Unicornbooty

We don’t necessarily run in cryptography circles here at UB, but even we have to admit that “internationally acclaimed cryptographer” Michael Wood’s publishing on the Apostle Paul’s teachings on homosexuality piqued our attention.

Apparently Paul’s paradoxes laid out in the book of Romans in the Bible have plagued theologians and historians for thousands of years. A classic argument against cultural permissiveness toward homosexuality stems from Romans, in which Paul appears to say homosexuals need not apply for an all-inclusive pass to Heaven – because they will be denied.

But Wood’s discovery has turned the entire scripture upside down, and it appears that the Bible has had a welcome mat out for the gays all along.

Wordy, we know. But how about them apples? Real talk, we’re full grown, non-robotic, autonomous adults capable of making our own decisions regarding morality here at UB, thankyouverymuch – but it’s always nice to hear that those who promote the idea of an all-loving God that hates some of the things He created have been reading their Bibles the wrong way all this time.

What say you about this biblical development?

Vanguard

THE Senate, yesterday, passed the Same Sex Marriage bill prohibiting all marriages between man and man and between woman and woman.

The bill sponsored by Senator Magnus Abe, PDP, Rivers, prescribes 14 years jail term for anybody convicted of contracting marriage between same sex.

It also prescribed 10 years for anybody convicted of aiding and abetting the contraction of same sex marriage in Nigeria and also nullifies certificate of same sex marriage contracted outside the shores of Nigeria. The new law also kicked against the operation of gay clubs in Nigeria as it provides for 10 years jail term without option of fine for anybody guilty of operating gay club within the country.

Senate President, David Mark, in his remark after the passage of the law stressed that the practice of same sex marriage violates Nigeria’s traditions and customs.

He said the Senate will not be cowed into passing laws that go against the belief of the country by western countries that threatened to stop aids to Nigeria on account of the Senate outlawing homosexuals and lesbianism in Nigeria.

Mark said: “If there is any country that wants to stop giving us aid because we want to pass the bill on same sex, that country can go ahead. We are a sovereign nation and we have the rights to decide for ourselves because no country can interfere in the way we run our country. Same sex marriage is against our own culture and tradition and against our beliefs.”

Section 3 of the bill reads: “Only marriage contracted between a man and a woman either under Islamic law, Customary law or Marriage Act is recognized as valid in Nigeria.”

Registration of gay clubs

Section 4 (1) which kicks against gay clubs reads: “The registration of gay clubs, societies and organizations; their sustenance, processions and meetings are hereby prohibited. (2) The public show of same sex amorous relationship directly or indirectly is hereby prohibited.”

Section 1 (2) and (3) reads: “A marriage contract or civil union entered into between persons of same sex is invalid and shall not be recognized as entitled to the benefits of a valid marriage. (3) A marriage contract or civil union entered into between persons of same sex by virtue of a certificate issued by a foreign country shall be void in Nigeria, and any benefits accruing there from by virtue of certificate shall not be enforced by any court in Nigeria.”

The law also banned solemnization of same sex marriage in churches and mosques in Nigeria. Section 2 (1) of the bill provides: “Marriage or civil union entered into between persons of same sex by virtue of a certificate issued by a foreign country shall be void in Nigeria and any benefits accruing there from by virtue of the certificate shall not be enforced.”

Section 5 (1)(2)(3) which stipulates the penalties reads: “Persons who entered into same sex marriage contract or civil union commit an offence and are each liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment.

“(2) Any person who registers, operate or participates in gay clubs, societies and organization or directly or indirectly make public show of same amorous relationship in Nigeria commits an offence and shall each be liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment.

“(3)Any person or group or persons that witness, abet and aids the solemnization of a same sex marriage or civil sustenance of gay clubs, societies, organization, process of meeting in Nigeria commits an offence and shall be liable to conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment.”

