![Editor_12](https://www.hivplusmag.com/media-library/editor-12.jpg?id=32679807&width=1200&height=1584)
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.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Before AIDS, gay artist Rex drew hot men on the prowl — then he disappeared
April 11 2024 3:15 PM
Diets that mimic fasting reverse aging: study
March 07 2024 5:28 PM
PrEP without a prescription now a reality in California
February 06 2024 8:37 PM
Injectable HIV treatment, prevention: Everything you need to know
March 26 2024 3:28 PM
8 dating tips for gay men from a gay therapist
March 21 2024 2:50 PM
Happy national foreskin day!
April 04 2024 1:45 PM
The science behind U=U has been liberating people with HIV for years
June 04 2024 3:31 PM
Scarlet fever: exploring our fascination with blood
March 13 2024 1:47 PM
On Anal Sex Day, crack up with The Bottom's Digest
April 18 2024 10:22 AM
Plus: Featured Video
Latest Stories
Activist and philanthropist Bruce Bastian dies at 76
June 26 2024 1:28 PM
Yes, HIV-positive people can safely breastfeed
June 26 2024 12:59 PM
Exclusive: We kiki with Q from 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
June 24 2024 11:37 AM
Court rules to keep PrEP coverage under Obamacare
June 21 2024 5:42 PM
In honor of Juneteenth 2024, meet The Normal Anomaly
June 19 2024 1:39 PM
What is Juneteenth?
June 19 2024 11:30 AM
As Pride party season begins, the CDC urges mpox vaccinations
May 16 2024 6:52 PM
Advocacy in action with AIDSWatch
May 09 2024 12:30 PM
The Talk: Thriving with HIV
May 08 2024 10:45 AM
The Talk: What HIV isn’t
May 07 2024 10:48 AM
The Talk: Finding balance with HIV
May 06 2024 10:51 AM
Justice Dept plans to reschedule marijuana as a lower-risk drug
May 03 2024 2:40 PM
The Talk: Starting your journey with HIV
May 03 2024 2:00 PM
Why is a mother’s mental health so important? A doctor explains
May 01 2024 1:38 PM
Walmart to close all of its health care clinics
April 30 2024 12:30 PM
Vampire facial spa infected several women with HIV
April 29 2024 7:26 PM