Lies About AIDS

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

Two years ago I took a 'life management skills' (LMS) course in school. It was mandatory. The curriculum focused largely on sex and VDs. AIDS was a particular disease which was emphasized a little more that the others. The teacher made several ambiguous claims about AIDS.

I later went to research AIDS. Because people talk about AIDS a lot, and it's assumed by most people, including myself, that they know all the necessary knowledge about the disease, but I learned that there are still some lies about AIDS that people accept.

He made various doubtful assertions, as I said, which included the time he told us that AIDS was more easily and more commonly transmitted through anal sex because the HIV virus is only found in the blood and is passed through sex only when skin abrasions or wounds are present, and such open wounds occurred during anal sex more often. I looked this up, and sure enough he was being a big fucking liar.

I pretty much knew that he was bullshiting us when he told us that part. But the next lie I actually believed. He told us that condoms are nearly always useless against HIV, because HIV is a virus which easily passes through the small pores in a latex condom. I believe him. According to aids.org, however, condoms are 98% to 100% effective against HIV.

So don't believe your teachers, because they're homophobic, lying sons of *****es.

EDIT: now that I think about it, this might belong in Science & Environment, eh? I don't really care one way or the other, so move it if you want.

[SonofRage]

This is the first time I've ever heard these "lies." Maybe that teacher just sucks.

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

Maybe that teacher just sucks.

Clearly

[BuyOurEverything]

I remember the catholic church spreading that bullshit about condoms not being effective against AIDS a while back. Basically, you can't trust your teachers about anything, because the curriculum is made by politicians and thus, politically motivated. And there's not alot of class conscious politicians.

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

And there's not alto of class conscious politicians.

It's true that many are not class councious, but the ones that are class concious, still have the interests of the capitalist class in mind, no?

And what you said is very true. Don't trust those fuckers. How can they expect us to trust them if they lie like that?

[antieverything]

My senior year in high school we had a speaker come and speak to our school about abstinance. He also used the lie that HIV can pass through a condom. I, being the little asshole I am, called him on it and he got pretty pissed and just ignored me.

I've never heard that the anal sex thing is a myth...from what I've heard, it does result in more abrasion and bleeding. However, I don't really see how they could quantify the number of AIDS cases that result from it and couldn't extrapolate any pattern. It does have the ring of anti-gay propaganda, however, since the vast majority of gay sex is oral, not anal.

[Vinny Rafarino]

He made various doubtful assertions, as I said, which included the time he told us that AIDS was more easily and more commonly transmitted through anal sex because the HIV virus is only found in the blood and is passed through sex only when skin abrasions or wounds are present, and such open wounds occurred during anal sex more often. I looked this up, and sure enough he was being a big fucking liar.

I don't think you are looking at this objectively.

HIV can be transmitted by (in order of the amount of viral agents contained in each specific fluid)

Blood; contains the most viral agents
Semen
Vaginal secretions
Breast milk; lowest concentration of viral agents

As anal tissue can tear quite easily when natural dialation of the sphincter is not occurring (as when passing a stool) anal sex is indeed one of the most common ways to transmit HIV. It is inaccurate however to say that open wounds are the only way to transmit HIV; the virus can also be transmitted through the mucous membranes.

I pretty much knew that he was bullshiting us when he told us that part. But the next lie I actually believed. He told us that condoms are nearly always useless against HIV, because HIV is a virus which easily passes through the small pores in a latex condom. I believe him. According to aids.org, however, condoms are 98% to 100% effective against HIV.

You are correct about this, you teacher is full of shit.

The CDC reports;

Laboratory studies have demonstrated that latex condoms provide an essentially impermeable barrier to particles the size of STD pathogens.

I suggest you immediately inform your teacher of the facts. I'm sure he is not specifically trying to lie to anyone out of maliciousness, however a I agree that a person in his position that is ignorand to everyday common knowledge is completely irresponsible. He needs to be corrected immediately.

So don't believe your teachers, because they're homophobic, lying sons of *****es.