Interfax

A bill imposing an administrative penalty for propaganda promoting homosexuality and pedophilia among minors has been evaluated by the Russian Constitutional Court, said St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly member Vitaly Milonov, who authored the bill.

“This bill underwent a verification procedure at the Constitutional Court, which gave a clear definition to the term ‘homosexual propaganda,” Milonov told a press conference in St. Petersburg.

The bill does not discriminate in any way against homosexuals, Milonov said.

For his part, St. Petersburg Speaker Vadim Tyulpanov said he was surprised by the negative U.S. reaction to the bill.

“The U.S. Department of State has nothing else to do but mind our bill,” he told a press conference that focused on the results of the fourth term of the legislature.

Thanks to the debate surrounding this document, the St. Petersburg parliament has become famous across the world, he said.

“While the bill was debated, I started receiving e-mails from city residents supporting the bill. Over 90% of St. Petersburg citizens support the bill,” Tyulpanov said.

On November 16, the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly approved on first reading a bill imposing administrative liability for homosexual and pedophile propaganda among minors. In presenting the bill, author Vitaly Milonov said the bill must be passed to protect children from destructive information.

Under the bill, homosexual propaganda will entail a fine of 1,000-3,000 rubles for individuals, 3,000-5,000 rubles for officials and 10,000-50,000 rubles for companies.

President of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko voiced support for the bill.

For her part, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that Washington is concerned by the proposal to pass this bill as it seriously restricts the freedom of self-expression and the freedom of assembly for sexual minorities. The U.S. administration believes that the rights of homosexuals are an integral part of human rights.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Nuland’s statement is inappropriate and represents an act of interference in Russia’s legislative process. “We are perplexed by the American side’s attempts to interfere in the legislative process in Russia, especially publicly. We view the attempt as inappropriate and inconsistent with the practice of interstate relations,” Dolgov said, answering a question from Interfax.

NewsDire

Religious leaders and government authorities in Ethiopia have ended a meeting on November 29, with an apparent dispute over how to and whether or not ban an upcoming continental gay conference scheduled to be held in Addis Ababa.

Just a day before the 16th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STIs) in Africa (ICASA) opens, about 200 gays as well as UN and U.S. officials are expected to gather at Addis Ababa’s Jupiter International Hotel, on December 3 to discuss what the organizers call men having sex with men (MSM) issues.

Organized by African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (AMSHeR), the meeting dubbed ‘Claim, Scale-up, and Sustain’ seeks to increase attention on MSM and HIV related issues in Africa, to reflect on the state of the response in MSM communities in Africa and to identify ways forward for scaling up MSM and HIV interventions, according to News from Africa website.

Religious leaders from Ethiopian Muslim Council, the Ethiopian Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical churches have called a press conference to oppose the gay conference. While they were expected to ask for the banning of the conference Health Minister, Tewodros Adhanom, showed up for what later turned to be an hour long meeting behind closed doors.

“The Minister came to convince the religious leaders to call off the press conference as the government believes it would affect the ICASA turnout,” an informed source said. “In return, the minister may offer to quietly cancel the gay conference.”

At the end of the meeting neither the minister nor religious leaders spoke about what they agreed on. With signs of disappointment on their faces, religious leaders told journalists “the press conference has been postponed to undetermined date.”

If not cancelled, a number of speakers including UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibe, United States Global AIDS Coordinator, Eric Goosby, and current Chairperson of the Committee for the Protection of the rights of PLHIV, Reine Alapini – Gansou, are expected at the gay conference. They are set to discuss health and human rights issues facing gays, including criminalization of same-sex practices.

Ethiopia’s criminal law strictly prohibits any form of homosexuality on grounds that they are against country’s cultural norms and astray normal sexual practices. Homosexual or same sex marriage and unethical activities in the country are considered as criminal and the person who is engaged in such activity would be imprisoned from 3 to 10 years.

Exactly three years ago, Ethiopian religious leaders gathered to lobby lawmakers to enact a constitutional ban on homosexuality. The clerics said the current laws were inadequate.

