In observance of World AIDS Day earlier this week on December 1st, people from cities all over the globe came out to show their support for the ongoing battle against AIDS. A lighthouse in Umhlanga, A city on the coast of North West Africa covered it’s signature lighthouse with a giant canvas condom. Both Paris and Buenos Aries covered their Obelisks in enormous prophylactics and Chennai flew a gigantic condom shaped banner over the city’s busiest roads. In addition the the giant condoms that appeared on every continent, people all over the world wore red clothing and ribbons to show their support. Despite the efforts of millions, many people did not ever realize the significance of December 1st in the fight against AIDS. In many regions sex and sexually transmitted diseases are still taboo subjects that are not discussed among the community. Lubbock, Texas is an example of a place like that. Lubbock still has abstinence only policy when teaching sex ed to high school students. AIDS is by far the most destructive pandemic seen in history, making it much more dangerous than breast cancer, but everyone seems to be on the “pink” bandwagon. Boobies and pink are easier to think about and face than a deadly sexually transmitted disease. People with breast cancer are considered heroes while sufferers of HIV are highly discriminated against. I don’t understand this. People with breast cancer have sex too. Some even share needles. Why is it easier to sport a pink support ribbon than a red one?

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The good news is that even though Lubbock County has seen the diagnosed cases of HIV triple this year, worldwide, there has been new HIV infections have dropped 17 percent. More good news is that people living with HIV has increased and AIDS deaths have decreased due to antiretroviral drug therapy. This means that we are getting better a fighting the devastating effects of the disease and our prevention efforts are working. Lubbock is another story. If Lubbock would stop looking the other way and actually teach kids to use condoms rather than abstain, we might actually be moving in a positive direction like the rest of the world. With all of the sex on TV and other media that kids are exposed to, it’s a pipe dream to think that most of them will wait for marriage. Our society is becoming more open and accepting toward sex whether Lubbock likes it or not. Until a cure for AIDS is discovered it is crucial to do all we can to educate people into doing what they can to prevent the spread of the disease. HIV is a highly virulent pathogen. The main reason it is so dangerous is because the virus allows it’s host to live for a very long time and without even knowing that he or she has become infected. Infections like Hantavirus and Ebola on the other hand, produce symptoms and kill their hosts very rapidly. It is easier to stop these disease via quarantines and treatments since they are so easy to spot. If we can continue to to drag down the numbers of people becoming infected with HIV each year there is hope that we can stop this disease as well.

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