Monday, September 28, 1998
HIV can infect you, your friends, your neighbors, anyone
VIRUS: Youths should practice safe sex; no one is immune from
virus
Mary (the name has been changed) began seriously dating her
boyfriend as a sophomore in high school; they continued dating for
years. Completely in love, they discussed moving in together,
getting engaged and their future. Everyone thought that Mary’s
boyfriend was rare, that he was not the type to cheat. Then she
found out that he had cheated on her while they were both in
college.
There were no signs. She had no idea with how many people, but
she knew that it had been done. Suddenly, Mary was faced with the
idea that she might be have the human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV-positive). She had always used condoms with her boyfriend, but
she also knew that they were not 100 percent effective.
Mary traced back in her mind all the times she and her boyfriend
were together, and she found no signs that he had cheated because
he had always been so loving. Although Mary had been tested and
found herself HIV-negative, she was tested six months later and
continues to get tested today.
Although the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) does not
discriminate, it has disproportionately hit youth populations.
Youth populations have been hit hard partially due to the feeling
among community youths that they are not vulnerable to HIV. Many
hold to the idea that "it won’t happen to me." Many youths feel
that they are invincible and will never die, but this belief is
wrong and can turn into a cycle which could end in death. Research
supports this claim; the MTV/Yale media survey found that 87
percent of 12- to 24-year-olds do not believe that they are
vulnerable to the AIDS virus.
Since these youths do not believe that they have a chance of
being infected, they do not get tested and often do not use
condoms. This invincible belief is one of the major reasons for the
rise in youth HIV infections. So many youths learn about HIV and
AIDS in school – another example of youths’ denial to acknowledge
their own danger of infection, despite knowledge of HIV/AIDS.
Sixty-three percent of youths have talked about HIV/AIDS with
parents or adults. Yet, even with education and communication about
HIV/AIDS, young people still believe that they are untouchable and
consequently do not take precautions.
Such an attitude is detrimental to adolescents; reports indicate
that 46 percent of youths in grades 9 through 12 did not use a
condom the last time they had sexual intercourse. Almost half of
the high school students did not use a condom, which means that
they could be infecting or impregnating another person.
The incubation period of HIV/AIDS is thought to be 10 to 15
years for an average person. Imagine if a person becomes infected
with HIV when they are 20 years old. If they are like most youths
and do not believe that they can become infected, they will not get
tested. This same person continues to have unprotected sex,
possibly infecting many other people. Finally, they show symptoms
and find out they are HIV-positive, but because they have waited so
long, the virus is further along. By not getting tested earlier,
this person missed all the early treatments and may die sooner than
someone who knew earlier on. This situation is what is happening to
many youths in America today.
The AIDS epidemic is not over, although sometimes it appears
that way, especially when you watch the Magic Hour. Magic Johnson’s
viral load is so low that it’s undetectable, and he has been
HIV-positive for at least seven years. Although Magic is not the
average AIDS case, he is wealthy and can afford to get all of the
new treatments when they arrive on the market. Yet, he is one of
the many people in this country living happily and staying as
healthy as he can while dealing with his HIV status.
Many people believe that because of new treatments and new drugs
that we must gather our resources and put up our best front. Since
the first AIDS case was documented in 1981, the face of AIDS has
changed rapidly and completely. When AIDS was first diagnosed, it
was found in mostly white, gay men. This disease does not
discriminate. It sees no color, no race, no ethnicity, no class, no
nationality, no sexual orientation and no gender. It creeps and
crawls into the richest parts of society, such as Brentwood and
Bel-Air, but you will also find it in some of the darkest, poorest
parts of the country. No one is exempt from HIV’s grasp. No one is
safe.
Although AIDS does not discriminate, it does prey on the
weakness of some communities. When you are young, 30 is old to you,
and you feel like you are never going to die. But young people can
not afford to think this way any longer; AIDS is out there – it is
very real and very scary. By not using condoms, sexually active
individuals play a dangerous game with their lives, a game that
they may lose. Do not believe that you are not vulnerable to AIDS,
because you are.
Youths must take action on this matter. First, we must all use
condoms while engaging in sexual activity. You never know who your
partner has slept with in the past. Even though you may be in love
and even planning a wedding, protect yourself.
Mary used condoms with a man whom she thought she was going to
marry and spend the rest of her life with. She trusted him in every
way, but she knew that she had to protect her life.
Mary’s story is not told to demonstrate how horrible guys can
be; the situation could go either way. Her story shows how much we
can love and trust people but still never know if they are cheating
on us, male or female.
You should always protect yourself, no matter how in love you
are because it can always happen to you. Mary had an HIV test and
continues to be tested on a regular basis – as all youths should.
Testing positive is not necessarily the end of the road; early
treatments are available and many of them could help you live a
longer life.
Davis, a former White House AIDS Policy Office intern, is a
third-year history and political science student, and she is the
Muir College chair at the University of California at San
Diego.
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