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News & ArtsTuesday, August 31, 2010
Sex I Wouldn't Call That A "Missed Connection"
Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 12:45 PM
It sounds like someone connected with something:
I'm going to pretend—to stave off despair—that some poor custodian swept a discretely used condom up off the floor after Lady Gaga's concert in Minneapolis.
And a general note to my fellow faggots: You've heard the news, right?
The weak economy is crippling the government program that provides life-sustaining antiretroviral drugs to people with H.I.V. or AIDS who cannot afford them. Nearly 1,800 have been relegated to rapidly expanding waiting lists that less than three years ago had dwindled to zero. As with other safety-net programs, ballooning demand caused by persistent unemployment and loss of health insurance is being met with reductions in government resources.
The feds found a little bit of money to help close the gap—but just barely and only for now. But let's not fool ourselves: the government is broke and a lot of things we thought we could count on—five day school weeks, paved roads, federally subsidized AIDS meds—are on the chopping block. So we should probably stop factoring free-AIDS-meds-for-life in to our personal risk algorithms when we're making decisions about who we allow to "breed" our asses and how we allow 'em to be "bred."
Bonus safer-sex tip: Avoid anal sex with strangers who use the expression "breed you/breed your ass" and you'll significantly lower your risk of acquiring HIV.
2
Posts like this go up all the time... "Hey we had anonymous sex... but I didn't get your number. or name. but yeah let's go out sometime!"
5
@1 Exactly.
Plenty of countries give away totally free meds to anyone with HIV/AIDS. It's cheaper in the long run, and it's better for their health which translates into lower transmission rates and therefore such policy is better for society.
This whole meme of characterizing certain people's motives reminds of that irritating group of people who whine about so-called "anchor-babies". There is no reliable way to ascertain motives without doing a study.
Plenty of countries give away totally free meds to anyone with HIV/AIDS. It's cheaper in the long run, and it's better for their health which translates into lower transmission rates and therefore such policy is better for society.
This whole meme of characterizing certain people's motives reminds of that irritating group of people who whine about so-called "anchor-babies". There is no reliable way to ascertain motives without doing a study.
8
@6 Some studies have shown that undetectable viral load (due to taking one's meds) can lower the risk of transmission to others.
9
"breed you/breed your ass" may be, however, my favorite words to hear from the ol' boy friend......
12
@6 Studies show meds can cause the virus (apparently) to go dormant reducing partners' risk significantly. Some studies show no transmission rate at all after enough meds and time.
Also people receiving meds become known to The System and they can then receive services to reduce further risky behaviors. This often includes counseling to address why risky behaviors are occuring.
Also people receiving meds become known to The System and they can then receive services to reduce further risky behaviors. This often includes counseling to address why risky behaviors are occuring.
14
Now that we have near-universal guarantee of coverage, if we think the American people aren't going to go nuclear when the Religious Right starts spreading the word that fags are still, consciously, having unprotected sex and then expecting taxpayers to foot the bill for their $100K-a-year treatment and medications...
This is the next great PR volley waiting to issue forth from the Jesus Freaks, only they'll actually have a point. Unless the Queer Community cleans up its act, that crusade is not going to be pretty.
This is the next great PR volley waiting to issue forth from the Jesus Freaks, only they'll actually have a point. Unless the Queer Community cleans up its act, that crusade is not going to be pretty.
15
Well, I guess they'd better go nuclear (or is it nucular?) that straight people are still doing it too, right? Hasn't it been the case for quite some time that the fastest growing group of people sero-converting has been women of color, presumably from heterosexual transmission? Something like that.
16
@12 while it's established that these drugs reduce viral load to beneath levels of detection, studies have failed to demonstrate this has any effect on transmission rates at the population level. viral load is only one component; the rest is behavioral. when people are kept alive / healthy longer, the opportunities for them to transmit HIV go up. also, when people believe there are little to no negative consequences for risky behavior, that risky behavior tends to increase.
there are other benefits to making these drugs readily available, and those have to do with keeping people alive and healthy longer, but reducing transmission doesn't appear to be one of the perks.
there are other benefits to making these drugs readily available, and those have to do with keeping people alive and healthy longer, but reducing transmission doesn't appear to be one of the perks.
17
@16 Not disagreeing with you exactly, but transmission do go down in certain poulations. Your point of no negative consequesnces is a good one. The negative consequences of contraction are well known by now ("You can get AIDS!") but knowledge s never enough.
Plenty of people know not to smoke but do any way.
Here's some plain talk:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37367084/
Plenty of people know not to smoke but do any way.
Here's some plain talk:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37367084/
19
You'll significantly reduce your risk of not being able to look at yourself in the mirror afterward, too.
22
The drugs reduce transmission from mother to fetus, so a baby can be born HIV-free even if the mother is positive. Hospitals in the US use drug therapy and Caesarians to get the transmission rate down to almost 0%.
The drugs cause viral loads to drop in the blood, but the testes and a few other body parts shelter the virus from the drugs, so they remain alive there. Also, the virus adapts to the drugs and flares-up from time to time quite unexpectantly. Of course, the right drug regimen will reduce transmission, but I'm sure we're not supposed to rely on that in any way.
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/
The drugs cause viral loads to drop in the blood, but the testes and a few other body parts shelter the virus from the drugs, so they remain alive there. Also, the virus adapts to the drugs and flares-up from time to time quite unexpectantly. Of course, the right drug regimen will reduce transmission, but I'm sure we're not supposed to rely on that in any way.
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/
23
Discreet: "Respectful of privacy or secrecy; quiet; diplomatic; Not drawing attention, anger or challenge; inconspicuous."
Discrete: "Separate; distinct; individual; Non-continuous."
DIFFERENCE, PEOPLE.
Discrete: "Separate; distinct; individual; Non-continuous."
DIFFERENCE, PEOPLE.
24
If there was buttsex at the Lady Gaga concert last night, I want it known that it was in St. Paul, not Minneapolis.
St. Paul. The Xcel Energy Center. The same place where Sarah Palin made her debut 2 years ago.
St. Paul. The Xcel Energy Center. The same place where Sarah Palin made her debut 2 years ago.
25
@23: Thank you. I'm kind of surprised how many people mistakenly use "discrete" considering most of the discussions in which I've seen it used correctly were on math. You'd think people would just default to "discreet" since it's a much more common word. Oh well.
26
How do you "discretely" buttfuck ANYONE at a concert? Or more to the point, how can anyone be "discretely" buttfucked at a concert? (Let alone on the main floor.)
Maybe Dan's comment about "someone connected with something" is more truth than comment!
Maybe Dan's comment about "someone connected with something" is more truth than comment!
28
When I first read the ad it sounded like the poster was claiming that he buttfucked Lady Gaga.
...that's about all I have to contribute to this post. Carry on.
...that's about all I have to contribute to this post. Carry on.
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