That's a bit much but if indeed your teacher dismisses you when you present him with the facts, I would suggest alerting your local media, or even file a lawsuit against the school board. Granted you won't win anything, unless you find an individual that can prove your teacher's words "damaged" them in some way, but at least you will bring attention to the issue.

EDIT: now that I think about it, this might belong in Science & Environment, eh? I don't really care one way or the other, so move it if you want.

Done.

[DaCuBaN]

I've never heard that the anal sex thing is a myth...from what I've heard, it does result in more abrasion and bleeding

It's not a myth, that's why. The condom thing is quite accurate as they aren't "recommended" for anal use, and one would assume with the greater abrasion there is an increased likelyhood of the condom failing.

I don't know the exact figures, but I think it's still a very small risk. Not to mention it's a field in which I am not especially well versed, so this is pure hypothesis.

[pandora]

My understanding, and I do not have the statistics currently, some of the statistics I heard were a bit fantastic, was that the fastest growing HIV-infected community was women, from vaginal sex.

That it was much more likely for a woman to catch the virus from vaginal sex than a male, 5-6x more easy.

Perhaps for males the liklihood of HIV transmission goes down with vaginal sex, because it's not their body being entered ! A small consideration to the Christian Right I'm sure.

The fantastic figures I heard was that high incidence HIV-transmission to women in New York City could make it the leading cause of death by disease for young women between 20-40, but I am unsure if this is true.

Definately this coupled with hepatis C which is also more easily passed to the female through sex than to the male is reaching epidemic proportions in New York.

Fuck the Right use condoms. Women's vaginas are also susceptible to bacteria on the male penis that with repeative exposure can literally attack the cervix leaving it as my Planned Parenthood working friend explained, "looking like swiss cheese"

hmm that's interesting, so not only is the Right taking away a women's right to chose, access to free and affordable healthcare, and advocating against condoms that limit the spread of disease, but they are also encouraging "Young Wives" who are having sex in "marriage" to leave their cervixes open to infection that can cause serious health implements including cervical cancer.

Maybe they're just jealous because we live longer and wish to devise a revenge strategy.

I love it when women activists chant "Shame, shame, shame" at Archbishops when they appear and advocate such drivel, they should be ashamed.

PS. If you marry your spouse as a homosexual and saved yourself for that marriage your blessed in the "EEEYess off the LOOORD, eh? :P "
Maybe I'll marry one of my friends for the fuck of it, the whole marriage thing ticks me off.

[themessiah]

panda:

you don't actually, I mean really think that married couples should be using condomes, do you? a condome in marriage? thats like a seven string guitar. why the fuck? a good cleaning out of the instruments prior to (prior means before, right?) sex should prohibit any attacks to the cervix now shouldn't it.

my view on marriage in capitalism may be in agreement with yours. a marriage means only, legally, the sharing of property. meaningless. its supposed to be about, um, love, isn't it? not money? and houses and horses and castles and knights and peasants. and towers and wizards and elfs and toadstools and witches and vampires and all that stuff. if you hear what I'm saying. hear what I'm saying?

nobody should get ticked off at what you claim to be ticked off at. a life long commitment to another person. why would anybody be ticked off at such a thing? and by the way, its not a thing. (here we go). a thing is an object. marriage is a relation. like cup is to table. marriage is not a cup or a table. marriage is the part of that sentence that says "is to". you should just as justly be opposed to any relation. mother and daughter. cousins. uncles and nephews. grandparents and grandchildren. but then again, none of these exist without the institution of marriage.

what about that RELATION actually ticks you off?

[Invader Zim]

The simple solution to test whether condoms have holes which can allow spem through is too pour water into the condom. If the condom leaks water then you have proven that sperm can get through, if it doesnt then your teacher is a complete fool.

Water molecules are far far far smaller than sprim cells, so if your teacher is incorrect then condoms wont leak water.

Try it out some time, I can guarantee your teacher is a liar.

BTW, that exact same dodgy argument is used by the catholic church, in its bullshit campain against contraception.

[themessiah]

so if the catholic church uses an argument its no good?

are you talking to me or pandora?

which argument?

