28
Feb
Amen Coketalk.
I know I blogged about this earlier but I thought of something else.
Limiting HIV prevention messaging to “use a condom” is problematic. Here’s why:
“Just use a condom” isn’t adequate or appropriate advice for everyone. There are many situations that someone may not have access to a condom, or feel comfortable or safe asking their partner to use a condom. This is where issues like HIV and unhealthy relationships intersect. Better advice is, “foster a better relationship, learn to communicate with your partner about sex and STIs, get tested regularly.” Or even “hey, if your right to have protected sex isn’t being respected, maybe you should reevaluate this relationship.”
What about women who don’t straight-identify? Or other gender non-binary people who are having sex with partners that identify across an entire spectrum of “genders” and sexualities currently evolving in young lgbtq subcultures, people who are having sex in ways that don’t necessarily involve a penis penetrating a vagina but are still dealing with a transmission of fluids? Risk-reduction techniques can be implemented in ways that don’t necessarily involve condom use, and that should be encouraged, too.
Being constantly aware of your HIV status and informing ALL of your sex partners of your status is the best way to protect yourself against HIV. Take responsibility for yourself and your own health, don’t just rely on someone else “being clean,” whether that person is a casual partner (as sort of suggested by this ad, I mean, no relationship is really suggested here, which leads the viewer to assume there isn’t one) or a partner of ten years!
Okay okay I’m done, I promise :)
-Meaghan
via thuggishruggishnone