redRibbons

a few months ago i wrote an entry about sex; it was one of the hardest entries i have done. this one is just as hard, i recently saw The Constant Gardener with a good friend of mine, the movie hit close to home. anyone who has ever encountered the conspiracy theory surrounding AIDS & africa. the movie deals with how pharmaceutical companies test their drugs; in other markets, in third world countries.

after meeting someone that didn't care about his sexual decisions or what they could cause, i re-took out my red AIDSribbon wearing it Everyday. how can a society act this way 25 years after we discovered this terminal illness, still label it as a gay disease--it NO longer is; rate of hetero women and men has skyrocketed. ignorance is bliss, people shy away from getting tested Every6 months, because symptoms can start anytime-Years after exposure. if you think you're invisible, reality is you'reNot.

this week is special to me for many reasons, it marks a decade since i started testing for hiv. i never miss the month.. it's same thing Everytime i have sex with someone one new. realizing after breaking it off with my summerfling who had Not been tested in Almost a year- how few people Actually care about their sexual health. when i wrote that i am on a dating sabbatical i am. it's not just the ribbon; it's how strongly i feel; seeing The Constant Gardener re-wired how i feel about sex, pharmaceutical companies& how blatantly we treat other cultures.

love is not sex, when you make love to someone it's completely different from having sex; i'd rather wait. i have seen love upclose the last year-it last hours between the sheets; people that love you hold you close& never forget you. love is simple & beautiful--powerful& earth moving... just don't forget theCondom, std test & your annual hiv screen.