Mardi Gras Eve.. An old problem..

1DAY TO GO!
(Sounds like I'm counting down to the Commonwealth Games, I know!)

Today I have had a moment when I really realised that Mardi Gras is still so very important for getting information out to the masses. Let me explain...

Usually I have worked in an environment where the majority of people I interact with at work are gay-friendly and quite educated about those issues involving the GLBT community. I have been quite lucky in that respect.

Today though, I got a reminder that we will always have a battle on our hands to make sure people understand some of those issues correctly.

Case in point:

At the end of the day, two co-workers of mine were talking to each other. "Jack" was asking "Jill" whether she would go to watch Mardi Gras Parade with him tomorrow. Jill replied that she wouldn't go near the parade. With the conversation discussed from one end of the room to the other, I found it hard not to take notice. Jack asked Jill why she didn't want to go near the parade and she replied, "I don't want to catch AIDS". My jaw dropped. Jack told her she was being silly, that she could not catch AIDS from going to the parade. Jill said that she knew she "couldn't get AIDS from watching the parade", but was scared that she would be infected with AIDS if a mosquito bit her after biting a person with AIDS [HIV] while she was there. Jack told her that she needn't worry, but she remained sure of the information she was at a "high risk" if she attended.

I couldn't help myself and jumped in. I told her there was absolutely no possibility of contracting the HIV virus this way and were more likely to be killed by breathing excessive glitter into her lungs! I encouraged her to do some research on the internet or speak with an organisation like ACON. She blew off my suggestion saying "I'm sure you know there are great percentage of people who get AIDS who dont know how they got it."

I mentioned that there is a small percentage, certainly not "great", who don't know how they contracted HIV, but it was not likely to be through some undiscovered transmission technique, and certainly not through mosquito bites! More so it was just that these people could not pin-point the time and method of transmission.

I took a chance to point out that HIV could not live very long outside the human body and if it was so easily transmissable by mosquitos, then the world would have a pandemic on it's hands. It would also be silly to think that all the experts were wrong to have overlooked such an obvious means of transmission and not worked to erridicate mosquitos instead of spending billions developing powerful drugs. And what about all of the work of doctors and health agencies around the world asking everyone to practice safe sex to slow the spread of the disease.. ? Was it all in vain? Were they barking up the wrong tree?

Apprently my attempt may have been in vain also, as I got a stiff reply from Jill - "I'm allowed to voice my opinion."

Unfortunately she misses the point - Jill can have her opinion, and her fear for that matter (we all have some for many things), but it's the facts she has wrong.

Now don't get me wrong, she is a sweet lady, and doesn't mean to offend. I just wanted her to understand the issue a little better than she does - for when she goes home, she may also pass on a better understanding and makes the world a better place for us all. After all, if we left everything up to one or two people to educate us, we might get a slightly one-sided view dont you think? (Read: John Howard on Children Overboard, WMD, Muslims, Terrorists, AWB...)

Anyways, on this Mardi Gras Eve, just remember that we all still need to be understanding of others views, but also mindful that we need to spread the correct information into the community at large, not just own own. With the help of organisations such as ACON, we can achieve this...

SMALL STEPS!