Abune Paulos, head the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, said then that Ethiopia’s special place in biblical traditions means a firm stance is warranted. “We strongly condemn this behaviour. They have to be disciplined and their acts discriminated, they have to be given a lesson,” he said.

His idea was shared by other religious leaders who attended the December 2008 meeting.

Dr. Seyoum Antonios, Executive Director of United for Life Ethiopia – a local NGO – had said a tough stance is timely as some visitors come and engage in sex tourism and the prostitution business is also experiencing changes. According to him, the practice was a new phenomenon brought about with the increased exposure to globalizing trends, adding that orphans are especially at risk as they do not have proper family protection.

The religious leaders deemed homosexuality part of “cultural colonization” and a sign the new generation is “loosening”. They cited preaching in religious institutions, schools, societal institutions and societal out-casting as key to ensuring the practice does not become widespread.

The final resolution of the meeting had called on Ethiopian lawmakers to act forcefully against homosexuals: “We urge parliamentarians to endorse a ban on homosexuality in the constitution.”

Homosexuality is illegal in about 80 countries throughout the world and nine countries prescribe death as a punishment.

Latimes

The Supreme Court gave a generally skeptical hearing to a recreational pilot from San Francisco who wants damages from the government for disclosing his HIV status to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The case before the court Wednesday began in 2002, when the FAA heard a report of a pilot who had hidden his severe medical condition when he renewed his license to fly. Agents decided to check the records of 45,000 pilots in Northern California.

They learned from the Social Security Administration that Stanmore Cooper had obtained long-term disability benefits in 1995 because of his HIV condition. A year earlier, he had reapplied for his pilot’s license but failed to disclose his medical condition to the FAA. At the time, his illness may well have prevented him from renewing his license had it been revealed.

Cooper’s pilot’s license was revoked and he was charged with making false statements to the government. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was fined $1,000.

Cooper then sued the FAA for violating the Privacy Act, which permits claims for “actual damages.” Lower courts have been split for decades over whether these damages are limited to monetary losses or can also include claims for mental distress.

Justice Antonin Scalia said the 1974 law “goes far beyond” other privacy laws because it included instances where private records were not revealed to the public. Several justices joined Scalia in suggesting it was unlikely Congress wanted to open the door to damage suits for thousands of people who claim mental distress at learning their records had been examined by two agencies.

U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker in San Francisco had ruled against Cooper and said the law did not include damages for emotional distress. But the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed and ruled last year that emotional damages, if proven, were included.

Obama administration lawyers appealed in FAA vs. Cooper. They said Congress did not intend to expose the government to damage claims for emotional distress from thousands of people if two agencies shared records, or even Social Security numbers.

Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor disagreed with the administration’s lawyer. They said the hurt suffered from an invasion of privacy was usually emotional or mental, not monetary. A person who is “subjected to embarrassment and humiliation” has suffered damage, Ginsburg said.

Raymond Cardozo, a San Francisco lawyer for Cooper, said his client would have to prove that he had suffered mental distress in order to win.

But most of the justices sounded as though they were inclined to limit the scope of the damages to monetary losses, such as the loss of a job or medical expenses.

NPR

City health officials said Thursday they are recommending that any person living with HIV be offered AIDS drugs as soon as they are diagnosed with the virus, an aggressive move that has been shown to prolong life and stem the spread of the disease.

Standard practice has been to have patients put off the expensive pill regimen — which can cost up to $15,000 a year in the United States — until the immune system weakens.

But New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said recent studies have shown that the benefits of early treatment, combined with education and testing, appear to be a promising strategy for countering the epidemic.

“I’m more optimistic now than I’ve ever been about this epidemic that we can drive our new rates down to zero or close to it — eventually. I don’t know how soon. But I’m very optimistic of the direction that it’s going to take the epidemic to,” Farley said in an interview Wednesday.

