Sinatra Perryman thoughts on STD/HIV Prevention in Mississippi

I am 34 years old today and you know....this is the first time in my life I have never felt the need to want to help people as much as I feel today. This would have not been the case if it wasn't for a small 2 page report on "HIV Disease in Young African American Men Who Have Sex with Men, Mississippi 2008". If your not familiar with the report 'Don't Waste Your Time', it's a bunch a lies... I think. Growing up in Mississippi has been one of the toughest things I have done as a Gay Black African American Male. All my life I have had to deal with the fact that I was different and people could see it as well as me!

My parents shut it out of their minds and never stopped loving me as their different son. I have had the best of everything and really never wanted for nothing. Today at this crossroads in my life, I have found myself looking down the barrel of a gun... not a real gun, but the STD/HIV Prevention gun. How do you address something that is so far away from you and the general public.

Do you know that the Health Departments in Mississippi are really not promoting getting a HIV/AIDS test until you come in with you dick in your hand or your pussy scrubbing the ground from maybe.... let's see. Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, P&S Syphilis and last but not least " HIV Disease". This is a fact... I visited the Health Department with one of my friends and she wasn't sure if say maybe the " New Guy" had giving her one of the famous cocktail STD's so she ask me to ride with to the clinic. Well, this is what they told her once they made a basic observation on her. Ms. @@@@ it looks as thought you might have Chlamydia... but we really aren't sure until lab work confirms it. I sit there posed and waiting on the HIV test question.

It never came! I was stark raving mad, I had in part turn around and look at my girlfriend and ask her right in front of the Nurse Practitioner "Aren't You Gone Get A HIV Test " her dumb ass say it ain't that serious.....I died right there. The Nurse Practitioner then looks at me and then ask her if she wants the test. This dumb ass, I thought...after begging this dizzy frog to take the test of a lifetime! How do you address barriers such as this.

According to the CDC, Aids is the leading cause of death for African American Women between the ages of 25 and 34 yrs old. For African American women 35 to 44 years old, it is the third leading cause of death...and it's the forth leading cause of women between the ages of 45 to 54, and Hispanic women, ages 35 to 44. The CDC also states that between 80 percent of the women that diagnosed with HIV, contracted it through high-risk heterosexual contact. These are the women that are afraid to engage their partner about having protected sex or getting tested first before having unprotected sex.

The department also suggests that these women know their partners sexual practices as well. " I think when they say Sexual Practices their really saying... find out if they bisexual or possibly gay", this is just my opinion so don't quote me on that.

Getting a HIV/AIDS test in Mississippi may seem like it's as easy as going to the store with no money and just picking up whatever the hell you want... It's not. Just because you got a FREE Health Department doesn't mean that you have access to the test. In the clinic in Hazelhurst, Ms you have to pay $10 for the test and that could mean no meal for the day for many or no wine or dope and OH well, no HIV/AIDS test.

Rural area's are suffering the most, because all the attention are put on the cities that have the highest number of cases, often those positive cases from the cities travel to the rural area's to seek out new potential clients. Venues where men sleeping with men openly are scarce, so using the Internet to find a sex partner confidentially is a great way for men that are bisexual and openly gay to find a quick sex partner. Rural (MSM) are not able to identify with prevention measures because of clouded issues dealing with stigma and social relevance.

Many men such as I, a Gay man living in a Rural area that has been named the KKK town, have felt the end of the ax hammer when it comes to stigma behind a Gay man. Constantly defending who you are as well as what you are. Between the ages of 12 to 28, I was tormented by what people thought of me and how they felt about me. I have heard a many of them give thanks to their son not being Gay. These were the same young boy's.... the same age as me, that couldn't wait to get off the bus to slick me. I am sure if some of their fathers could read or stumble on this passage, I am sure it would bring back memories.

Slick me is a term that was used by the young men between the ages of 14 to 17 that would put their penis between your legs and think that they were have sex. Picture that... two young boys in the wood's having sex, or what they thought was sex! This was our only pass time back then and to be honest it remains the same today.

The young men today are mostly nothing more than early crackheads, because you can only smoke so much marijuana and continue to get a high. I am really thinking that is the reason behind the pill usage and crystal meth experiments. Black men are mostly introduced to meth through white men that are hooked. It's rare that your going to see a black man that got hooked on crystal meth hanging out with a total black social network "RARE".

In conclusion of all that I know now about STD's, it gives me great pleasure to reach out to such lost souls and share what I learned thus far. The road ahead will be very hard for me still as a Gay Black Man Living in the south, but the faith that I never lost even threw it all has never let me down. I am a firm believer that when you take God out of things that are good, he will walk tall and show the evil doers who is King. There is no denying that I am a Gay Man, but HIV/AIDS has no preference. HIV/AIDS has a strict non discrimination policy and it's always hiring, but to all my fellow American's that is one job you should never want to get hired on.....

