Nearly two-thirds of gay men who know they have AIDS have sex without condoms: CDC report

[happyg]

[mountaineer]

That's a shame.   

[Atomic Cow]

Without going into the morality debate, there was a time when HIV/AIDS cases were dropping rapidly because most people were using condoms.

The question is, what changed to cause such a sudden reversal?  The only thing I can assume is that it is because HIV isn't an automatic death sentence anymore, at least not quickly thanks to the anti-viral drugs, that people are willing to take greater risks.

[EC]

That's a shame.   

Yes. It is.

August 19th, 1988, our eldest daughter died from complications arising from pneumonia. 4 years earlier she needed a blood transfusion. Just one of your typical bits of kids stuff - stepped on a chunk of broken glass on the beach and bled badly. She'd have probably been fine without it, but the docs decided to give her a pint as a precaution.

Then - hey, suddenly she got sick. Didn't have clue bleep one what was going on - HIV wasn't even on the radar back then. It was a scary thing to learn. Got back from the funeral - wife didn't go, she adored Louise - and found that every single picture of Louise missing and a pile of ash in the fireplace. To this day, my missus will never refer to her or mention her name.

These scum bleep can bleep off and die painfully. I mean, if they KNOW they have it and still have unprotected sex or give blood, they should be treated as what they are. Murderers.

[Chieftain]

yah...and syphilis cases are exploding again as well....

[alicewonders]

I have a few gay friends and I have my own personal theory as to why this is happening.  There are local organizations that collect money and pay a victim's rent, utilities and all kinds of things for them.  They don't have to work for a living and they get a lot of sympathy.  They get their medications paid for and like you said its not a death sentence anymore. It's almost like some kind of badge of honor.