Do you really know the status of your partner?

Homosexuality has been linked to AIDS for as long as AIDS has been linked to African-Americans. The virus is increasing in the African-American community. According to a research done in five major US cities, 46% of African-American men who had sexual intercourse with other men were found with the virus (HIV). African-American women are also affected by the virus. African-American men who are homosexual are scared to come out of the closet due to the antigay bias and are therefore pressure into sleeping with females.

At their annual AIDS meeting, the national black leaders of NAACP decided to take a new approach on the issue. This new plan is not to only target AIDS, but to deal with other issues that are associated with the disease, for example homosexuality, sex behind jail walls, and drug use. At the conference, the leaders talked about AIDS being a “black disease”, but few blacks disagreed with that idea or mentality. Cathy Cohen, a African Americana professor, at the University of Chicago, has been studying the effects of AIDS in the black community. According to Cohen, the stigma that AIDS is only a black disease, gives more fault to politicians and government officials to blame African-Americans for the disease. There hasbeen more medical facilities lately to help accomodate those who live with the disease. AIDS is not just a disease geared towards a specific race so it should be looked at as a world wide issue. AIDS should be treated as any other chronic disease like cancer. Many people tend to sweep the topic under the rug and not face the facts. Last year, Hip-Hop artist Kayne West would break that silence and bring about a change in the community. He touched on a subject that many tried to avoid. Through his efforts, he helped educate and save thousands of peoples lives.

Keeping things in prospective, we have to ask ourselves, what is really important? Is it legal to keep such vital information from someone? I think that the government should consider some type of legislation. Something that states it is illegal to keep your diagnosis from someone if he or she asks. It should also be illegal to keep your status from someone if you know you are HIV positive or have contracted the disease regardless if he or she asks. Just as measures were taken for alcohol, drug and tobacco prohibition, certain measures should be taken to prevent the spread of AIDS through ignorance.