I've seen post on how we're in the 5th decade of the fight against HIV, sort of... The virus existed before that. It was discovered in the early 80s & took nearly a year to get a name that stuck. So yeah, we're sort of 40+ years into the game.
That doesn't leave me very optimistic. Newer meds have led to far less death. Newer meds last longer, are easier to obtain & easier to tolerate. Still, the push has been more on meds & maintenance instead than awareness, education & prevention. If prevention is mentioned, it's to push PrEP.
No people aren't dying like the 80/90s. But there usually aren't posters & condoms at bars anymore either. The youngest generation prides itself on modern knowledge & knows the least about HIV. COVID happened & nothing has recovered completely.
I had far more hope for the end of HIV during the early 2000s than I do 20 years later. Then I believed it was possible. Now, I think it'd cost the drug companies too much profit for them to try. There's a lot of lip service to ending HIV. I think it's more like they're controlling it, corralling it, so they can keep it scary & profitable.
I won't say it's simple, but when it comes to HIV the rules are. There is no such thing as "Safe" sex only safer. Even with condoms & PrEP there's always a chance & that doesn't take in other STD's, illnesses or crime. Read everything you can about HIV, testing, meds, trends, diets... just everything you can. You are the only person who's going to educate & protect you. It's your life, you can't trust anyone else with that.
40+ years in, the message is the same, be as safe as possible, because HIV doesn't care who or what you are. Be kind to yourself & others. You don't know their story & they don't know yours.
Take care.
Cya...
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