I AM REAGAN GOMEZ. YESTERDAY WAS WORLD AIDS DAY. HIV/AIDS IS THE #1 KILLER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LATINA WOMEN IN MY AGE GROUP. PLEASE GET TESTED,YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.
Today is World Aids Day. And don’t trip, these are questions on my mind all of the time. But today, we should all focus on the issue. Being a Black/Puerto Rican woman myself, the statistics boggle the mind; AIDS IS THE #1 KILLER OF BLACK AND LATINO WOMEN AGES 16-35. Here. In America.
Um, and we’re worried about the Swine Flu?? So, let’s get a little deeper with it. My people, I love us. But if there was ever a time to fuss over something…shouldn’t this be on the top of this list. Don Imus, anytime anyone says something, even kind of racist, we want to fuss. So, do we only fight the “racism” issue? Is THAT our ONLY problem? Why has there been no major outcry about the numbers? The lives? Do we not value our women?? I’m talking about us. Not the media, not CNN, Not Fox News…we know they don’t give a damn.
Now, we all know the state of Health Care in this country. Why, are these statistics not talked about in the debate? Does the rate of black and brown women dying from HIV/AIDS have anything to do with lack of good HealthCare?? Or, no Health Care at all? Of course!! But, that’s not being discussed in the debate. Why? I think we know why. But, WE are to blame for this as well. If HIV/AIDS were the number #1 killer of White women in this country…oh how loud the national out cry would be. But it starts with the people. If we don’t put up a fuss about our own, why should anyone else care? It’s kind of like the drug war. Folks didn’t really start caring until crack showed up in their house. With their son or daughter. But at this point, does skin color still matter? Should it matter when you talk about HIV/AIDS and death?
Now, this isn’t the 80’s. People with the disease are living, and thriving. None of us could point out an infected person in a crowd. And we shouldn’t. People infected with HIV/AIDS, aren’t “THOSE PEOPLE”. And maybe that’s the problem. We think of HIV/AIDS as an African problem. When the numbers here, in our own country are horrific. They’re us. Yes. They’re our moms, sisters, brothers, uncles, daughters, and sons. They are YOU and ME.
So this brings me to my next question. Why is the disease still spreading like it’s 1983? Like we don’t know it’s out there? Like we don’t know the dangers of unprotected sex? What more can we do? Or is it up to each individual family? Each individual household? Well, we see how far that’s gotten us.
Education. Education. Education.
Something tells me, if Sarah Palin’s daughter would’ve gotten pregnant, and HIV, her thoughts on teaching safe sex practices in school, might’ve changed. Adults are one thing. We know better. But I do believe in Safe Sex classes in school. But folks say, that’s going to make them want to go out and have sex. And to that I say; what were you doing as a teen? I know what I was doing, and thank God we knew about condoms.
So let’s not be so judgmental. It’s about saving lives. Possibly saving your daughter or son’s life. Kids are going to do what they want to do. Just like we did. It’s a part of growing up. You make mistakes, and you learn from them. The least we can do is try to make sure their mistakes, don’t affect the rest of their lives. Educate yourself and others.
God Bless,
Reagan
