All U students need to get tested for HIV.
This week, the Student Health Advisory Committee will be making free HIV tests available to students. These tests are relatively painless and don’t take much time-so students should take advantage of this opportunity.
Getting tested will also erase any doubt from the minds of those who just don’t know where they stand. Those who receive a clean bill of health will be able to rest easy and hopefully dedicate themselves to practicing safe sex in the future-and those who receive bad news will be able to start treatments.
Furthermore, knowing your health status is simply a matter of social responsibility for the sexually active. It is not fair to possibly put the health and well being of others in jeopardy just because you prefer to live in ignorance.
For those who are not sexually active, HIV testing can be just as important-though for less obvious reasons.
The fact is that AIDS is a global pandemic, and while many of us are not personally facing the effects of this terrible disease, it ultimately will affect all of us. By getting tested locally, we are showing that we are concerned about the effect that this disease has globally. Getting tested is a simple test in advancing the cause of ending the threat of AIDS.
Additionally, AIDS itself is still a very taboo subject-a fact that could leave some vulnerable to infection. It’s surprising that in the year 2006, some people still don’t know the facts about AIDS and HIV, but they don’t-and that could be dangerous.
As more people get themselves tested for AIDS, the social stigma of such a test will begin to disappear. Even those who know that there is no chance they have HIV should get tested, if only to encourage others to do so. It is important that such a test become commonplace-otherwise, those who need to be tested may be deterred by fear of social repercussions.
By getting an AIDS test, students are demonstrating that they know the importance of knowing their health status-and by offering this test to students, SHAC is emphasizing the importance of being open about this disease.
Ultimately, nothing can be more important than removing the stigma from AIDS so people can feel comfortable getting themselves tested. After all, the difference between knowing and not knowing could be life and death.