More than 110,000 people in New York City are infected with HIV, more than in any other U.S. city and about 75 percent of all cases in the state. San Francisco, which had more than 18,000 people living with HIV, is believed to be the only other major city to have made a similar recommendation in 2010.

City health officials said the new recommendation could initially help about 3,000 people get on medications. About 66,000 New Yorkers living with HIV that the Health Department tracks are being effectively treated with AIDS drugs, they said. But they said it was difficult to estimate how many people would eventually need the medications.

Some doctors agree with the Department of Health that it is time to update the guidelines for initiating AIDS drug treatment.

“The New York City health department is a little bit ahead of the curve. In my opinion, the rest of the country will follow and I think it will be pretty quick,” said Dr. Michael Saag of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and past chairman of the HIV Medicine Association.

The standard measure of the CD4 count — a way to measure the strength of the immune system — is an outdated trigger for therapy, a relic from research on early antiretroviral drugs, Saag said.

“It’s an anachronism. It’s old school. It’s yesterday,” Saag said. “I agree completely with the New York City health department.”

Dr. Joel Gallant of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and vice chair of the HIV Medicine Association also agrees with the New York recommendation for offering early treatment. He recommends early treatment for his own patients.

“Nobody I know who is an HIV expert feels that it’s a bad idea to treat HIV at high CD4 counts from a medical or scientific standpoint,” Gallant said. “If there are objections, they’d usually be based on cost or feasibility.”

Saag said the cost questions are very important because brand-name drugs can retail for $1,200 to $1,600 per month.

“For sure, they’re very expensive drugs and we should be careful about that,” he said, though he added that the medications are going generic so costs should come down.

City health officials said they anticipated that the cost for expanding the use of AIDS drugs would be covered by private insurance or by the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, a $270 million program for the uninsured or underinsured that is partially funded through federal dollars. The health officials said they expect the benefits over the long term would far outweigh the initial costs because there would be fewer hospitalizations and new HIV cases.

“There will be some increasing costs over the short term,” said Farley. “But over the long term, it’s absolutely the right thing for the epidemic.”

HIV experts are split about whether early therapy should be recommended or optional. Besides the high costs, the pills have side effects from nausea to liver damage. Patients unwilling to take them religiously for life could develop drug resistance.

A panel that recently updated U.S. guidelines was divided evenly, with half favoring starting therapy early for everyone and half regarding an early start as elective.

But there’s growing evidence that untreated HIV can lead to cancers and heart disease. What’s more, antiretroviral drugs are safer, have fewer side effects and work better than they did in the past. New research also indicates that people live better, healthier lives and their sex partners are less likely to get infected.

The new research cited by the city’s Health Department in making its recommendations includes a nine-nation study whose preliminary results were announced earlier this year and showed that earlier treatment meant patients were 96 percent less likely to spread the virus to their uninfected partners.

Dr. Moupali Das, the director of research at the San Francisco Department of Health HIV Prevention Section, said its surveillance data indicated that physicians were treating their HIV patients early even before the city recommended doing so. She said the average amount of time from diagnosis to having no virus in the blood went from 32 months in 2004 to eight months in 2008.

“That reflects that the newer medications are more potent and efficacious, and the doctors were likely initiating them earlier,” she said.

She said they are currently analyzing what has happened since the recommendations went into effect. But, anecdotally, she said that there has been a change among patients seeking treatment. “It’s changed the dialogue and empowered our patient population,” she said.

Public health experts predict the guidelines for starting AIDS drugs treatment will shift toward a clear recommendation for early treatment.

But New York City’s health commissioner said officials there could not wait to respond.

“What we’re doing here is we’re making a really clear and unequivocal statement that we think this is good for the health of the patient, good for the health of the entire population, good for the response to the epidemic,” Farley said.

Watertowndaylitimes

Two students at Indian River High School gather around a black cloth panel. Sewing needles weave in and out of the cloth, attaching another layer of floral cloth spelling “SAM,” the name of a man in Syracuse who lost his life to acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS.

