Tuesday, 1 December 2015 - 2:01pm
1 December 2015 World AIDS Day
Last week, I was on the Texas State University campus with our extraordinary colleagues in the Student Affairs & Higher Education division. I was so proud to hear about their receipt of a $1.5 million grant for HIV testing for students and educational programming. I visit many campuses throughout the United States and hear very little about HIV & AIDS so it was great to see such proactive and positive support by the Bobcats in San Marcos.
This World AIDS Day, I am featuring the NATcampaign which challenges people to rethink outdated stereotypes, challenge myths and be positive about HIV, with its ‘Think Positive: Rethink HIV’ campaign. They are rallying a movement of people to tell the truth about HIV. From awareness-raising bake sales to sharing stats and info online; there are many ways you can get involvedere a few projects that will be running on Tuesday. I hope you will create your own and send me word about what you did.
KISSING BOOTH IN SOHO SQUARE
A Kissing Booth is a great way to spread the message ‘Kissing Doesn't Spread HIV. Ignorance Does’. NAT is running a kissing booth in Soho Square on World AIDS Day 1-3pm with Attitude Magazine and Sink The Pink.
RETHINK HIV ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Sharing the facts about HIV on social media is a great way to spread the Rethink HIV message. Below are a series of sample tweets you can share along with images and infographics.
SAMPLE TWEETS
"KISSING DOESN'T SPREAD HIV. IGNORANCE DOES."
#RETHINKHIV #WORLDAIDSDAY
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON TWITTER
1 DEC IS WORLD AIDS DAY. DID YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV WHO ARE ON EFFECTIVE TREATMENT CAN EXPECT A NORMAL LIFE EXPECTANCY #RETHINKHIV
"THANKS TO GREAT HIV TREATMENT IN THE UK ONLY 0.5% OF HIV POSITIVE MOTHERS PASS ON HIV TO THEIR CHILDREN." 
THERE ARE ONLY THREE WAYS TO GET HIV – UNPROTECTED SEX (95%), SHARING NEEDLES AND MOTHER-TO-CHILD TRANSMISSION
IF YOU ARE ON EFFECTIVE HIV TREATMENT YOU ARE NON-INFECTIOUS (85% OF ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE DIAGNOSED WITH HIV) #RETHINKHIV #WORLDAIDSDAY
On World AIDS Day in 2014, I shared with you that my brother, Patrick, died of complications from HIV in 1988. There were no effective treatments for HIV at that time. Our government, the medical profession, religious organizations and the media stigmatized them, spread myths about the disease and discriminated against them. We now understand the facts about that period of time but it is really tough to rewrite the fables that are part of our history.
We are committed to eradicating the lies and hurtful mythology of our history with all individuals and groups who have been systematically harmed by white supremacy. Today is a good day to do your part to mitigate harm that is created by misinformation about people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. What is the least you can do? Send out one of the Tweets provided. Have you been tested? I have. Take time to get tested. Do you know someone living with HIV & AIDS? Ask them about services on your campus and what needs to be improved and then help make that difference.
Thank you for being the amazing people you are.
Peace,
Cindi