Fact versus fiction. Myth versus truth. When faced with an unknown epidemic that causes certain death, it’s easy to fall victim to misinformation and unsubstantiated opinions. That was the atmosphere within our country during the early years of AIDS. Friends and lovers were dying all around us, decimating the gay communities within large cities but also infecting our small towns and heartland. Educating those who were engaged in unsafe sex became the mission and one of the strategies in arresting the spread of this horrific affliction.
The stigma of the disease was creating such misery among those who were infected. People were thrown out of their apartments and home situations by family and friends. Terrified they would become infected with AIDS, there was so much fear and ignorance displayed. If it wasn’t for the loving care and self-sacrifice of volunteers and better educated healthcare workers, we could have gone many years further with this epidemic.
Condoms were handed out literally everywhere, and clinics were set up to offer HIV testing. Slowly the death rates dwindled, and eventually experimental drugs were introduced to be not only useful but effective in slowing the spread of HIV. People volunteered to be test subjects for these experimental drugs that had not gone through FDA certification and clinical trials. They were truly brave volunteers who had really nothing to lose. The inevitable result would’ve been death in any case.
Years later, it was no longer a death sentence, but a manageable condition. Today we have many options for protecting against and treating HIV as well as other sexually transmitted diseases. It was on the shoulders of these early volunteers who bravely submitted to the experimental drugs that eventually proved effective. The alternative to waiting for the drug trials to be certified and approved was to wait for death. There were no viable choices.
Back to the subject of U=U!
This is not a math equation…but it does add up to some exciting news! Undetectable equals Untransmittable is what this means! If you are HIV positive and taking PrEP or another Antiretroviral drug for at least six months and are regularly tested….you may have undetectable virus load levels. Undetectable means you cannot transmit the virus, making you, in effect, HIV negative. You are safe from transmitting to your partner. Should you continue to use a condom? Well, there are many STD’s and communicable diseases still out there. Better to be safe than sorry. But what a game changer from where we started!
Accuracy in HIV tests is very high…like 99%. The chances of a false positive are 1 in 250,000. We have relied on testing and screening for years for a number of diseases. Usually, you have to go to the doctor’s office or a clinic, but with the availability of home testing kits, it becomes much more convenient and private.
Peace of mind is a gift you can give yourself by being vigilant with your health status. Enjoying a healthy sex life knowing you are playing safe with your partner gives a whole new layer of pleasure to the experience. Contrast this with the dread and anxiety we felt during the years that AIDS cast a shadow over intimacy. Today we are much safer and more informed.
Check out the DC Beings site www.getcheckeddc.org or order online testing kits to stay updated on your current health status.
Also check out https://sexualbeing.org/get-treated/uequalsu/ for more info on U=U.
David Shelton
Freelance graphic artist and sign designer. 66-year-old retiree who lives in Arizona with his husband, Tom.
I have also been a cartoonist, comedian, and have created articles in publications throughout the United States. My focus in retirement is primarily health, fitness, and laughter content.
I create my content based on my own life experiences.
