Boi Growing Up

First, let me tell you that this is the first movie to ever make me cry when I was younger. I only dropped one tear at the time (I was a tough guy), but it still counts. Second, if you haven’t seen this movie, I highly suggest you do. There is one overarching theme present throughout, but it also contains a lot of other issues that invoke deep thought and realization.

But the movie is not my topic of writing tonight. HIV is.

Or rather, since this is a blog about observing society from the perspective of a barely adult “boy growing up”, the apparent acceptance/prejudice/discrimination/ignorance of it.

I was, as most people start out, a very ignorant child. I lost my virginity at a young age. …very young age. I have had a lot of unprotected and protected sex. I knew nothing of HIV/AIDS. For all my intelligence in math and science, I was oblivious to a disease that’s been an epidemic for an extended period of time, before I was even born, that has led to a multitude of deaths. Honestly I didn’t know too much about the other STDs either, but I have a clean record thanks to a lot of luck and I play it safer now because I’m older and smarter. Sex Ed. wasn’t as in-depth as it is now for my younger brothers in high school now. For example, I knew nothing of the actual existence of female condoms until I was 22 years old, but I could tell you where the penis goes at least.

I just turned 24.

Ok. I know. The last sentence in the previous paragraph wasn’t that funny. Ignore my flawed attempt at humor.

Eventually, I became knowledgeable of the disease and it scared me a lot. I was terrified of sex for a short while. Tell me though, is this not the average response the disease? Fear and/or total avoidance? It’s like “What, this can kill me? Get it away” or “You have the virus? Don’t even breathe on me.” The initial fear before 100% understanding leads to an alienation of others. Like the disease defines all a person is and nothing else. Friends and even family shun the person because of it. They withdraw as if the very air around them is contaminated and one wrong inhalation or being in the path of a misplaced sneeze means infection. I was even afraid of it, but I am thankful I never had to deal with another person that I knew had it until I was much more mature.

That’s a bit like homosexuality, but that’s another post for another day.

Or maybe they immediately assume it’s their fault. I believe this to be on the sides of both wrong and right. Some people are indeed reckless, while some had no control. Drug users who share needles, those with frequently different unsafe sex partners, those who have the knowledge and ignore the risks, I can’t, in good conscience, say it’s not their fault. On the other hand, I wouldn’t say they deserved it either. What about the rape victims, those born with it, the medical errors? While no one should be judged due to the disease, they should be even further exempt from it. Their contraction is not of their own doing, but they are also welcomed by the prejudice and rejection. I apologize if you disagree with that. I am sometimes unintentionally biased towards one side.

And why do people assume just because a guy has HIV that they are gay? Ummm straight guys get it just as easily. Although I found it interested it said there have been no documented female contraction from another female while being theoretically possible. Go lesbians!!!

…bad humor again.

I don’t know. I think as I look around at the world, people being mean to other people for unjustifiable reasons upsets me more than anything. It’s just wrong. So long as the person takes steps to make sure they aren’t recklessly or intentionally spreading the virus, there’s no rationalization for making them feel less than a normal human being. We all have some issues of our own. How would you feel if every person you knew judged you on that one insignificant thing about you as if that was all you were?

I do notice I’m about to crossover into a bigger topic here.

I refer you to a previous post on issues and life. click here

Til next time. Get tested. Stay frosty.

p.s. I found an interesting advantage about circumcised guys and was giddy to finally have something over uncircumcised guys lol. Probably too much info, but it’s my damn blog lol. Sorry.

Just a few stats for you:

• The virus is received from contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids.
• You can get it through ANY sexual contact (oral, vaginal, anal)
• 1 in 4 new HIV infections are between the ages 13 and 24
• 1 in 6 people with the disease are unaware

….oh and the movie is called Life Support released in 2007. It’s starring one of my 2 favorite actresses, Queen Latifah.