The incidence of HIV, now a major problem in the African American community. Those hardest hit are young black men between the ages of 15-22. Black in this age bracket are hit the most and the hardest because of several reasons, such as they feel that it is not important to use condoms, they have several partners, or because their partners are bisexual, etc. Many occurrences that are in women in this age bracket a

The one religion that is against talking about sex, drugs, alcohol, pregnancy, and the AIDS epidemic are Muslims. They are very much against sex before marriage and deem the disease as one that Allah sent down to destroy most of human kind for not waiting until they are married before pursuing sex. Condoms are only distributed to women of the Muslim faith, only as birth control measure. (NY Times 3)

From the very beginning it was something that is perceived as the white man’s disease. But attitudes are changing. In growing numbers, black religious leaders are speaking out, sometimes uncomfortably, teaching prevention for the healthy and the compassion for the stricken. They are transmitting from the pulpit, in the classroom and in private counseling sessions the messages of abstinence, monogamy, protection, including condoms, and avoidance of drugs.

Though people are now living longer than they once did with the HIV virus there is still a lot to be accomplished in fighting the war that is raging against young people everywhere. Not a lot has been accomplished since the war was first started. The most recent accomplishment, known by most people, is that Clorox, a common household product, can rid the body of the AIDS virus, but it can’t be drank because of the havoc that it will have on the body. It is also known that the drugs for the virus or the prevention of it spreading are very costly. It is very hard for people to keep a job and be HIV positive, especially if it is a known factor. It is a well known fact that there is job discrimination among people who are HIV positive or have full blown AIDS. (Jones 54)

Black women, who were/are infected, confessed the main reasons for not being tested frequently: they thought that their partner(s) were monogamous relationships, they didn’t like the feel of condoms/none were available, etc. Of the women who were tested nearly all stated that they were more afraid of becoming pregnant than they were of getting infected. It was stated, when HIV/AIDS was first discovered, they were more afraid than they are now. Since people are living longer with the disease, young adults are not as afraid now as they once were. (Alden 87)

The cycle does not have to repeat itself because it is a cycle that can be stopped by not going and doing what your parents did. Knowing that you can be different and not fall in the same traps that your parents fell into. By knowing what you want and what you don’t can help you to make a logical and rational decision. Being yourself is not a curse it is a special thing that only you have, use it wisely.

During a recent survey, in the above mention cities, it was recently discovered that BMSM were more prone to have intercourse with their partners and

Some topics in this essay:
NY Times, HIV/AIDS Compared, AIDS Jones, AIDS HIV, HIV AIDS, African American, American Community, Community Planning, Washington Alden, HIV/AIDS According, black women, people living, hiv positive, becoming infected, african american community, teenage pregnancy, low risk, spurned family, prevent spread, hardest hit, living hiv, community planning process,