AIDS affects countless people each and every year. Whether you or a spouse/friend/family member contracted the disease is irrelevant. The disease, like any other life-threatening disease, affects everyone. It might be your name on that piece of paper, but everyone around you will be affected in some way.

You may be judged, pitied and shunned by a number of possible sexual partners. Earlier this year, I spoke with local artist Valyn Calhoun, who battled with AIDS and other health complications last year. His experience in dealing with the stigmas of the disease were less than stellar, to say the least.

“Unfortunately, the majority of harsh criticism I receive about my status is from the gay community,” Calhoun said in the interview. “Men seem to think I’m either untouchable or a free-for-all.” Like any disease, people are afraid of physical contact once you’ve contracted it.

The cover image used in this week’s issue is from a local photographer named Larry Singer. When Singer showed me some of the photos from his upcoming book, X-Rated Dolls, I was strangely drawn to them. The images feature straight, gay, and lesbian sexual encounters, but instead of porn stars, he uses dolls. What you take away from the image is subjective. Some say the dolls look calm inside of the condom, knowing they are safe. Others have mentioned that it looks as if they are being smothered beneath the rubber.

The same can be said of real sex. The condom provides you with a high protection rate against HIV/AIDS and other STDs, but you sacrifice the skin-on-skin contact that we all desire. For me, I feel safe behind the condom. I do not feel trapped, oppressed or smothered. If anything, I feel more free with that thin piece of rubber. If you are HIV positive, you should feel free behind that condom as well. You should not be ashamed of your status.

Prevention is the ultimate tool for ridding the world of HIV/AIDS. Safe sex shouldn’t be an afterthought, it should be the first thought.