I've spent all day writing about shagging. I've got four entire magazines to get produced - from scratch - in 11 days (well, 10 days left now). I'm doing mornings, which anyone who knows me - or reads this blog regularly - will realise is not my idea of fun. And I'm finishing work in the early hours (still got a load of stuff to do and it's 2am) However, I've taken the time out to write about STIs because it's World AIDS Day today and the wonderful people at World AIDS Day Think and Link have asked people who care about the issues to write about it, add links and all that kind of stuff.
I've already mentioned my vested interest before in this blog but I'll reiterate it. I saw a friend of my mother's die of AIDS when I was 13. Seeing Roger fade froma vibrant man to a skeleton in a year, was terrifying - and the image stuck with me enough to practice safe sex. I'm an evangelist about safer sex because I've seen what can happen if you don't practice it.
Another friend - aged 17 - got herpes from her first sexual encounter. She had regular attacks and I believed her when she told me how much they hurt, and messed with her life.
STIs are a fact of life. Sadly, it's a fact that's getting bigger every day because people aren't wearing condoms. This is stupid. Why? Read about all the diseases you can catch and you'll find out. Do you want pus-covered, warty, cracked, itchy, seeping and generally manky bits? Do you want to have to take medication every day or avoid sexual contact entirely because you've got a herpes flare-up? A condom is easy enough to use. So use one. Or more than one, if you get really lucky. Get tested regularly. Inform yourself about STIs - there are loads of resources out there - try Scarleteen (yep, it's for teens but the advice is brilliant) for a start.
Donate money, time or help to Crusaid or the Terrence Higgins Trust. Find out more about AIDs from UNAIDS.org. Have a fundraiser, buy a red ribbon and most importantly, use a condom and practice safer sex. The old line 'Don't die of ignorance' is as true today as it was back in the eighties when there were all the ads on TV. Sex is ace. STIs less so. Look after yourself and your partners and help quell the rise in STIs that we're currently experiencing.
Posted by emilyd at December 01, 2002 02:12 AM