President Barack Obama. (AP)
Commenting on President Barack Obama's declaration of June as LGBT Pride Month, American Family Association (AFA) President Tim Wildmon noted it is a medical fact "that engaging in homsexual activity is dangerous to your health," not unlike smoking is dangerous or too much sugar in one's diet, and asked why Obama does not tell gays "to stop doing what you're doing and you won't get AIDS?"
“You know, one of the real ironies of this [LGBT Pride] proclamation is the president cites here the need for more funding for HIV/AIDS," said Wildmon in a video posted by the AFA. "But, unlike Michelle Obama, who advocates that children stay off the sodas, he doesn’t advocate behavior change when it comes to homosexual behavior affecting your health."
"Why doesn’t he say stop doing what you’re doing and you won’t get AIDS?" said Wildmon.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, gay men make up about 2% of the U.S. population, yet they "are the population most severely affected by HIV," the virus that causes AIDS. "Sexual risk behaviors account for most HIV infections in gay and bisexual men," said the CDC. "Most gay and bisexual men acquire HIV through anal sex, which is the riskiest type of sex for getting or transmitting HIV."
In response to Wildmon's comments, AFA policy analyst Abe Hamilton said, “I think, once again, you highlight one of the glaring episodes of hypocrisy that comes from secular progressivism as applied to public policy. In terms of other health areas, well, you need to get exercise, you need to cut the sugars, you need to not eat sodas. But in terms of homosexuality, there’s no adjustment needed in your behavior. We just need to pour more money into treating the results of the behavior.”
Wildmon then said, “Even though it’s very provable that engaging in homosexual activity is dangerous to your health, in the same way that smoking is, or sugar, too much sugar, or anything of that nature. Very interesting but President Obama remains committed to the LGBT social and political agenda – that is for certain.”
In its information about gay men, HIV and AIDS, the CDC also said, "In 2010, gay and bisexual men accounted for 63% of estimated new HIV infections in the United States and 78% of infections among all newly infected men.... For sexually active gay and bisexual men, the most effective ways to prevent transmitting or becoming infected with HIV are to be on antiretroviral medications (to either treat or prevent infection) and to correctly use a condom every time for anal or vaginal sex."
(AP)
"Gay men are at increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), like syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, and CDC recommends that all sexually active gay and bisexual men be tested at least annually for these infections and obtain treatment, if necessary," said the agency.
In addition, "Having more sex partners compared to other men means gay and bisexual men have more opportunities to have sex with someone who can transmit HIV or another STD," said the CDC. "Similarly, among gay men, those who have more partners are more likely to acquire HIV."