Jezebel 
Enter your username and password.
New York, 5:24 AM
Fri Nov 27
2 posts in the last 24 hours
Tip your editors:
tips@jezebel.com
Editor-in-Chief:
Anna Holmes
Email | Twitter
Deputy Editor:
Dodai Stewart
Email | Twitter
Senior Contributing Editor:
Tracie Egan
Email | Twitter
Contributing Editors:
Anna North
Email | Twitter
Sadie Stein
Email | Twitter
Reporter:
Irin Carmon
Email | Twitter
Editorial Assistant:
Margaret Hartmann
Email | Twitter
Contributors:
Rich Juzwiak
Email | Twitter
Latoya Peterson
Email
Jenna Sauers
Email
Lizzie Skurnick
Email
Interns:
Katy Kelleher
Twitter
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
08/31/09
sorry TIME, but i have to disagree. the reversal in Uganda is consistent with the change in President Museveni (and his wife)'s attitudes toward condom use, which have been seriously and severely influenced by George Bush's PEPFAR policies. Before 2004, Museveni and the First Lady encouraged the ABC's of HIV prevention (abstinence, be faithful, wear condoms) publicly and openly, and Uganda's massive reduction in HIV rates were attributed to their proactive attitudes and (relative) openness. Since 2004, when Bush implemented his caveats to PEPFAR funding, Museveni has come out publicly encouraging the adherence only to A & B and abstinence until marriage.
as for female condoms, I studied in Kampala, Uganda last summer and my final project involved surveying citizens both in the city and a more rural region (Kakiri) about their attitudes toward condom use. the responses to our questions regarding female condoms can be summed up as the following: if they had heard of female condoms, they heard that they were not reliable and broke. most surveyed had not heard of female condoms and, after a brief description of fc's benefits, were unwilling to consider ever trying them.
08/31/09
But talking about all of this in the moment is a mood killer. Talking about all of this in a relationship makes you seem like a pessimist. I speak from experience and I've backed down on the condom issue when I shouldn't have, with people I've trusted but when the situation was casual. Even though it hasn't resulted in any negative aspects for my health, I can't assume this will always be true and I've resolved to be more adamant in the future. But maybe some people never get the chance to do that - maybe that mistake has already been made with the consequences of AIDS. And in countries where sanitary napkins and soap are traded for sex, the chance of open dialogue regarding sex and sexual health seems slim.
08/31/09
But use of protection is key in this fight.
08/31/09
It's a huge pet peeve of mine. These are beliefs that are deeply ingrained in....well, all of us, really.
08/31/09
08/31/09
08/31/09
08/31/09
08/31/09
08/31/09
I know why people focus on the condoms angle, its the easiest behavior to change. But it bothers me that there are so few campaigns that focus on the Be Faithful part. Married women are at risk for HIV not because they're out sleeping around, but their husbands are. But very few campaigns target men and say "When you visit sex workers, you aren't just risking your own health, you are risking the health of your wife/partner and unborn children. Be a man, protect your family, be faithful."
Condoms are the faster pitch, you don't have to wait for culture to change. But the rate of HIV in some countries means that even with perfect condom use, the infection will spread.
08/31/09
Culture change is important, but many, many more people are at risk until that happens.
08/31/09
08/31/09
08/31/09
08/31/09
It is particularly troubling that LOCAL programs were pushed to shift focus, even though Ugandan programs probably know more about Uganda.
08/31/09
Condoms are not 100%, but I think we can all agree that abstinence will not happen and people are not always monogamous. And I'm not just talking about Africa.
I thought it was established that circumcision only had minimal positive results, even for men?
08/31/09
08/31/09
08/31/09
I don't think its a feasible plan to fight HIV, but its hard to tell what would happen if it was feasible.
04/03/09
04/03/09
04/03/09
Yit-ta-dee!
Happy dance!
04/03/09
04/03/09
04/03/09
(and I quote)
But seriously glossy mags are one of my vices. Please dont die.
04/03/09
The one thing I found is that I'm actually less likely to read a monthly mag in a timely fashion when I subscribe then when I get it on the newstand. I haven't opened a Vogue in months even though it keeps showing up (I really need to ask Conde Nast to switch my subscription to the New Yorker or something, maybe extend Vanity Fair).
But I hope not too many more mags fold. What will I do on long plane trips without a good glossy?