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Today is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. On this day, we must
take the time to educate our sisters, our daughters and ourselves on the importance of
knowing our HIV status.
March is Women' s History Month, and this month we recognize great women and the changes they have made in our society and across the world. Therefore, I ask that today we take the time to open up and discuss with our families and friends the importance of knowing their HIV status!
In 2011 we must educate all women about being responsible for their own sexual health. At the end of 2009 it was estimated that out of the 33.3 million adults worldwide living with HIV and AIDS, more than half are women.
Why are our numbers so high? We need to ask ourselves: Where did we drop the ball?
We also have to realize that it' s not too late to save our sisters.
The women who came before us fought for our rights in all areas of life so that we, as the new generation of Mothers and Daughters, could have equal opportunity. Remember when being a woman also meant being a part of a sisterhood? Why have we stopped protecting each other?
When it comes to the fight against HIV, we have sadly let the young women of today and ourselves down!
Most people believe AIDS is something only gay men have to worry, about but I am here to tell you that AIDS is something EVERYONE has to worry about. We have to stop thinking AIDS is a gay disease and start realizing it' s a people disease! The H in HIV stands for Human, meaning anyone who takes part in any unsafe sexual act with a person who they did not see HIV test results for can be at risk for contracting HIV.
72% of women contract HIV through heterosexual contact and we cannot continue to blame men who sleep with men. Yes, there may be a few who are not open and honest about their sexuality, but they play a very small factor in why women are contracting HIV/AIDS at such an alarming rate. We are to blame for our rising numbers! We do not demand an AIDS test after we catch our partners stepping out on us, and we don' t use condoms when we know we are having sex with a man who we share. Some of us who are on the pill do not see any reason to ask for a condom for a one-night stand with a man after meeting him at the club.
Middle class women are not immune to this behavior. They have to step up and ask if they are really being safe in their sexual activities. In most relationships we start out using condoms and then, after a while, once the trust factor comes in, we become comfortable so the condoms go away.
We think that because he is a suit and tie kind of a guy, he couldn't possibly have an STD or HIV. After a while, if that relationship doesn't work we take some time to ourselves, maybe a month or two or even a year, then we're at it all over again, never once going to take an HIV test while looking for Mr. Right!
We feel because we have a little more money than most and more "class" that HIV just isn't in our section of the world. Somehow our minds and our egos have told us that middle class is an elite group, while HIV didn't get that memo!
We have dropped the ball on reminding our daughters of their value. We are not helping them to see how powerful their voices are, especially when it comes to their bodies. We cannot address HIV without addressing low self-esteem.
Would a young girl with high self-esteem be able to be talked out of using a condom? Would a young girl with high self-esteem be willing to have sex with no strings attached?
In 2005, girls represented 43 percent of AIDS cases reported among people aged 13 to
19. We cannot ignore the numbers; our girls need help! As women, we need help!
Today, there are approximately 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S., including nearly 280,000 women. In 2008, there were 9,813 AIDS diagnoses among women. We have to address how we feel about ourselves when making sexual choices that could have a lifelong and lasting effect. We cannot be silent in our relationships on the topic of HIV/AIDS.
"I want to use a condom BUT I don' t want him to think I don' t trust him"; "I want an HIV test BUT I don' t want him to leave me." Whenever we follow with a BUT, we are questioning our own self-worth! We may as well be saying, "I want to protect myself, BUT I'm not worth protecting."
On this day, I ask you to get tested for HIV/AIDS. Knowing your status is power, and early HIV detection can be the difference between life and death. Talk about HIV/AIDS with your sexual partner because if you cannot have an open and honest discussion about it, what does that say about the value you hold for your life?
Also, use social networks for good; post random facts about HIV/AIDS. Every nine-and-a-half minutes a person contracts HIV - your post or tweet can change someone' s life!
For more information, go to hydeiabroadbent.com.
Comments: (15)
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By: ADMR on 3/10/2011 6:30AM
IMPORTANT REMINDER: AIDS...Kills
Hydea Is Not Gay, Nor Is/has Been Promicuous.
Stay Infomed & SAFE PEOPLE.
