November 28, 2007
Thanks to Nurse Glenda
Davis at Paul Quinn
College, I learned
something I had never heard
of in my entire lifetime.
Nurse Davis' presence is defi-
nitely felt on the campus as
numerous health fairs are held
each semester, and she is con-
stantly providing information.
While I knew that sexually
transmitted diseases could
cause sores in your vaginal
area as well as your mouth; I
had no idea of some of the
many other ways sexual
transmitted diseases can
impact your life.
I knew that some diseases
could render you blind, sterile
r dead. But it wasn't until I
saw the display outside of the
nurse's office did I realize that
you can end up with sores
over your entire body,
including the bottom of your
feet!
Forget the burning
sensation when you pee or the
ghastly yeast infections and
fishy odors. Talk to someone
who is living with AIDS or
Herpes, and you will get an
entirely different perspective
about why you should take
precautions when engaging in
sexual activities.
As another World AIDS
day is upon us, we can not
downplay the significance of
utilizing a number of
measures to protect ourselves.
According to the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention, more than one
million cases of Chlamydia
were reported in 2006. It is
important to note that rates for
gonorrhea and syphilis are on
the increase as well.
Sisters, don't be embarrassed
to tell your mate to use a
condom. And don't feel like
you are being "slutty" if you
carry your own stash. In fact,
find your favorite brand of
condoms and keep your
supply readily available.
Now, I am not trying to
teach you how to be promis-
cuous or to become sexually
active. I want you to be smart
and cautious.
If you can, keep your
virginity for as long as
possible. Wait until you are
mature enough to understand
what you are experiencing, as
well as the consequences of
your actions.
Find the "right" person.
How will you know if you
have the right person? It takes
time to get to know a person,
and the experience will be all
the more gratifying.
If you talk to anyone,
especially a female who had
sex at a young age, she will
tell you "it wasn't all that!"
And you will definitely get an
earful from those who had sex
and then ended up getting
pregnant.
I assure you, while they
may love their child
pregnancy was not in the
plans when they got together
to have sex.
Interestingly, I have had
people saying "hallelujah"
after going to the clinic and
finding out that they had
Herpes or Chlamydia.
Nowadays people are grateful
when they hear that the
pregnancy test is positive.
After all, they could have
AIDS!
How about not leaving
things to chance? How about
taking control of your life by
taking precautions?
You can't go on looks.
Some of the cleanest people
you will meet are HIV
positive or a carrier of genital
herpes.
It has been said that when
you know better, you do
better. There is too much
information available for
there to be any new cases of
many of the sexually trans-
mitted diseases.
Unfortunately, in other
parts of the world infor-
mation is not readily
available. In Africa, there are
too many young victims who
are in need of our help. We
have the benefit of an
education and resources.
It is important that not
only do you take care of
yourself but also you must do
something to help the less
fortunate.
Marion Cloete lives in
Africa, and she is helping
hundreds of orphans-some
who are HIV positive. Some
of the children have been
raped because someone
started a myth that if an
infected man sleeps with a
virgin, the virus will leave his
body. Well, the virus does not
leave and instead millions
who are being brutally raped,
at very young ages, and some
become infected.
This is the subject of the
documentary "Angels in the
Dust," and Marion works tire-
lessly to help the orphans.
There are others trying to
provide these children with
hope--with the childhood they
deserve. If you get a chance,
log on to www.angelsinthe-
dust.com. You can find out
more about Marion's work
and the struggles of millions.
You'll see why you must be
more responsible and consci-
entious. Pay close attention to
Lillian. This beautiful young
child has nightmares from her
rape. She also wants to get
tested to see if she is HIV
positive.
Hopefully more people
will expand their horizons and
find out what's going on in
the Motherland.
You might even decide a
few things like: you can wait
until you are in a committed
relationship and able to cope
with the enormous responsi-
bility that having sex calls for,
and you are going to do
something to help others who
are living with some type of
disease; or you're going to
spread a message to help keep
others from becoming
infected.
Hopefully you will follow
Nurse Davis' lead!
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