Black Lives Matter: What If They’re Gay, Sick and Contagious? By Marilyn Penn
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With all the marching in cities and demonstrating on campus, it might be helpful to look at some actual statistics about Black Lives. According to the Bureau of Justice for the year 2009 (the last for which data is available), 218 Black men died during the course of arrest or while in the custody of the law. This does not distinguish between armed or unarmed men nor does it justify any wrongful death. In the same year, Blacks accounted for 56% of deaths due to HIV/AIDS, the vast majority being young gay black men. In 2012, there were 6,540 Black deaths from HIV/AIDS according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control); although Blacks are only 12% of the population, this represents 50% of the 13,712 people who died of this disease.
While medicines are improving and people are living longer with HIV, there are 45,000 new HIV infections each year and the rate is rising for the most at risk demographic – young gay black men. 72% of Black men with HIV contract it thru sex with other men. High risk, invasive and unprotected sex is common among this group as is non-compliance with taking medication and lack of concern about infecting others. In an article in Wednesday’s Times (12/2), the executive director of AVAC (lobbyists for AIDS prevention) lamented: “the fact that the dial hasn’t moved on 45,000 new infections a year is a tragedy.” Perhaps most tragic is that infected people are seldom asked to name their partners in order for them to be treated at the earliest possible time, and when health providers do have names, there doesn’t seem to be sufficient follow-up.
Though there are numerous commercials on television showing Black people suffering from lung cancer, end-stage emphysema and diabetes, I haven’t seen any showing young gay black men suffering from HIV/AIDS. And though there are campaigns to change people’s behavior about smoking, eating and exercising, there are no campaigns to either enlist people or shame them into reporting the names of partners who might be unaware victims of the virus.
Of all the problems in the Black community – familial, economic, educational, criminal, drug-related – this is one requiring only immediate changes in behavior as opposed to complex cultural and societal changes. Stop having unprotected sex; Get tested often and if you’re sick, take your medication according to the doctor’s orders and tell your partners that they need to be tested immediately. If Black Lives truly matter, these basic rules should be as prevalent as warnings to pregnant women not to drink or smoke. And anyone who is found to be non-compliant should be considered as dangerous and contagious as someone with ebola and held in quarantine.
Where are the Black movers and shakers while their brothers are dying prematurely and killing others along the way?
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