Sex Over 50: Good News Bad News

Yes, sex after 50 is a good news, bad news scenario.  Here's the bad news.  One out of three sexually active adults over 50 infected with HIV has unprotected sex, according to a study by Ohio University.  That's shocking isn't it?  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, folks over 50 will account for half of all HIV/AIDS cases in the U.S. by 2015. 

Now, for the good news.  65% percent of older adults ages 60 to 71 have sexual intercourse.  That means most of us will be enjoying the delights of the flesh for many years to come.  But, we have to be smart about it.  We must be aware of the hidden dangers.  We have to practice Smart Sex.

It's a sad but true fact, that even with all the warnings we are given, unprotected sex with multiple partners is still going on.  Because of the success of some of the HIV cocktails, people have gotten careless.  Careless is stupid!  Careless can kill us!

Prevention programs tend to focus on black and Latin women, the female population hardest hit by HIV. But, white women fall victim too. Nobody has a free pass - married, single, straight or gay. 

Here's a story about Nora taken from an article written in "The Body".  Nora found out she was HIV-positive in l986.  At the time she was 48, a retired graphic designer living in Manhattan Beach, California.  She said, "she would start out with condoms, but then with each new guy it was - Do you love me now?' - Do you trust me, now?' It was as though condoms were a temporary thing until you really trust the guy, rather than the condoms are all about living and longevity."  She was infected by her boyfriend.  He was positive and never told her.

Cathy, an HIV-positive outreach worker at Women Alive says:  "It never occurred to me that someone would love me and care about me and knowingly infect me with the virus"

Laura said, "I was infected through my fiancee.  He didn't know he was infected, so it wasn't a malicious victimization.  He was a college graduate, with a good job and a great future.  We were doing everything right and then our world came crashing down around us."  Laura and her fiancee backtracked to find out where he got infected.  He was on vacation in Brazil where he had unprotected sex with multiple women. HIV/ADS strikes everywhere.  It doesn't take a vacation.   

Here's Laura's warning to all of us.  "Women need to stop thinking it's about how old you are, or what race you are.  It doesn't matter - what type of sex or how you want to label sex.  Sex -- oral, anal or vaginal -- that's what transmits HIV".

To find out more about women with AIDS and how to protect yourself click here. http://www.women-alive.org/