Treatment GuideJust DiagnosedSex & DatingAfrican AmericanStigmaAsk the HIV DocPrEP En EspañolNewsVoicesPrint IssueVideoOut 100
CONTACTCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
On the one hand, it was a surprise when we all learned that nearly half of all new AIDS cases being diagnosed in the United States were in the Southern region and not on the East or West coasts, where America's two largest cities are. On the other hand, though, when you begin to contemplate the dynamics of the area, it begins to make sense. At first glance the South conjures images of genteel, laid-back people who are rich in heritage and cultural pride. Having grown up there, I will never forget the slow, even pace of life in close-knit communities. However, it was the flip side of those same memories that made me realize that HIV had a destiny in an area that is so easily admired for its simple virtues. For it is those very same attributes that one person sees as pride and close-knit ties that another person will see as arrogance and a place where one's personal tales need to be kept hushed. This also is the South that I grew up in. And it is no surprise to see how it became a petri dish for unchecked growth and spread of a virus that carries so much stigma with it, specifically for the typical methods of how it is spread from one person to another. So with this issue we begin the first of a four-part series on life with HIV disease throughout our country with a look at the Southern region, why the epidemic is growing disproportionately out of control there, and what researchers and the residents are doing about it. We will continue with our U.S. overview in our next three issues as we move to the West, then the Midwest, and finally the Northeast, which will coincide with our fifth anniversary issue of HIV Plus. We thought this was the perfect time for us to take the pulse of the nation. We wanted to see how people are living and dealing with this virus that has become so common and everyday to many, yet talked of only in quiet whispers among many others'allowing the pandemic to continue to explode and never fail to surprise us. Strangely enough, it is this same type of apathy, if you will, that has turned a once-energized activist country into a place of complacency. A place where anti-HIV medications almost feel as though they are becoming extinct. Our feature on clinical-trials programs and researchers' inability to round up the necessary numbers of volunteers to get their studies completed as swiftly as necessary should surprise and alarm everyone involved in this battle. As you read through this issue, remember where the passion to defeat HIV once stood. And if you are among a younger crowd that cannot remember such days, think about where the dying passion could lead us all to. Until next time, stay well.
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
The science behind U=U has been liberating people with HIV for years
June 04 2024 3:31 PM
On Anal Sex Day, crack up with The Bottom's Digest
April 18 2024 10:22 AM
As Pride party season begins, the CDC urges mpox vaccinations
May 16 2024 6:52 PM
Todrick Hall has long supported the communities he comes from
April 17 2024 12:02 PM
Exclusive: We kiki with Q from 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
June 24 2024 11:37 AM
The freedom of disclosure: David Anzuelo's journey through HIV, art, and advocacy
August 02 2024 12:21 PM
The Talk: Thriving with HIV
May 08 2024 10:45 AM
The Talk: What HIV isn’t
May 07 2024 10:48 AM
Plus: Featured Video
Latest Stories
How fitness coach Tyriek Taylor reclaims his power from HIV with self-commitment
September 19 2024 12:00 PM
Out100 Honoree Tony Valenzuela thanks queer and trans communities for support in his HIV journey
September 18 2024 12:00 PM
Kentucky bans conversion therapy for youth as Gov. Andy Beshear signs 'monumental' order
September 18 2024 11:13 AM
Why activist Raif Derrazi thinks his HIV diagnosis is a gift
September 17 2024 12:00 PM
Creator and host Karl Schmid fights HIV stigma with knowledge
September 12 2024 12:03 PM
Study finds use of puberty blockers safe and reversible, countering anti-trans accusations
September 11 2024 1:11 PM
Latinx health tips / Consejos de salud para latinos (in English & en espanol)
September 10 2024 4:29 PM
The Trevor Project receives $5M grant to support LGBTQ+ youth mental health in rural Midwest (exclusive)
September 03 2024 9:30 AM
Introducing 'Health PLUS Wellness': The Latinx Issue!
August 30 2024 3:06 PM
La ciencia detrás de U=U ha estado liberando a las personas con VIH durante años
August 23 2024 2:48 PM
Tratamiento y prevención del VIH por inyección: Todo lo que necesita saber
August 23 2024 2:41 PM
Sr. Gay World quiere asegurarse de que estés bien
August 23 2024 2:30 PM
Eureka is taking a break from competing on 'Drag Race' following 'CVTW' elimination
August 20 2024 12:21 PM
With a new case in Sweden, what is the new mpox outbreak and should you be concerned?
August 15 2024 4:48 PM
From ‘The Real World’ to real life: How Danny Roberts thrives with HIV
July 31 2024 5:23 PM
The July/Aug 'Treatment Guide' issue of Plus is here!
June 26 2024 3:49 PM
Activist and philanthropist Bruce Bastian dies at 76
June 26 2024 1:28 PM