These students are a part of the Teen AIDS Task Force, a club at the school that raises awareness of the deadly disease. Every year on World AIDS day, Dec. 1, they have displayed pieces of the Central New York AIDS Memorial Quilt and led workshops to educate their fellow classmates.

For the first time, the students are making their own panel of the quilt.

“That’s one of our big days that we try to do something,” said Kristie L. Fuller, high school theater teacher and club adviser. “Sometimes, we have an HIV positive person come in to speak.

Metro

ormer NDP leader Jack Layton will be honoured with a special lifetime achievement award tonight at the Canadian AIDS Society World AIDS Day Gala.

Trinity-Spadina MP Olivia Chow will accept the award on behalf of her late husband, in addition to her duties as the evening’s celebrity auctioneer.

“Mr. Layton has been a champion for HIV and AIDS from the very, very early days when he was a city councillor in Toronto, standing up against raids on bathhouses, making sure that he was very present at every opportunity for HIV and AIDS events, and speaking to the importance of funding for the HIV and AIDS community,” said Monique Doolittle-Romas, the society’s executive director.

The CAS will award this year’s Corporate Leadership Award to Toronto ad firm john st and offer a preview of a documentary on HIV, the Reignite Project, with its producer Paul Saltzman.

The Telegraph

7sur7
Daniel Radcliffe, le héros de la saga Harry Potter, va complètement changer de registre dans l’un de ses prochains rôles. L’acteur va en effet incarner Allen Ginsberg, un poète gay américain, relate The Sun.

Le film, “Kill Your Darlings”, retracera l’histoire du poète et mettra l’accent sur sa relation avec son colocataire Lucien Carr et le romancier Jack Kerouac.

Pour ce nouveau rôle, Daniel Radcliffe devra se laisser pousser une barbe épaisse, qui caractérisait le fameux poète. Le tournage du film est prévu pour janvier 2012, juste à la fin du spectacle de Daniel Radcliffe à Broadway.

Beaucoup voient dans cette décision d’accepter le rôle un acte de courage de la part de Daniel Radcliffe. En effet, de grosses rumeurs ont couru il y a quelques mois, affirmant que l’acteur était homosexuel.

Daniel Radcliffe, qui a toujours affirmé qu’il était hétérosexuel, soutient par contre ouvertement la tolérance envers les gays et a déjà aidé financièrement des associations américaines qui se battent pour le respect de la communauté homosexuelle.

Pour l’acteur, jouer le rôle d’un homosexuel n’a rien de plus ou de moins gênant que de jouer le rôle d’un hétérosexuel, et tant pis pour les rumeurs qui en découleront. (mlb)

Yagg
C’est le chiffre qui frappe. En 2010, dans la région Ile-de-France, il y a eu 80 fois plus de contaminations chez les gays que chez les hétérosexuels. L’épidémie reste donc très active parmi les homosexuels masculins.

C’est ce qu’on voulu souligner les orateurs lors de la présentation des chiffres annuels de l’épidémie, au ministère de la Santé, mardi 29 novembre. Mais ni le ministre de la Santé Xavier Bertrand, ni la secrétaire d’État Nora Berra n’avaient jugé bon de se présenter devant la presse. Jean-Yves Grall, le directeur général de la Santé, était présent ainsi que Than Le Luong, directrice générale de l’Institut de prévention et d’éducation pour la santé, et Caroline Semaille, de l’Institut de veille sanitaire (InVS).

Dans l’interview qu’elle a accordée à Yagg, Caroline Semaille explique que l’incidence du VIH, c’est-à-dire le nombre de nouveaux cas par an dans une population donnée, est toujours élevée chez les homosexuels masculins en Ile-de-France et a été mesurée à 1,6%. Cela signifie qu’en 2010, plus d’un gay sur cent a été contaminé par le VIH. L’Ile-de-France est devant le reste de la métropole et devant les départements français d’Amérique.

