HIV/AIDS EXTRA CREDIT

Tuesday night's extra credit opportunity was an eye opening presentation that told the harsh reality of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in America. Guiding Right, a federally funded HIV education and prevention program
Gave a presentation on basic statistics, preventative measures and the social effects of this epidemic.
I was very interested in this topic simply because I had never received a seminar over the information. I had heard about HIV/AIDS but had never researched what the disease was comprised of.
The seminar began with shocking statistics that revealed that the HIV epidemic is reaching the United States. Every 9 ½ minutes, another person is infected with HIV. We discussed issues that dealt with how disproportionately the African American race is affected. Although African Americans only comprise 13% of the US population, over half of the HIV cases effect African Americans. This statistic shocked me, especially since the number of HIV cases are increasing everyday. Next, we discussed how HIV/AIDS is portrayed (or rather, not portrayed) in the mass media today. Several examples were taken that account for merely the story of someone infected with AIDS. However, they never told the back story of how the HIV virus was contracted. It is this reason that media should be held somewhat responsible for not spreading the word about this awful virus. We later discussed the repercussions of this deadly virus that is spreading silently through the youth of the US. It is imperative that we create more educational programs to inform others who may not know that this epidemic is spreading rapidly and can affect anyone for the rest of their life.
After this seminar, I have definitely been changed as a student. I feel that I have a bigger obligation to my peers to inform them about this epidemic and how they can protect themselves. Also, my political views have changed a bit. I am now a bigger proponent for sex education in public schools since I never had this safe sex education and therefore never knew about HIV/AIDS. I think it’s absolutely necessary that we teach kids about the possible problems that may arise after they become sexually active. Also, it gave me a call to arms to advocate informing everybody about how this disease does not just plague the African American race and that it is not the “gay white man’s disease”. This disease is a problem for everybody, not only those who are infected, but for those who care about them and wish to not spread this epidemic.