The International AIDS Conference
Aug. 19th, 2006 07:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
linden_jayI saw this on ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
commodorified's journal, where she's speaking about the International AIDS conference, specifically about the issue of women's rights in curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS.
These words are hers, not mine, but I 100% share the sentiment.
AIDS is not an epidemic because of women -- or men -- who say yes to consensual sex.
AIDS is an epidemic because there are so many women who can't say NO.
Who can't say no to early marriage.
Who can't say no to forced marriage.
Who can't say no to rape inside or outside marriage.
Who can't say no to forced or coerced prostitution.
Who can't say no to partners who have unprotected sex with others.
Who can't say no to the people who want to deny them access to safer sex supplies.
Who can't say no to people who want to deny them access to contraception, even when they already know they are HIV positive.
Who can't say no to men who don't want to be bothered with condoms.
If you believe in abstinence as a religious duty and choice, that's your perogative to believe, hold to, and teach. AS a religious duty.
If after all this time and all we know you still honestly believe that that preaching sexual purity to women has any credibility at all as a primary means of controlling the spread of AIDS, Hepatitis, or any other STD, especially in the absence of even a pretence of gender and sexual equality, you're criminally ignorant.
Originally posted here.
commodorified's journal, where she's speaking about the International AIDS conference, specifically about the issue of women's rights in curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS.These words are hers, not mine, but I 100% share the sentiment.
AIDS is not an epidemic because of women -- or men -- who say yes to consensual sex.
AIDS is an epidemic because there are so many women who can't say NO.
Who can't say no to early marriage.
Who can't say no to forced marriage.
Who can't say no to rape inside or outside marriage.
Who can't say no to forced or coerced prostitution.
Who can't say no to partners who have unprotected sex with others.
Who can't say no to the people who want to deny them access to safer sex supplies.
Who can't say no to people who want to deny them access to contraception, even when they already know they are HIV positive.
Who can't say no to men who don't want to be bothered with condoms.
If you believe in abstinence as a religious duty and choice, that's your perogative to believe, hold to, and teach. AS a religious duty.
If after all this time and all we know you still honestly believe that that preaching sexual purity to women has any credibility at all as a primary means of controlling the spread of AIDS, Hepatitis, or any other STD, especially in the absence of even a pretence of gender and sexual equality, you're criminally ignorant.
Originally posted here.
