Comments on: The Cost of Silence http://blog.aac.org/index.php/2008/01/14/the-cost-of-silence/ A Blog Devoted to Stopping the HIV/AIDS Epidemic Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:30:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: JT Jacoby http://blog.aac.org/index.php/2008/01/14/the-cost-of-silence/#comment-30515 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:26:38 +0000 http://blog.aac.org/index.php/2008/01/14/the-cost-of-silence/#comment-30515 The Spike In HIV - It's not a Secret or a Surprise! I agree with Denise to some extent of course; but from where I sit, party, play and relax...it's much bigger than that. Repatriating from Asia this summer and having lived in Europe, I've been part of gay culture, gay party culture, drag, ptown, going to church, "straight" stuff (I hate that term) - you name it. I've been all over Americana and the world - pick a global or US party city: been there done that. The culprit of the immense rise in HIV has been under out noses all of the time: American culture. Why is it that a Parisian or Madrileno does not think twice about a condom but an American is often almost afraid to "insult" by using one? I can assure you their libido is no different than ours. Ha! Try India or Brazil for some libido...and condoms (no public comment for me there...you'll have to make a leap of playful faith). It's our "American culture" of fitting in, looking like this, numbing our minds to the many messages of keeping up with the Jones. I'm too skinny, I'm too fat, I'm poor, my whatever is too small, I'm so ghetto. We are killing ourselves and the disintegration of the American male gay community is accelerating our own demise. #1 globally at 16"% of GPD for healthcare? ($23B federal only for HIV/AIDS alone!) THAT IS HUGE! It's not a healtchare issue. It's not a political issue. It's cultural and we never caught this. Americans, specifically unlike other cultures (because we do know better), reject self preservation/respect in favor of acclimation. It's no different than straight culture - we just happen to have an intimate disease that kills. The numbers are in and they don't lie - they tell a terrifying truth. It's time for us to come together again. I'll host the first chat. Will you join me? The Spike In HIV - It’s not a Secret or a Surprise!

I agree with Denise to some extent of course; but from where I sit, party, play and relax…it’s much bigger than that.

Repatriating from Asia this summer and having lived in Europe, I’ve been part of gay culture, gay party culture, drag, ptown, going to church, “straight” stuff (I hate that term) - you name it. I’ve been all over Americana and the world - pick a global or US party city: been there done that. The culprit of the immense rise in HIV has been under out noses all of the time: American culture. Why is it that a Parisian or Madrileno does not think twice about a condom but an American is often almost afraid to “insult” by using one? I can assure you their libido is no different than ours. Ha! Try India or Brazil for some libido…and condoms (no public comment for me there…you’ll have to make a leap of playful faith).

It’s our “American culture” of fitting in, looking like this, numbing our minds to the many messages of keeping up with the Jones. I’m too skinny, I’m too fat, I’m poor, my whatever is too small, I’m so ghetto. We are killing ourselves and the disintegration of the American male gay community is accelerating our own demise. #1 globally at 16″% of GPD for healthcare? ($23B federal only for HIV/AIDS alone!) THAT IS HUGE! It’s not a healtchare issue. It’s not a political issue.

It’s cultural and we never caught this. Americans, specifically unlike other cultures (because we do know better), reject self preservation/respect in favor of acclimation. It’s no different than straight culture - we just happen to have an intimate disease that kills. The numbers are in and they don’t lie - they tell a terrifying truth. It’s time for us to come together again. I’ll host the first chat. Will you join me?

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