[Invader Zim]

Originally posted by themessiah@May 24 2004, 07:33 PM
so if the catholic church uses an argument its no good?

are you talking to me or pandora?

which argument?

No the Catholic church is using it, but it is no good.

[DaCuBaN]

what about that RELATION actually ticks you off?

it's the sectarian attitude of relations that piss me off - Socialism is fundamentally looking after all in society - treating everyone as if they are your family. The idea of the family unit should be debunked for the gross phallacy it is.

themessiah:

The simple solution to test whether condoms have holes which can allow spem through is too pour water into the condom. If the condom leaks water then you have proven that sperm can get through, if it doesnt then your teacher is a complete fool

This is (one of) the arguments the catholic church uses against contraception. They say you shouldn't use it because it might not work. Isn't that rather silly?

I cannot argue with their point about it being 'wrong in the eyes of god'. They of course see that kind of thing far better than I can

A little heads up for you though, this attitude can be partially attributed to a text in the bible

After God killed Er, Judah tells Onan to "go in unto they brother's wife." But "Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and ... when he went in unto his brother's wife ... he spilled it on the ground.... And the thing which he did displeased the Lord; wherefore he slew him also."

[themessiah]

using the term catholics is a very broad grouping. they do comprise the single largest world religion, don't they?

as such, the pope's ruling isn't necessarily the be all and the end all. and when it comes to aids, the strict catholic rule of no pre marital sex prevents it. condomes are sort of a mute point when it comes to this official rule. you find me ten catholics and I think something like seven or eight of them have premarital sex or have had it. so calling ALL catholics what you people call them is in itself as bigoted as you claim that religion to be. which it isn't.

[Soul Rebel]

Just a correction- not all condoms work the same to protect people. What i mean is that their level of safety is different. Although latex condoms are great for protecting against HIV/AIDS, lamb skin do not. Because they are from an animal, they are more porous and so bodily fluids can go through, causing someone to contract the HIV/AIDS virus as well as other STDS. So, if your teacher was talking about lamb skin condoms he was correct, but if he was talking about everything else, he really shouldnt be a sex ed teacher.

Addressing the wearing condoms in marriage- yes it should be done! In any relationship people should wear them. You are never 100% sure that your partner is taking part in sex only with you. If they are not, you dont know what they could possibly bring home to you. If you dont think that its a necessity, try telling that to the many people who contracted it from their husband or wife, while they were married. A perfect example is my friend who contracted HIV after she was married. Her husband did who knows what and brought the virus home to her. Now she has been living with HIV for 11 years and her husband is already dead.

Edit- forgot to mention something about protection during anal sex. For anal sex, you are to use TWO condoms with a lot of lubricant, so it moves in easier and smoothly, not causing so much tear. Finally, if you decide to move on to vaginal sex (given that you are in a heterosexual relationship or even lesbian relationship) change the condoms!!! Do not jump from anal to vaginal without changing the condoms. You end up spreading bacteria into the vagina causing bacterial vaginosis and other infections.

[Colombia]

What a weird conversation.The people are just trying to help you from getting the disease.I'm sure that they would be the least of your concerns if you contracted the STD.

[Saint-Just]

He made various doubtful assertions, as I said, which included the time he told us that AIDS was more easily and more commonly transmitted through anal sex because the HIV virus is only found in the blood and is passed through sex only when skin abrasions or wounds are present, and such open wounds occurred during anal sex more often. I looked this up, and sure enough he was being a big fucking liar.

I have heard a number of ideas regarding this. One is that someone is more likely to have the skin broken in anal sex since the inner walls of the anus are less astrictive than the vagina. Also, there is the idea that homosexuals often had sex without condoms and so AIDS was more easily spread, and also the idea that they were more likely to have sex with multiple partners. I don't know if these things are true, but regardless it does not matter because it is not the fault of homosexuals that the AIDS virus exists.

I pretty much knew that he was bullshiting us when he told us that part. But the next lie I actually believed. He told us that condoms are nearly always useless against HIV, because HIV is a virus which easily passes through the small pores in a latex condom. I believe him. According to aids.org, however, condoms are 98% to 100% effective against HIV.

