Lady Gaga's MAC VIVA GLAM Promotional Video

After her appearance in her latex suit on Good Morning America, Lady Gaga continues to promote safe sex with her MAC VIVA GLAM promotional ad. In the video, Lady Gaga  puts on her taupe lipstick amongst a dreamy background of skulls and mirrors.

 Lady Gaga new shades are available as  Lipstick and Lipglass for $14.50 by MAC Cosmetics. Check out her VIVA GLAM video here:

You can purchase Lady Gaga's Lipstick or LipGlass at all MAC stores or online at maccosmetics.com.  100% of the proceeds will go to the MAC AIDS Fund.

Lady Gaga Dresses in Latex to Promote Safe Sex

In case you missed it, Lady Gaga appeared on Good Morning America last Thursday wearing a "latex condom-inspired" outfit to promote AIDS awareness. The famous pop singer sat down with Robin Roberts to talk about her new MAC lipstick line and her new  single "Born This Way".

Lady Gaga is a spokesperson for the MAC Viva Glam campaign that raises awareness and money against HIV and AIDS. MAC’s Viva Glam lipstick brand raised $34 million for HIV/AIDS awareness last year. This year's goal is to raise $50 million. All of the proceeds from Lady Gaga's new lipstick and lip "glass" will go to the MAC AIDS Fund for HIV/AIDS prevention.

"I want to get people started at home at a younger age with their children talking about HIV, talking about AIDS, talking about safe sex," explained Gaga. "My first experience with my mother that I remember mostly was when she would put her lipstick on in the morning and she would talk to me about life."

Watch the full interview below

From: MTV News

NYC Health Department Launches iPhone Free Condoms App

The New York City Health Department has taken another step in their fight against AIDS with the unveiling of their  iPhone Free Condoms app. The app allows users to find free condoms at over 3000  community centers, health clinics, neighborhood shops, and even  tattoo parlors and barber shops. 

The program uses GPS or users can manually put in their zip code to get directions to the five closest distribution centers in their area. It also offers hours of operations, what types of  safe sex products that are available, and tips on how to use a condom.

"We want New York City to be the safest city in the world to have sex,"said Dr. Monica Sweeney, NYC Health Department Assistant Commissioner for its Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control. "A lot of people come here for that, so want them to practice safer sex."


New Yorkers can also download the app from  the Android market or go to www.nyc.gov/health and type in their zip code to find locations with free NYC Condoms.

The New York City Health Department gave out more than 36 million free condoms in 2010.

From the Huffington Post, CBS News, Examiner.com

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day-Are You Aware of Your Status?

Today marks the 11^th Anniversary of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. It’s no secret that the AIDS epidemic is infecting the Black community at an unprecedented rate. While Blacks account for only 13.6% of the U. S. population,  they represent 46 percent of the estimated 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States.

The reasons for the high HIV/AIDS infection rate among Blacks are complex. They include  poverty, stigma, higher rates of other sexually transmitted disease, poor access to health care, and drug use. There is no simple solution to this problem, but on this day, I ask you this. Are you spreading the disease? Are you helping to solve the problem or are you contributing to the problem?

Every time you have unprotected sex not knowing your partner’s status, you may be spreading the disease. If you share drug needles, you may be spreading the disease.  If you look down on someone with HIV or AIDS, you are spreading the disease called stigma. 

No one in this world is invincible. If you engage in risky behaviors, you can get infected. Despite what you may have heard or think, HIV is like a bullet. It does not discriminate against race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, or social status, and it kills.  Millions around the world are living with it and people are dying from HIV/AIDS every day.  

To those of you who are living with HIV/AIDS, life is still worth living.  Just because you have HIV/AIDS, it does not mean that there is no longer a purpose for your life.  You decide how long you live. If you take care of yourself, you can still live a long prosperous life. Find a good support group to help you deal with any mental and emotional stress. 

The HIV/AIDS epidemic cannot be stopped overnight, but you can help stop the spread of disease.  This year’s theme for National Blacks HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is “It Takes a Village to Fight HIV/AIDS.” As a member of the Global Village, it is your responsibility to help fight HIV/AIDS by taking care of yourself. Get tested and protect yourself every time you have sex. You do not know what your partner may be doing. Talk to your friends and family encourage them to get tested too and warn them about the consequences if they are engaging in risky behaviors.  

