My rhetoric professor, Jason Black, shared this with us last week and I think these are the kind of words that need to be heard not only at the '92 Republican National Convention, but at the gay clubs of 2010. You are not safe unless you make yourself safe. It is not the disease of "whores." Mary Fisher contracted the virus during her marriage from an unfaithful husband. Today being World AIDS Day, you have to ask yourself some real questions. Have you been practicing safe sex? Have you put yourself at risk? And most importantly, have you been tested? If the answers are not clear, it's high time you make them clear. I have been tested. I know that I'm negative. Do you? There seems to be a great fear among my peers of getting the test and I'm here to tell you there is more fear in not knowing and possibly putting others at risk than knowing and starting the fight as early as possible. With today's treatments, if you start the meds early enough, you can lead a healthy, normal life and contain the virus down to what is known as "untraceable" levels. In other words, they know you have it somewhere still in your body, but the tests are showing that you do not and the possibilty of spreading it to others becomes miniscule.

For testing, I recommend that you go to WAAO services here in Tuscaloosa. They test for no charge to you and the results are completely confidential. They give you a highly accurate mouth swab exam and you get the results in 20 minutes. If you screen positive, they will double-check it with a more stringent test. If you choose to go to the Public Health Dept. or the Student Health Center, they will be required to report you as positive if that's the case and the SHC will actually send a letter to your parents immediately without your consent. WAAO does so much good here in West Alabama and they want to help you. They offer the test for a reason. Keep the power in your hands. Get tested.


Over and Out,
CampusQueer