World AIDS Day and You

by: denniscmcgrath

Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 08:33:22 AM EST

If you, as a straight, progressive person, want to to do ONE SIMPLE THING to destigmatize AIDS, it is to get tested.

By your family physician. At the expense of your insurance company.

BECAUSE AIDS is a disease, not a marker for affectional orientation. To discriminate against you receiving the test because you appear to be straight (Oh, why do you need that, sez kindly Dr. Welby) or to discriinate against you because you DID take the test (we haven't got the whole good hand for you, Mr. Health Insurance Consumer, but here's one finger!) is, one the one hand,  short-sighted and discriminatory, and on the other, short-sighted and illegal.

Assuming we both follow same sex guidelines, your chances of contracting AIDS are no great than mine. But assuming you don't need to be tested because you're straight, or than you needn't risk the warath of your insurer because you're straight, is palpable nonsense.

Of course, it IS a well-known fact that sometimes, some straight married men never engage in nooners with members of any and all sexes without using condoms, so being married and straight is proof you can't get AIDS, right?

Until we all are free ...