To find a testing center near you, visit http://locator.aids.gov/

State Budget Cuts Threatens AIDS Patients Access to Drugs

Across the country “The Great Recession” is causing states to strip their budgets and make cuts to social programs. HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs that supply medicine to low income patients are being cut and leaving people without some of their medications. 

State HIV/AIDS treatment programs have stop accepting new participants and thousands of patients are on waiting list. Some states have also cut certain medications from their programs.   The Virginia AIDS Drugs Assistance Program cut dozens of medications from their program along with closing enrollment. While some of the medications are available as generic brands, some of the latest drugs can only be purchased at a certain price.  

Florida‘s AIDS Drug Assistance Program is facing a $14.5 million funding gap and could run out of money by mid- February.  The state receives a good amount of its funding from the federal government and the state will not receive new funding until April. Florida’s program has the largest amount on people on its waiting list at over 2800 patients. Patients on the waiting list received antiretroviral drugs from manufacturers “Patients Assistance Program”, but are unable to receive nonessential drugs that treat side effects.  

The Florida Health Department is actively seeking solutions to still serve patients during the six week funding gap. ``We're running out of money, and we're trying to help the patients through this six-week gap,'' said Tom Liberti, chief of the HIV/AIDS Bureau of the Florida Department of Health. ``We're exploring all our options.''  Liberti is also advocating for more funding at state and federal levels. 

The demand for AIDS drugs assistance has risen over the past two years and has also contributed to programs funding gaps.

Source: Miami Herald, Florida Independent

NYC Health Departments Offends Gay Community with HIV/AIDS Ad

The New York City Health recently released a PSA that targets gay men. The graphic ad that promotes condom use touts the message, "when you get HIV, it's never just HIV. You're at a higher risk for dozens of diseases even if you take medications, like osteoporosis, dementia, and anal cancer." Gay advocacy groups such as the Gay Men’s Health Crisis(GMHC)  and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation(GLAAD), say that this ad alienates people and deepens the stigma around the disease. Despite the controversy, the Health Department says it will not stop running the ad and it will continue to run through January. Personally, I think people need a real wake up call. People think they are invincible and do not understand  the effects of the disease. What say you? Watch the Ad here:

Hairdressers Fight AIDS One Haircut at a Time

On World AIDS Day, five hundred hairdressers filled the streets of Manhattan to spark conversations about HIV prevention. Dressed in red ribbon hats, scarves, and vests and with Flip Cameras in their hands, stylists engaged people in the streets of New York and recorded messages to kick off the U.S. Hairdressers Against AIDS campaign.

The Hairdressers Against AIDS campaign mobilizes hairstylists to use their special stylist-client relationships to educate people about HIV.  Sponsored by the L'Oreal Foundation and their partner UNESCO(the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), Hairdressers Against AIDS operates in 30 different countries and has facilitated an estimated 1.3 million conversations about HIV prevention worldwide. 

In 2011,  Hairdressers Against AIDS representatives will visit salons across the U.S. to encourage stylists to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among their clients. At least 500,000 stylists will be provided with educational kits with materials that have messages of "Reduce Your Risk," "Get Tested, " and "Talk about HIV."

Famous celebrity stylists have lent their blow dryers and voices to the campaign including Ted  Gibson(Angelina Jolie), Tracey Cunningham( Jennifer Lopez),  and Jason Backe(Anne Hathaway.) Johnny Wright, the stylist who cares for First Lady Michelle Obama's tresses, said, " Education is key. As hair stylists we have a vital voice to help educate. So that means talking about using a condom, getting tested, knowing your partner's status, knowing your own status, knowing about the celibacy option if that's appropriate for you. All that needs to be talked about. And I find it can e very easy for us hairdressers to communicate all this to our clients. "

Hairdressers Against AIDS hopes to reach 110 million people in its first year.

If  you are a stylist and want to get involved, visit the Hairdressers Against AIDS website and their Facebook page.Encourage your stylists to get involved too!

Source: Business Week
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