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By: Gichaya on 3/10/2011 5:05PM
No one is responsible for your safety but you. Get tested, use condoms, stop sleeping around with Trevon, Bobby, Quan and Bliff
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By: ADMR on 3/10/2011 5:23PM
What Obvious Reactions...Oh My! SEE
Once Again, Have A Safe One, GoOD PEOPLE!
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By: Justifyed on 3/10/2011 10:30PM
True, she was a product of a mother who had HIV/Aids when she born.
She could be bitter and angry with her mother, but she chose to use her struggle to empower herself and other people. I admire her spirit, and determination.
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By: Gichaya on 3/11/2011 5:05PM
ADMR my comment is aimed at women everywhere regardless of their race. This was not for Hydea. Calm yourself
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By: every one! on 3/10/2011 9:16AM
This day and everyday should be HIV/AIDS awareness day for every one!
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By: Chris Akes on 3/10/2011 9:30AM
It's WONDERFUL to read an article about AIDS that actually promotes prevention! That actually talks about condoms! Usually, whenever I read about dealing with AIDS in the African American community, it's always about how people need to get tested regularly, about how there's so much stigma that nobody wants to talk about it, about how the Black Church needs to get involved, etc. Condom use and other safe sex practices are hardly ever mentioned. Beyond getting tested, you would never know that a person could take action to protect herself/himself from HIV in the first place. The message should be: get PREVENTED from HIV/AIDS, not just tested! Hydeia Broadbent really needs to be commended for this sensible, no-nonsense article! Cheers to her!
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By: Gichaya on 3/11/2011 10:58AM
My sentiments exactly Chris. This is an article worth reading
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By: Greg on 3/10/2011 8:08PM
FYI....Black women are, and continue to be the highest "risk group" for HIV/AIDS in the US today for all races of women, and also "both" genders! Two, out of every three HIV/AIDS cases for all women are African American! The real problem is that BW still refuse to embrace safe sex practices like other races of women. And, are continuing to post "third world" numbers for HIV/AIDS, and also remain in a complete state of their usual denial trying to blame everybody else...but themselves! Also, if you look at the additional data elements from the CDC you'll see that in reality "50%" of all HIV/AIDS cases for BW are directly related to their continuing "IV Drug Usuage"! 50% of all BW that contract HIV/AIDS, and as a result die is directly attributed to IV Drug use! Also, because the overwhelming majority of BW still in spite of the clinical data refuse to practice safe sex, and continue to have the "highest"...no staggering statistics for the following STD's ..gonorrhea, syphilis, and clymidia for all other races of women in the US! In spite of what is said here the majority of BW will "never get tested!" That's, also why HIV/AIDS is at epidemic proportions in the African American community, and black people are only 13.5% of the US population with 51% of all reported HIV/AIDS cases!
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By: Justifyed on 3/10/2011 10:30PM
While we are in the car....let's go here!
It's because BM are screwing everything and each other. They are so busy trying to get their penises wet, they don't stop to think that they are killing themselves and others off.
Greg, I am surprised that as a gay man, you are yet blaming BW for the highest percentage based on unprotected sex, but you failed to mention who they are sleeping with...BLACK MEN.
'Among men diagnosed with AIDS in 2008, 52% of black/African American men, 63% of Hispanic/Latino men and 78% of white men became infected with HIV through male-to-male sexual contact. Among women diagnosed with AIDS in 2008, 77% of black/African American women, 75% of Hispanic/Latino women and 65% of white women became infected through heterosexual contact'
Greg that puts you in the double jeopardy category, a blk gay male. You may want to think about sleeping with a condom on.
So while the percentage of BW w/the disease is higher, they are sleeping with the BM who are sleeping with other men, and it is THOSE men who are bringing it into the house, and into the bed.
'Today, AIDS continues to directly affect thousands of gay and bisexual men and injecting drug users every year, but it has also become a serious problem among Black Americans and, more recently, among the Hispanic/Latino population. However, it is not necessarily individual behaviour, but rather a person's sexual network which determines an individual's HIV risk in America. Therefore, BLACK MALES are much more likely to be infected because of the high prevalence in this community and a tendency to choose racially similar partners as opposed to simply high-risk behaviour'
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