Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyDecember 1st, 2011
TODAY’S AGENDA:
World AIDS Day: Everywhere. Today is the day set aside to increase awareness, fight prejudice, and improve education about HIV/AIDS. Worldwide, it is estimated that about 35 million people are are living with HIV/AIDS. The good news is that the rate of new HIV infections worldwide are declining, as have AIDS-related deaths. Where access to antiretroviral (ARV) medications is available, AIDS changed from being a fatal disease to a chronic one, albeit a very serious one. Those who are on ARVs can now expect a near–normal lifespan. The bad news is that men who have sex with men (MSM) made up 61% of all new HIV infections in 2009. Alarmingly, African-American men make up about 42% of that category. The epidemic has also shifted from the major Northeastern, Midwestern and West Coast cities of the 1990s to becoming an increasing problem in rural and urban areas of the Southeast. While ARV’s have proven to be a literal lifesaver, access remains difficult. Treatment in the U.S. still costs about $10,000 per year per person, while 12 states currently maintain ADAP waiting lists with 6,411 who qualify not receiving treatment. That’s of the numbers that we know of. Of those who have been identified as HIV-positive, only about half are receiving treatment. All told, an estimated 75% of people with HIV do not have their virus under control because about quarter of all people with HIV don’t even know they have it. Do you know your status? Find out today.
Click to enlarge. You know you want to.
And hey, not to be too maudlin about it, another purpose for World AIDS Day is to raise funds for research, treatment, and education. And so let’s take some time to show our appreciation for British rugby start Sacha Harding, who generously agreed to bare it all for a photo shoot for the U.K. magazine Gay Times to support Elton John’s AIDS foundation. All together now: “Thank you, Sacha!”
Pride Celebrations This Weekend: Manilla, The Philippines.
Also This Weekend: Gay Days at Disney, Hong Kong, China.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
Connecticut Passes It’s First Sodomy Law: 1642. “If any man lyeth with mankind as hee lyeth with woman, both of them shave committed abomination, they both shall surely be put to death. — Levit. 21. 13.” If it’s any consolation, the same penalty also applied to adultery.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY:
Matthew Shepard: 1976. If he had not been beaten and left to die on a cold rural Wyoming fence, he would have turned 35 today. Instead, he is forever 21 and still much too young to die.
If you know of something that belongs on the Agenda, please send it here. Don’t forget to include the basics: who, what, when, where, and URL (if available).
As always, please consider this your open thread for the day.
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tavdy79
December 1st, 2011
Sacha Harding plays for one of my local clubs, Bedford Blues, and he’s far from being the Blues’ only looker. I actually went to uni with Sacha’s personal trainers, the drop-dead-gorgeous Gray Twins, who are even hotter (IMO) than Sacha is. I’m pretty sure they had sports scholarships from the Blues.
My other local club is Ben Cohen’s old team, Northampton Saints, which has definitely had more than its fair share of hot rugby hunks over the years. Their current top pin-up is Ben Foden, who also plays for England.
TampaZeke
December 1st, 2011
I’ll go one further and say, “Thank you Sasha, may I have another?”
WMDKitty
December 2nd, 2011
Oooh, he IS yummy looking! *drool*
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