We’re all responsible for knowing our HIV status. Because we are grown-ass, sexually active men, and it’s the right thing to do. Far too many people have lost their lives for HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention to go the way of Earth Day, Y2K, and TRL Live. Yes, astounding strides have been made. This doesn’t change the fact that over 33 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, and more than 25 million have died from AIDS worldwide since 1981. Make some gay friends in their 50s and 60s sometime and ask them how many friends they’ve lost to AIDS. Prepare to cry. KNOW YOUR STATUS.
*steps off soapbox*
Just in case it slipped your mind, Sweden’s RFSL Göteborg shot this brilliant PSA featuring eight naked guys smeared in different flavored jellies and wrestling each other. They are making this huge sacrifice so you’ll remember how important it is to know your status! Why can’t we have this kind of dedicated activism on TV in the US? For chrissakes, you can pretty much show someone getting their head blown off on network television, but a visible dick might cause the nation to collectively go blind.
The only thing wrong with this vid is that the director doesn’t know the importance of the zoom function.
For more information on HIV/AIDS, check out Manhunt Cares.
– J. Harvey
Watch the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights’s PSA on HIV testing below:
(via Accidental Bear)
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Yea, using sex to sell testing for a sexually transmitted disease, that’s responsible.
I believe the point of this PSA is showing that when people of different flavors (HIV status, colors, whatever have you) have sex it all kind of gets mixed up in the end and you don’t know what or who you’ll end up with or where you’ll be.
Completely informative and straightforward in advocating HIV testing and awareness? Not exactly.
It’s still makes a pretty good point though in a creative, sexy way.
What’s wrong with using sex to promote getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases? If this were a cholesterol ad, if expect to see a pile of bacon with a sign saying get tested,
I enjoyed that!!
JHarvey I thank you 4 posting this VERY IMPORTANT PSA but unfortunately all the progress that has been made in fighting and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS is starting to slip because many of people especially in the gay community are starting to take a nonchalant approach towards the prevention of the spread of aids . It is a GOD DAM shame that in almost 2014 that this disease is once again on the RISE ” JHarvey you mention in your post that over 33 million people across the globe are living with this disease and more than 25 million have succumb to it ! How many more people will to take a cocktail of medications in order to live with this disease and even more disturbing how many more people will have to DIE ? I am not going jump on the condom soap box but until this disease is ERADICATED from the face earth I am going to continue to do everything in my powers to see to it that I and the people that I LOVE & CARE about do not become one of the HORRIFIC statistics that you JHArvey so ELOQUENTLY spoke of and I think onces again that it is worth noting ( as you JHarvey have already stated ) that 33 million people across the globe are L-I-V-I-N-G with this disease and my GOD BLESS each and everyone of them !!!
Phil I kinda think using sex to sell testing for a sexually transmitted disease helps to get the message across where as if they had lets say used “Tide” to sell testing for a sexually transmitted disease would have blurred the message don’t you think ?
i think it is a super sexy, super hot PSA.
That is sexy and hot and all BUT if you were shown that without any info explaining what it is, would you know? I knew what it was about and I didn’t get how that really even helped me know what the message was there. I assumed it would be one of those last minute punches that made it clear…instead it just ended. Perhaps my brain isn’t working at the moment but I totally don’t get it…despite Guy’s take on it below…still don’t. What does wrestling naked covered in condiments have to do with STD’s?
have you ever seen an ad like that? because they definitely don’t try to tempt you with the thing that’s causing a problem.
Like nicotine gum ads that show people smoking?
also not a thing, they show pictures of you running with kids and being generally happy and healthy
I stand corrected. What I should have written was the nicotine gum ads that show people *about* to smoke, cigs in hand.