“I always use condoms, handsome. Except over my heart.” Today’s Puppet Service Announcement is brought to you by Avenue Q.
Ask us anything. No judgments.
“On World AIDS Day and every day, there is much to be done.” Alex Newell (“Unique” from Glee) on the importance of HIV testing and engaging young people in prevention: http://bit.ly/Vc1bGI.
Today is World AIDS Day. When was the last time you had an HIV test? Schedule yours today: http://bit.ly/Sx4Wbl.
It’s National Latino AIDS Awareness Day
HIV/AIDS is the 4th largest killer of Latin@s aged 35 to 44 in the United States. We need to work as a community to change this frightening statistic. Planned Parenthood provides HIV testing and education on HIV prevention. ¿Qué esperas? Find a Planned Parenthood health center near you.
If there was ever a time when you weren’t completely safe, you don’t need to freak out. You just need to get yourself tested. Find a health center.
Spit Safety
Someone asked us:
Can HIV or hepatitis be transferred via saliva? As in, making out, or oral sex (on a woman)? Also, can either be transferred via his semen, or precum?
HIV and Hepatitis B (the type of hepatitis that is most likely to be sexually transmitted) are both spread through blood, semen, and vaginal fluids. Hepatitis B can also be spread through urine. You can’t spread HIV or hepatitis through making out. The only way they could possibly be spread through oral sex is if you have an open sore in your mouth that vaginal fluid or semen could get into.
HIV and hepatitis can be spread through a guy’s semen. There’s some uncertainty about whether all sexually transmitted infections that are spread through semen can also be spread through pre-cum, but better safe than sorry — use a condom from the first moment you have genital-to-genital contact to reduce your risk.
-Alex at Planned Parenthood
The Body: 10 Common Fears about HIV Transmission
Ever heard you can get HIV from a toilet seat? Or from sharing a drink, or even eating in a restaurant? TheBody.com has this run-down of some of the most common myths about HIV transmission.
SPREADING THE WORD
July has been designated as National HIV Awareness Month. In partnership with the organizers of this initiative, we’ve created these posters to help get the word out. Our goal is to help end the spread of this disease, which still infects 50,000 Americans every year.
A new campaign from the Centers for Disease Control gives voice to Americans living with HIV and their loved ones. The campaign’s website, ActAgainstAIDS.org , has a bunch more posters and video stories from people living with HIV. Powerful and inspiring stuff! Hopefully, stories like these will help fight the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and get more people involved in ending the epidemic. We all have a role in fighting HIV and AIDS.
It’s National HIV Testing Day. While anyone can get HIV, as this infographic shows HIV and AIDS disproportionately affect African Americans. More needs to be done to reduce stigma, encourage testing, and increase access to health care and life-saving medications. All of us, working together, can save lives and stop the spread of this epidemic.
(infographic: visual.ly)
