If you’re a sports fan, and even if you’re not, chances are you’re already strongly familiar with the fact that Los Angeles Lakers’ Magic Johnson was diagnosed with the HIV virus in 1991, which led to his retirement from the National Basketball Association and a very public announcement about his status.
Recently ESPN has produced a documentary about Johnson’s now infamous press conference and the world’s response to it called The Announcement. It follows Johnson’s rise to a basketball superstar, and the downslide that followed him being diagnosed with HIV.
Because his diagnoses came in the early 90′s when little was known about the disease, there were a lot of questions surrounding his new disease, including everyone’s biggest concern: If Magic can get this, can I get it, too?
In 2012, HIV and AIDS remains a concern for many Americans, but thanks to the growing practice of safe sex, the number of Americans living with the virus has slightly decreased in the last few years, and the spread has nearly been eliminated among online daters, thanks to the fact that people who meet online wear protection during intercourse nearly 96% of the time, according to the website City Data.
If you’re dating online, the last thing you’ll want is to get into bed with someone only for them to point out that you’re looking a little funky in your southern region. Contracting an STD, whither it be HIV or Herpes, can be embarrassing for anyone.
In order to ensure that you won’t have to face making an announcement of your own in the future, you need a little STD education! Knowing the signs and symptoms of STDs is the easiest way to prevent contracting one, and is the key to treating yourself early if you do.