According to a recent editorial in the Strib (link below), Minnesota has
experienced the largest increase in new cases of HIV in 17 years, and one of
the most alarming demographics involved is young gay and bisexual men from ages
15 to 24, which has seen a nearly 200% rise in new cases.

One of the points made in the editorial is that current outreach strategies are
really not doing a thing; otherwise, we wouldn't be seeing such an increase in
new cases of HIV (and likely other STIs). Given that the aforementioned
demographic is one of the most technologically-inclined generations yet, maybe
outreach should be taking to the internet.

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/97704214.html

Interesting read.

this isn't exactly the kind of outreach suggested in the editorial, but i was
impressed to see the signs on the bus stops in the warehouse district (they may
be elsewhere, too, but that's where i've seen them) with a picture of a
baseball player and a caption to the effect of:

"just because you're a pitcher doesn't mean you can't get HIV"

at first, i thought, "that can't actually mean what i think it does," but then
i realized that it must mean exactly that, and that it was in fact a pretty
brilliant piece of targeted outreach.

and i love that these signs are placed right where all the twins fans stream by
on game day--it gives such a great bi-curious twist to the new stadium!

michelle lewis
willard-homewood

Rest of post

Michelle Lewis wrote:
> this isn't exactly the kind of outreach suggested in the editorial, but i was
impressed to see the signs on the bus stops in the warehouse district (they may
be elsewhere, too, but that's where i've seen them) with a picture of a
baseball player and a caption to the effect of:
>
> "just because you're a pitcher doesn't mean you can't get HIV"
>
> at first, i thought, "that can't actually mean what i think it does," but
then i realized that it must mean exactly that, and that it was in fact a
pretty brilliant piece of targeted outreach.
>
> and i love that these signs are placed right where all the twins fans stream
by on game day--it gives such a great bi-curious twist to the new stadium!
>
> michelle lewis
> willard-homewood
>
[TB]
Apparently there were some complaints.

http://thecolu.mn/4027/though-controversial-hennco-hiv-ads-will-continue-to-grace-area-bus-stops

Seems like near a high school reaches the lower end of the target age
group (15-24). No one ever claimed that any STD/STI was pretty. Unless
the message gets out the epidemic isn't going to stop.

Terrell Brown
Loring Park

Rest of post

Has the person who complained about the message turned on the TV in the last 30
years? I'm far more offended by blatant sexualization used to sell deodorant
than to promote public health.

As someone who was once a young gay man, I don't think the ad goes nearly far
enough to reach the audience that needs to hear it. The concept of not being
bullied into silence is one that I thought ACT UP taught us, 24 years ago.

Tony Kelly
Harrison

Strib editorial: HIV prevention and outreach needs to take a new direction

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Strib editorial: HIV prevention and outreach needs to take a new direction

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