I think that Condoms are effective against AIDS. Although I think that it is possible for germs to pass through the lates. I work in a hospital and we wear latex gloves much of the time and we still have to disinfect our hands as we are told that things can pass through the small holes in the latex. Nevertheless, I don't think people who have AIDS shouldn't be having sex anyway; I think i'll be branded as a Nazi for that.

AIDS is synonomous with poverty, depravation and a lack of education. So, it is obvious how to get rid of it. In Africa there are many people with AIDS because there are men and women who sleep with many people without a second thought. In Russia alone there are over 1 million with the virus and this is because of the use of dirty needles for drugs and because of prostitutes.

[Soul Rebel]

don't know if these things are true, but regardless it does not matter because it is not the fault of homosexuals that the AIDS virus exists.

Youre right. The disease exists from eating the meat of infected monkies, where the disease originally was found. In the 1950's there were i believe 2 cases of HIV/AIDS in Congo and turns out that it was contracted from the strain that is found in monkies.

Because nobody knew it was existing in the human body or did not know what it was at the time when it was already spreading like wildfire (late 70's, early 80's) there was no way to stop it. One thing was sure though- that it was spread through sex and that there was a common link- a french piolet who had slept with many american men from the west to east coast. This man was listed as a sexual partner by thousands when the disease first hit, which is one of the reasons that many thought it was a "gay disease" (GRID), alongside peoples' homophobia.

Nevertheless, I don't think people who have AIDS shouldn't be having sex anyway; I think i'll be branded as a Nazi for that.

And why is that?

People with HIV/AIDS should be "allowed" to express their sexuality and take part in sex just like everyone else. Even though they have the virus, they are still at risk just like everyone else. There is the possiblity that they can get re-infected with a different strain (example- if they have HIV 1 from the us or europe they may contract HIV 2 which is found in certain parts of africa and india). Just because they have HIV it does not mean that they must spend the rest of their lives without fulfilling their desires or expressing their sexuality with others. Its just another thing that they need to worry about (like pregnancy, other STDs, stigma). As long as they tell the person they are with and use the proper protection there is no reason they should not be having sex.

Honestly, its comments like those (that they shouldnt have sex) that add to the stigma felt by HIV/AIDS patients. Its those comments that make the disease so hard for them, not just the physical side.

AIDS is synonomous with poverty, depravation

This is only true to an extent.

HIV/AIDS cuts across all boundries. If you look at the stats white college age womyn, who tend to be more priviledged than minority womyn, are contracting AIDS at the highest rates.

However, those dying from it most are the black and hispanic womyn, in which its one of the leading cause of death for both groups, because they do not have the money for the drugs. Because they do not have the drugs they are dying at higher rates which makes it seem as though they are contracting it more than most.

and a lack of education.

This is very true for all groups. Lack of SEX education leads to this. Rather than teach about protection so-called educators teach abstinence only. This only has one result: sending people into the world and leading them into a long painful eventual death. It teachs them nothing. We need to arm people, which means teaching them what is out there, how to get it, how to use it. Protection should also be provided freely.

In Africa there are many people with AIDS because there are men and women who sleep with many people without a second thought.

Very, very untrue. Its not that they dont give it a second thought. Their high rates of HIV/AIDS has to do with rape and myths. For one, womyn in Africa really dont have a choice as to who they sleep with, so they really cant say no or yes. If a man has HIV, well too bad for the woman because there is nothing she can do about it. Second, there is the myth that sleeping with a virgin will cure one of the disease, which leads back to rape because womyn and children are the targets, and to lack of education. It is these things, among other specific ones, that lead to high rates in Africa, not their very sexuality.

[Rasta Sapian]

there is a solution to stop the spreading of the aids virus!

test everyone, most people that are HIV positive do not know it (played out players) so test everyone, quarantine the effected people (just like a computer virus) and let them fuck each other to death!

sorry to sound synical, but this would solve the epidemic, and the sacrificed few would be benifiting the masses.

p.s. if i found out i had aids, i would go willingly, as long as there were free drugs and HBO

peace yall