P.S. I look at my certificate from the MSDH and I can't help but to laugh. It arrived to me in a envelope that was mangled and crumpled and it reads " Mississippi State Department of Health" This is to certify that Sinatra Perryman has participated in a two-day training course "STD/HIV Instructor Course" In recognition thereof, this certificate is awarded this the 20th day of October 2009. I would have been proud if it would have said CERTIFIED!

HIV/AIDS, MEN SLEEPING with MEN protect yourself Today.

So many men sleeping with men are so easily lead by what they think they want. Never let someone steal your joy, protect yourself from HIV/AIDS it's killing millions every 9 1/2 seconds. Get The Facts... Every day in the rural south many of my friends are being to die from HIV/AIDS. Many of these men are coming from large area's preying on the young and dumb.

This is a simple problem that can be avoided if African American men and women will start to take the time to think about their lives. Sex will last for a few minutes, but HIV/AIDS is a quick way to die all because of SEX!
 If you haven't had a HIV/AIDS test please I beg of you to go and get tested. Ladies you are not excluded, many of you are sleeping with men that are living double life styles.

Cleaning Up The Earths Enviroment

Today, was the day I realized that we are living in a world of idiots. The world is focused on the environment and not what is truly at stake here...our lives. Have we forgotten that their are children in the U.S.A between the ages of 13-25 that are becoming infected with a disease that will rob you of everything that you have. Many ask, what does it matter: well if your one of the people that have to live with HIV/AIDS everyday you would understand the purpose of this letter to you. Our new Government has screamed (CHANGE) all Thur his campaign to the United States of America's People.

Where is the so called change. In the state of Mississippi their are people living like dogs on the Sahara, because the state is so focused on providing Social Services to Crackheads and not people that are Sick and need help. This state has 13 clinics to help with a growing number of newly diagnosed cases of HIV/AIDS. One of those clinics is Specially Trained To Handle the load of cases statewide. I am sure that many of you wonder why should I care about Mississippi. Mississippi has nothing to offer, but why will you not support a cause worth fighting for.

This state has rules that many states are throwing in the fire and burning because the shit just doesn't work. Abstinence in a state where all their is to do for the younger generation.... is to have unprotected sex and get high off newly brought in drugs.

In every little town their is a square that you can go in and get your recreational drugs, but not to mention that a Crackhead receiving (Social Security Benefits) to support his habit is walking the streets 24/7. What is wrong with this picture? Mississippi has prevention measures in place to combat HIV/AIDS in CLUBS, Bathhouses, Nudity Shops, and 10% of the Health Department Clinics.

You can travel all over this state and I am willing to bet you will not see a HIV/AIDS prevention message no where. The Mississippi Department Of Health, has instructed me to get a model together and build a organization built on helping fight this growing battle in rural Mississippi. Models are something that you can copy and paste. We need to overlook the red tape and get to the bottom line, PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS ARE THE MODEL!

Today the Department of Health hosted a free HIV screening (Free HIV Testing and Education in Jackson ). I was invited to attend the center stage event, but I am here writing to the world advocating for the many of people that are in fear of getting that test and what happens if i have it. Those are the people they need to be focused on reaching,

Without us their are no MODELS and SOON NO NOTHING. Every 9 1/2 minutes someone becomes infected with the HIV virus. Put money where it is needed and that's too help those in need and give someone with little hope a chance for hope and CHANGE! Stop hosting parties and get down to business.

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Fighting HIV And AIDS Discrimination In The Workplace

Sadly, the complications that arise from a positive diagnosis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) extend beyond reduced T-cell count and susceptibility to infection. Today, HIV-positive people continue to face discrimination in their everyday lives, in housing matters, medical care, insurance, and employment. The good news is that many charities and organizations all over the country are taking action.
Where we stand
In a report produced by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), testimonies from community based service providers (CBOs) consistently cite issues involving non-hiring, terminations, demotions, and illegally demanding personal information. While this is pronounced in rural areas, cases are similarly reported in major metropolitan centers as well.
Corroborating the findings of the ACLU's report, nationally known Lambda Legal, specialists in discrimination representation for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and HIV-positive people, receives thousands of calls annually at its help desk - a substantial portion coming from HIV positive callers- regarding workplace discrimination.
Know your Rights
Discrimination is never acceptable and there are many federal laws protecting individuals, including those with HIV AIDS. Federal laws that define and protect against HIV AIDS discrimination include American with Disabilities Act (ADA), Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Health Insurance Profitability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Civil Rights Act of 1964, Equal Pay Act of 1963, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and the Civil Rights Act of 1991. Together they form an extensive network of safeguards against unjust treatment.
ADA and "Reasonable Accomodation"
The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that employers (in companies with more than 15 employees) must make "reasonable accommodation" for qualified employees with a disability -under which a person who is HIV positive is grouped. As a result, adjustments to a job, the application process, or work environment must to a degree that allows a qualified person to perform the job.
Now, there are legal limits to restrict accommodations to be "reasonable". The understanding is that an adjustment does not cause undue strain to the company, which is determined based on operating budget, facility size, number of employees, and more. Acceptable and expected accommodations include an alteration in job structure, more flexible hours to allow for medical appointments, or special office arrangements including a sitting stool if the job is usually performed standing up.
Knowledge and education are needed to prevent discrimination in the workplace. Here are some resources that provide HIV AIDS information and services: http://www.cdcnpin-broadcast.org/

