inside, any one of these tees designed to raise money for HIV/AIDS prevention projects. H&M and Designers Against AIDS asked a bunch of celebs we love, like Dita Von Tees, Yoko Ono and Estelle, to create T-shirts for the second annual Fashion Against AIDS Collection. Twenty-five percent of the profits on each tee sold will go to charities that help curb the spread of HIV.
And, of course, you’ll spread the safe sex message by wearing one. Cyndi Lauper’s tee reads, “Girls Just Want To Have Safe Sex,” and Estelle’s says “Life Is Too Short — Have Safe Sex.” Even Yoko Ono chimed with an “Imagine Peace” tee, which doesn’t have anything to do with safe sex, really, but what the hell, she’s Yoko Ono. The tees go on sale in 1,000 stores at H&Ms in 30 countries and at DesignersAgainstAIDSShop.com on May 28. [Designers Against AIDS] Keep reading »
