Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Circumcision reduces the risk of contracting HIV by 70 percent

reiii · 07-10-2005, 09:07 AM

The AIDS crisis has a social component but I dont think lack of education is the problem. Condoms are just not culturally compatible . Just read up about all the failed condom+ pamphlet campaigns theyve launched in afflicted countries. The health workers can talk until they are blue in the face about how AIDS is transmitted and how condoms will save lives, but it doesnt change anything. Asking an African man to don a condom is considered emasculating. The men consider unprotected sex a matter of entitlement, and the women have literally zero say.

That being said, how do you think they will react to a circumcision campaign?

I'd also like Grey2000 to back up your statement that most African men in affected regions are circumcised. From what I read, it varies wildly from region to region:

http://www.stwr.net/modules.php?name...owpage&pid=166

this article gives 70% as the general (not regio specific) percentage of circumcised men, but many are circumcised in right of passage ceremonies after puberty, which does not confer the same protection.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...ype=printableL

07-10-2005, 09:07 AM	#27 (permalink)
reiii unstuck in time Location: Nashville/D.C.	The AIDS crisis has a social component but I dont think lack of education is the problem. Condoms are just not culturally compatible . Just read up about all the failed condom+ pamphlet campaigns theyve launched in afflicted countries. The health workers can talk until they are blue in the face about how AIDS is transmitted and how condoms will save lives, but it doesnt change anything. Asking an African man to don a condom is considered emasculating. The men consider unprotected sex a matter of entitlement, and the women have literally zero say. That being said, how do you think they will react to a circumcision campaign? I'd also like Grey2000 to back up your statement that most African men in affected regions are circumcised. From what I read, it varies wildly from region to region: http://www.stwr.net/modules.php?name...owpage&pid=166 this article gives 70% as the general (not regio specific) percentage of circumcised men, but many are circumcised in right of passage ceremonies after puberty, which does not confer the same protection. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...ype=printableL __________________ "Jombe? The chocolate icing" -hedonism bot Last edited by reiii; 07-10-2005 at 09:17 AM..