I knew by his sexual behaviour he would probably get it, why do some gay men put them selves at risk like that they must know the dangers, I know its common to get it among hectrosexuals now but isnt it still mainly gay men that get it. I just wish all people would be careful, having sex with random strangers is so dodgy.
2006-11-09 00:55:21 · 20 answers · asked by charlie 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
I knew it would be taken that way, I know its not just a gay problem but I would be more cautious being gay, wouldnt you.
2006-11-09 01:01:56 · update #1
Why would you be more cautious if you were gay? HIV is a virus that does not know your sexual preference. You live under a common misconception that it does! If anything the majority of gay people that I have come across are more aware of the dangers of HIV than heterosexuals because like you they believe that HIV is a gay only illness, and it isn't! As for having random sex with strangers who are you to judge somebody Else's sex life, you can catch HIV even if you are in a long term relationship. Yes your friend may have taken stupid risks but now he is paying the price and has to live with that every day. Maybe you should spend less time in ignorance and more time in compassion. Your friend needs you don't let him down! Good Luck.
2006-11-10 00:02:27 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I understand exactly where you are coming from. I had a friend who also took just too many risks and it is all about what kind of risks a person takes. Read much of the other answers and I see that everyone thinks we need to be careful! However, when this person takes drugs /excessive alcholol and boosts about it next day...the keyword being: " Oh I was soo drunk/stoned last night I cannot remember what I did and who I ended up with." This is so stupid. He was surprised he got diagnosed with HIV, none of his friends were!
Yet we have a culture of showing off about the binge drinking and experimenting with drugs in the UK. How can you be in control, assess how safe this person they are with, and finally make sure they are having protective sex if they are soo off their heads. While this is not exclusive to the gay scene, I have to admit...it is clearly more wide spread.
A less known fact is that HIV is not easy to catch. Trust me, your friend would have very likely caught along the way much less serious STDs such as goneria, clamedia, crabs, and scabies before he would have picked up the HIV. Ask him and he will confirm that. These would have his warnings and while he had a chance to learn a lesson and recover by taking few anti-biotics pills, the last risk he took was the last straw...he will have a lifetime of taking treatment until a cure is discovered.
He has to change his habbits, he has to learn to be safe...my worry is that these habbits may not change or get worse as he tried to escape his reality... and this may become even worse, he would be out there putting other people at risk!
2006-11-09 18:23:16 · answer #2 · answered by Fadi S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A lot of people get HIV because they make poor decisions guided by emotion in the heat of the moment. For many who have a deep longing for love and attachement that goes unfulfilled their emotions to experience closeness can over-ride common sense and knowledge.
Some people do not properly acknowledge the risks involved with their behaviours, or see HIV infection as something that happens to 'other people', or to 'dirty people' - a dangerous way of thinking.
Others still are actually unaware of the risks of particular behaviours, or use inneffective methods of risk management such as judging whether someone is HIV+ by their appearance or social standing.
I have even heard people who actually believe that HIV is an issue for the past, or (with younger people, teenagers esp) that HIV is only a problem for older men.
Sex with strangers need not be to risky provided the risks of particular sexual acts are properly understood and managed, just does not always happen that way.
People are human and we all make mistakes, unfortunately some cost us dearly
2006-11-09 04:08:42 · answer #3 · answered by tysonian22 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I think there are sexual practices that are more risky, and it doesn't really matter if its gay or straight. Actually the fastest growing population of HIV positives is African and Asian heterosexuals, because of lack of education and treatment and a cultural bias to the means of protection necessary.
People my kids age in their early 20's have riskier behavior because the outright devastation of the 80's and early 90's isn't really something they think about because they were small children then. Those of us who went through that and watched our friends die are well aware of the risks. My kids have two "uncles" who have AIDS and we have had to weather their health issues all their lives now, so for our family there is a degree of education and awareness that their peers just don't have.
People are arrogant, we believe we can live forever when we are younger, or we go through life believing that it won't happen to us. I'm sorry for your friend, while its not the death sentence it was 15 years ago, his whole life will now focus on his status. It will effect every single thing he will do for the rest of his life. You have to wonder if that is worth a moments pleasure. Only he can answer that question.
2006-11-09 01:21:56 · answer #4 · answered by tjnstlouismo 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
yes gay men should be cautious, but so should everyone. worldwide heterosexual cases far outweigh gay cases, it's only in the US that gay men were the first to be hard hit by it. i'm sorry for your friend, i had the same experience, and i was very angry at my friend for being stupid. there's no reason for anyone to get hiv now, but the anger passed, the love remained and he's still my best friend........make sure your friend isn't still having unprotected sex and passing it on to even more people. he should disclose his status before any activity, in many states is criminaly libel to have unprotected sex when you know you have hiv.......good luck
2006-11-09 06:02:51 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
If he'd caught it 20 years ago, I would have had some sympathy. There is no excuse now, especially if you're gay and you know dozens of people that have died from it in the past. It's just stupid behaviour.
I have heard stories of some gay men deliberately trying to catch HIV to get sympathy. I know, I couldn't believe it either. I hope it's just an urban myth. Why would anyone want to catch a vile disease like HIV/AIDS?
2006-11-09 01:23:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
I am gay, haven't caught HIV, but know exactly what you mean,I spent years having a go at my mate, use a condom and he was a total slu t, he even said once "I don't sleep with those kinds of people" He has HIV now. I think the pressure being a gay child fuc ks up some people, their suppression is released once they come out and some feel invincible
2006-11-09 01:02:23 · answer #7 · answered by Powerpuffgeezer 5 · 3⤊ 2⤋
There is no sense in crying over spilled milk. Football players and boxers know their risks, but they take them, too.
Let's hope that your friend will stay in close with his doctor, go for regular blood tests to monitor his levels, and take the doctor's advice seriously.
And, no, it isn't mainly gay men who get HIV. Time for updated education!
2006-11-09 01:01:39 · answer #8 · answered by LaRue 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I'm sorry to hear about your friend..I think that a lot of gay people take more risks because they want the love and acceptance that the straight world has taken from them...Years of ridicule and being cast aside as useless and unwanted take their toll ..and gay men sometimes become promiscuous to fill that void...Not necessarily true in your friends case and not necessarily true in any case...just my opinion....Go easy on him right now..Hug him.l tell him you still care...he has a tough road ahead of him.
2006-11-09 02:05:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
everybody has a risk of being exsposed to hiv,not just people
in the gay communities,some people just have diffrent lifestyles,
and being gay just happens to be his,i personaaly don't knock
people for what they do or who they are.He knew the dangers
so what does that tell you about him
2006-11-09 01:00:43 · answer #10 · answered by D lightfully Blessed 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