STD Singles

Myth #1

HIV and AIDS are the same thing.

Using HIV and AIDS interchangeably is like calling snow flurries a blizzard: You can contract HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) through the exchange of semen, vaginal fluid and blood, but it doesn't mean that you have AIDS. Doctors consider an HIV-positive person to have AIDS only after the virus has worn down her immune system so much that she's vulnerable to infections, such as pneumonia, that she could otherwise fight off. (For more basics, log on to aidsmeds.com.)

Myth #2

Knowing who's "on the DL" will save Black women from HIV.

Learning your partner's sexual and drug history is important. But the single most effective way to protect yourself is to use a condom every time. Precious Jackson, an AIDS education coordinator at Women Alive in Los Angeles, knows this firsthand. She got the virus while in a relationship with a straight man who didn't like condoms--and didn't know he had HIV. "Women must take their health into their own hands, regardless of whom they're with," she says. Fretting over whether you can trust a man is pointless, she counsels: "You can trust you."

Myth #3 women can't give men HIV.

It's true that it's much harder for men to get HIV from women: Men have fewer areas on the penis where the virus can enter the bloodstream--at the urethra (the opening of the tip) and through cuts or sores on the shaft. But if a partner has an untreated STD like syphilis or gonorrhea, which can break the skin, the risk of his contracting HIV or her passing it on greatly increases. This is troubling as some people don't show symptoms of STDs right away.

Myth #4 Only rich people like Magic Johnson can afford to be so healthy with HIM.

Deep pockets go a long way, but the federally funded Ryan White CARE Act has kept lower income folks alive via free programs administered by clinics and AIDS organizations. These offer everything from transportation to substance-abuse counseling to life-saving medicines. But Ryan White funds aren't unlimited. Activists say the government's appropriations haven't kept pace with rising infection rates and the number of folks living with HIV (rather than dying quickly of AIDS). "The money doesn't go as far as it used to," says Damon Dozier, spokesperson for the National Minority AIDS Council. "The CARE Act doesn't [provide] the funds to meet the needs of this emerging epidemic." To support fund-raising efforts, visit CampaignToEndAIDS.org and join the National Minority AIDS Council's listserve (nmac.org/public_policy).

Myth #5 Black churches aren't doing enough to fight AIDS.

Thanks to the efforts of organizations such as The Balm in Gilead, an international organization that educates Black clergy about HIV and AIDS issues, hundreds of African-American congregations have created AIDS ministries that provide a range of services including testing and counseling. To get your church involved, goto balmingilead.org.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY ZULAIKA JUMARALLI

COPYRIGHT 2005 Essence Communications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group