An article appeared on the front page of today's St. Petersburg Times, which spurred me to write a brief post. It detailed the story of a young gay man, who had purposely been infected with HIV that had turned into full-blown AIDS. His only sexual partner had offered assurance that he was HIV negative. So much for a relationship built on trust.
The article reveals two terms I had never heard: "gift giver" and "bug chaser." The first identifies a person who intentionally infects people with AIDS. The second refers to people who seek partners that have AIDS, so they will be infected with it. That's right! People exist who want to have the disease. That's the part that boggles my mind. I had some awareness of gift givers, even though I didn't know these people had a designation. A few years ago, I caught part of an Oprah show that featured three women who had relationships with men that knew they were HIV positive and did not inform any of their partners of that fact. But to want AIDS? Really? What are "bug chasers" thinking? Do they not understand the ravages of the disease, despite all of the advances made?
The article speculated about some possible reasons "bug chasers" embark on a quest for AIDS, but no studies have been conducted to determine their motivations. As if ordinarly life doesn't have enough woes, these people thirst for more. I am flummoxed by it all. If anyone reading this can explain, please comment.
As for the "gift givers" out there, the only protection from them out is to use preventive measures. No other means can guarantee safety with a partner. I welcome any and all views about his craziness.
Sunday, 22 May 2011
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