Not Only in Africa

Yesterday marked World AIDS Day. I visited the Canadian Aids Society website and got a bit more educated.

Did you know?

• Every two hours, someone in Canada is infected with HIV.
• Since 2002, the number of people in Canada infected with HIV has increased by 16%.
• Of positive HIV tests reports, the largest number of new infections is that of 30 to 39 year olds for both men and women.
• Number of people in the world who die each day of AIDS: 7 950
• Number of people in the world infected by AIDS per day: 6 800

I took their free and anonymous HIV Risk Quiz. It got my brain thinking.

First I thought about the day I'll have to have the talk with my boys. Will I know when I'll need to have the talk? What words will I use? How about, "make love with the glove"? I think I'll be straight up with them. Avoiding some weird lingo and keeping it short and to the point. Ambiguity and ignorance never does pay.

Secondly, this quiz brought back memories of the time I got my tattoo. I got my tattoo fifteen years ago, and I can't remember how safe the place was. I remember it was "THE" place to get your tat done... so that itself made me and my girlfriends feel safe. Now looking back, that sounds stupid. Did she wear gloves? Can't remember. How about the use of needles? Clueless. I do remember was it was painful and I never did go back to do the final touch up. Pathetic, I know.

HIV and AIDS does exist in Canada. Lend your support: become better informed, minimize your risk, talk about AIDS with others, or support your local AIDS service organization, and go to take the quiz! You get the results immediately and the questions might make you think.

Note: See the new gadget on the top right side on my blog. Answer the question and I'll reveal the answer to you on Friday!