NouvelObs
LE PLUS. Comme si la maladie avait disparu avec les années, de plus en plus de jeunes sont convaincus qu’ils n’ont plus besoin de porter de préservatif, ou, pire, que l’on peut guérir facilement si l’on est atteint du VIH. Notre chroniqueuse Gaëlle-Marie Zimmermann appelle à la prudence…

Gaëlle-Marie Zimmermann
> Par Gaëlle-Marie Zimmermann Chroniqueuse sexo/société

Edité par Melissa Bounoua Auteur parrainé par Benoît Raphaël

Il y a quelques semaines, alors que je bavardais avec un jeune homme d’environ 25 ans, j’ai failli avaler le combiné de mon téléphone, sous le coup de la stupéfaction. Nous devisions paisiblement autour de sujets essentiels comme la vie à la campagne, l’ânesse dépressive de mon voisin, la coupe idéale pour un bon costard, et la sexualité avec ou sans capotes.

Des préservatifs exposés à Beijing en Chine dans le cadre de l’exposition

Des préservatifs exposés à Beijing en Chine dans le cadre de l’exposition “family planning” le 4 avril 2009 (STR/AFP)

Forte de mon âge canonique et de mon humour merdique de vieille combattante, je m’apprêtais à évoquer de plaisants souvenirs, comme ce jour où j’ai fait mon premier test de dépistage suite à un accident de préservatif (oui, la capote avait décidé qu’elle m’aimait – contrairement à son propriétaire – et avait quitté le pénis qu’elle protégeait pour rester avec moi. Je veux dire, pour de vrai. Avec moi vraiment), quand soudain, mon interlocuteur s’est mis à délirer.

Et par “délirer”, j’entends bien “délirer”, à savoir débiter une telle dose de conneries à la minute que j’en ai eu le vertige. Et comme aujourd’hui c’est fête, je partage. Ce jeune homme, pourtant éduqué et généreusement cérébré, m’a donc dit en substance :

“Nan mais AIDES, faut qu’ils arrêtent avec leur politique de la peur… Sans déconner quoi, tu veux connaître les vrais chiffres ? Aujourd’hui, les statistiques sur les contaminations par le VIH sont fausses. On fait peur aux gens, et on exagère vachement les risques. Sérieux, faut pas venir me dire que, si tu mets pas de capote, tu risques de choper le SIDA. A ce jour, et au moment où je te parle, si je baise avec une fille sans préservatif, on peut dire que le risque d’être contaminé par le VIH est quasi-nul. Quasi-nul, tu vois ce que je veux dire ?”

Oui mon lapin, je vois. Ce que je vois, c’est que tu n’as pas grandi dans la peur du SIDA, et que tu ne t’es pas, comme moi, mangé pendant des années (j’ai été jeune et en totale découverte sexuelle à la fin des années 80 et au début des années 90) des campagnes d’informations terrifiantes qui te promettaient une mort dans d’atroces souffrances si tu t’envoyais en l’air sans préservatif.

Ce que je vois, c’est que, malheureusement, tu n’as pas été précisément ciblé par ces campagnes, et que ta peur imprécise et sans limites ne s’est pas, comme la mienne, nourrie de la vision de Tom Hanks squelettique et affaibli dans le film “Philadelphia”, ni des récits alarmistes de médecins ultra-médiatisés, décrivant la douleur des patients à l’agonie.

Ce que je vois également, c’est que le recul et les capacités d’analyse qui te permettent de ne pas être une victime du marketing et des manipulations médiatiques, ce même recul dont tu peux légitimement être fier parce qu’il te donne l’impression d’être à la fois au-dessus de la mêlée et profondément humaniste, sera justement celui qui fera de toi une victime en puissance, et un potentiel porteur du virus, un jour, peut-être, au détour d’un coup de bite non couvert.