HIV/AIDS preventive risk-appraisal of rural African-American women in Mississippi Delta: An approach for cultural-specific communitybased intervention

Ademola M. Omishakin, MPH, PhD, MBA, Department of Natural Science & Environmental Health, Mississippi Valley State University, 14000 Highway 82 West #7298, Itta Bena, MS 38941, 662-254-3391, aomishak@mvsu.edu, P. Bassey Williams, PhD, CHES, Global Health Education and Health Promotion Partnership Inc., 8907 Mayflower Road, Suite 5B, Baltimore, MD 21237, and Debra Patton Lloyd, MS, PhDc, Department of Agriculture & Information Science, Mississippi State University, 130 lloyd Ricks, Box 9731, Mississippi State, MS 39762.

The increasing number of African-American women with HIV/AIDS in Southern United States demands a renewed commitment to prevention efforts targeted toward African-American population. Addressing this problem requires innovative approaches for the planning and implementation of a competent culturally sensitive AIDS prevention, health promotion and education programs for African American women in rural Mississippi.

This study utilized an ethnogender-specific AIDS survey instrument to assess the knowledge, feeling/attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of African-American women in rural Mississippi toward HIV infections. We carried out a cross-sectional, convenience sample survey of 300 adolescent and adult African American women, aged 18-55 years, utilizing the person-to-person interview and postal mail methods. Multivariate analysis of ANOVA procedure found significant differences between age groups, level of education, income and employment dimensions, and the dependent variables of knowledge, attitude/feelings and behavior of the rural Mississippi women about HIV/AIDS and related high-risk sexual practices.

Results further revealed considerable lack of knowledge, misinformation, poor attitude and high-risk sexual behavior among the subjects in relation to: alcohol and psychoactive drug use, HIV-testing and condom use, exchange of sex for drugs, and money for sex, and high level of stigmatization of HIV-positives/AIDS patients and homosexuals in the community.

Although there were some similarities in correlations between subjects' level of education, income/employment dimension and knowledge level, these were only valid for the young and middle age groups. The study recommends a comprehensive cultural-intensive AIDS and family life education intervention program for Black women in rural Mississippi

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

* Identify sexual and other high-risk behaviors influencing the HIV/AIDS among Black women in rural Mississippi;
* Recognize disparities and magnitude of HIV-related problems among black women;
* Discuss appropriate HIV/AIDS intervention programs for African-American women Mississipians.

Keywords: Minority Health, HIV Interventions

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

HIV and AIDS: We Are All Part of the Solution

We can all be leaders. We can take more responsibility to do more as individuals, as communities, and as a nation to fight HIV and AIDS.

As individuals:

• We should know whether or not we are infected with HIV;
• If we are infected, we should seek medical care and protect others from becoming infected;
• We should protect ourselves and others from HIV;
• We should educate ourselves and others about HIV.

As communities:

• We should mobilize to overcome the challenges and barriers to HIV prevention;
• We should fight ignorance and complacency related to HIV;
• We should increase the awareness about the severity of epidemic and the continued impact that HIV is having on our communities;
• We should make sure that HIV prevention services, HIV testing, medical care and treatment are available to all who need them;
• We should work to prevent stigma and discrimination—and to increase support for people living with HIV.

As a nation:

• We must recognize the epidemic here, in this country, for the crisis that it still is;
• We must implement the programs that scientific evidence tells us are most effective;
• We must ensure that those who need effective prevention interventions have access to them;
• We must come together to intensify efforts and the stop this epidemic.

Together, we have the power to change the course of the HIV epidemic in the United States.

How you can help stop the spread of HIV

Visit the Resources section and use the Web tools to help spread the word about HIV/AIDS in the United States. Let everyone know that, in the United States, every 9½ minutes (on average), someone is infected with HIV.