BlogHer - World AIDS Day 2008 - Comments

Thanks for this Denise

Tre - — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:18:23 -0600

Just to add...there's a phenomenal beautiful 'visual' prayer in Boston's South End...at the cyclorama....

http://www.medicinewheelproductions.org/MW2006.html

Exhibits like this to me help build a real recognition of the need for awareness building and community support...and help the individual wrap his / her arms around a lot of folks and the families impacted....you never know when a kind word or caring deed will hug another's heart struggling with this ....thanks for your post Denise...

Tre ~ http://thoughtbythought.net

Me too MochaDad

Denise — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:30:59 -0600

HIV and how it effecting black women has been particularly troubling to me. The Hispanic community is seeing similar things happen there as well.

HIV/AIDS should not be the biggest cause of death for any demographic. It just shouldn't be. It can be prevented, we know how to prevent it. It's not like Cancer where we still don't have definitive answers to prevent it.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

It's tough for a lot of us

Denise — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:29:08 -0600

If you're monogamous, you're safe... except you might not be because people are often less monogamous than they think (or their partners are less so...) There are an awful lot of people in the world who think though this couldn't touch them, but it has. (Not you, specifically - the royal you as in the royal we. But still, you just never know.)

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

fear of the disease and of sex = complacency

Denise — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:26:46 -0600

I'm with you, 100%.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

World AIDS Day

mochadad — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:47:49 -0600

As an African American, I am troubled by the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is our community. AIDS is the number one killer of African American women. We must keep awareness high and encourage people to get tested.

Mocha Dad

www.mochadad.com

Teens

Vered — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:50:20 -0600

You're right. I sometimes feel like while this is a huge problem for our society, it can't really touch me personally - my husband and I have been tested, we're in a monogamous relationship - but I have two daughters. They will be teenagers in a few years. Plus, as a former divorce attorney, I should know better than to assume all monogamous relationships are forever monogamous.

----

Yes, I'm a mommy blogger.

I manage my kids' activities using the UpToUs online groups for parents.

I've spent the majority of

cutiebootycakes — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:27:15 -0600

I've spent the majority of my professional life working in the field of HIV/AIDS. I vlogged about World AIDS Day today. I remain incensed about the level of complacency regarding this issue in the United States.
Cutie Booty Cakes

World AIDS Day 2008

Denise — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:32:10 -0600

I'm tired of blogging about World Aids Day. Every year, I put it on my "to be blogged" calendar and every year I do it. And every year I think to myself, "Next year, I'll have some good news about AIDS/HIV to blog about for World AIDS Day." And every year, I have no good news.

OK some good news, just not enough of it.

Early infant testing and treatment sees good results

Treatment as prevention?

This year's World AIDS Day theme is Facing AIDS. That is pretty much the problem, we as a society have still not faced AIDS head on.

Have you been tested? (Whether you think you need to be tested or not, GET tested please.)

Each year, an estimated 56,300 Americans are newly infected with HIV - in part because 25 percent of the more than one million Americans who are believed to be living with HIV don't even know they are infected.

Have you talked honestly with your friends and family members about HIV/AIDS? That includes teens and seniors, both groups are more at risk of contracting HIV than some of us want to think about.

If you remember the old days when I blogged Health & Wellness a couple of times a week, then you also remember that I am not a fan of buying products specifically to donate money to a "cause". I am vehemently opposed to all of the pink ribbon campaigns in October. I feel comfortable encouraging you to look at Product Red and consider whether or not any of these products are on your budget for the holidays. Gingersnap Latte from Starbucks, perhaps? Red iPod? A new pair of Chuck Taylors?

Join Bloggers Unite and tweet World AIDS Day using #WAD08 to tag your tweets. And of course you should visit other bloggers who are blogging WAD08. Blogs like RH Reality Check, Rantings by MM, Beauty in Real Life and The Muriels.

Update: After my morning trip to Starbucks, I found an email in my inbox reminding me that the Empire State Building will go red. (It will go yellow on the 3rd to honor The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Nice, right?)

Next year, I hope to have some better news to share.

~~Denise
Flamingo House Happenings