Et ce que je vois aussi, c’est qu’une fois dans ta vie, tu aurais dû gober la politique de la peur, la bouffer avec avidité, t’en mettre plein les oreilles et le crâne, et croire vraiment que la vérité est bien celle-ci : le SIDA, à ce jour, est toujours un truc qui peut te tomber sur le coin de la gueule quand tu es de ceux qui pensent que le risque est quasi-nul.

Contrairement à ce que semblent penser pas mal de jeunes gens en 2011 (pas la majorité, mais encore trop pour leur propre bien), l’existence de traitements médicaux efficaces ne font pas de la vie avec le VIH une promenade de santé, paisible et sécurisée.

Alors la politique de la peur, dans toute sa splendeur excessive, ses dérives, ses manipulations et ses effets pervers, a probablement une seule et très bonne raison d’exister : quand elle plânait au-dessus de nos hormones en folie, elle nous imprégnait si fort que jamais nous n’aurions eu l’inconscience de baiser sans capote.

Nous ne savions pas de quoi nous avions peur, de quelle maladie nous risquions de mourir ou par quelles souffrances nous pouvions être terrassés, mais c’était si puissant et si violent que même rouges de honte, bafouillants et mortifiés, nous achetions des capotes.

Et au moment fatidique de l’ensachage de quéquette, celui où on se demande si on n’est pas en train de rompre le charme de l’instant, et de foutre en l’air le début de la meilleure partie de baise du siècle, ce tragique moment d’hésitation qui nous donnait envie de faire l’impasse pour ne pas tout gâcher, la peur revenait en force ; et il nous suffisait de l’écouter une petite seconde pour déchirer le sachet d’un geste ferme (maladroit, mais ferme) avant de nous attaquer à l’engin.

Cette peur de mourir du SIDA a, je pense, contribué à ce que je puisse écrire cette chronique aujourd’hui en étant séronégative. Rendez-nous cette peur. Et instillez-la sournoisement dans l’esprit de ces jeunes coqs qui pensent que “le risque est quasi-nul”.

NouvelObs
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy a appelé jeudi à la vigilance à l’occasion de la Journée mondiale de lutte contre le sida, affirmant qu’il fallait “réveiller les consciences” pour améliorer la prévention et “ne pas baisser la garde devant ce virus”.

La journée mondiale de mobilisation est “fondamentale car le sida n’est pas du tout un problème résolu” et si “beaucoup de progrès ont été accomplis, il reste beaucoup à faire”, a plaidé sur Europe 1 la Première Dame qui est aussi ambassadrice du Fonds mondial de lutte contre le sida.

“Il faut rester alertés, attentifs et dire aux jeunes, et aux moins jeunes, de se protéger, de faire des dépistages”, a-t-elle ajouté, rappelant que la contamination ne recule plus depuis plusieurs années en France mais aussi que 50.000 personnes ignorent qu’elles sont porteuses du virus.

Mme Sarkozy, qui a accouché en octobre d’une petite Giulia, a insisté sur la nécessité d’informer sur la question de la transmission de la mère à l’enfant, notamment en Afrique ou en Inde, où les traitements donnent des résultats “incroyablement encourageants”.

Elle avait initié et soutenu en mai 2010 une campagne internationale de sensibilisation par le Fonds mondial de lutte contre le sida sur ce thème, baptisée “Naître sans le sida”.

L’épouse du chef de l’Etat a également évoqué sa propre fondation qui oeuvre pour l’accès au savoir et à la culture, et son travail artistique. Elle a notamment participé récemment à un album de plusieurs artistes sous la direction du compositeur Michel Legrand, intitulé “Noël, Noël, Noël” et pour lequel elle a chanté alors qu’elle était “très, très enceinte”.

Concernant son prochain album, elle affirme: “Mes chansons sont pratiquement prêtes, simplement là je pouponne un peu et je travaille beaucoup pour la fondation, donc j’ai besoin d’un peu de temps pour finir le disque”.