Can television commercials promote HIV and AIDS?

Mrs. H,

Thank you for commenting. My response is not only to your comments but for those reading this post for the first time.

Now it’s not me saying this Levi’s 501 jeans commercial is about sex. I didn’t make it. But to watch this and to say they think that sex will sell their jeans seems obvious to me. The question of morality should be asked of Levi’s.

Now you asked how I connect this to HIV and AIDS. Well I view it like this. Teenagers and 20-something’s experience huge hormonal changes. Their sex drives are massively amped up compared to most any other age group, as is their belief that they are invulnerable to any harm. As such they don’t always think in the most logical or complete manner once sex is on the horizon. That leads to risky acts and spontaneous action.

That is not to say every young adult is like this. But honestly most are.

This is why far too many young adults don’t carry or use condoms. Add to that the general cultural fear and/or embarrassment about asking questions relating to sex and you have an environment that is ripe for transmitting STD’s. The worst of those STD’s is HIV and AIDS.

If unprotected sex can cause pregnancy, transfer Chlamydia or Herpes, then it can absolutely spread HIV and/or AIDS. Unprotected sex often is connected to high risk sexual activity, multiple partners, and spontaneous sex acts. The failure to even hint at a question of the sexual heal status of a potential partner due to fear, embarrassment, and/or fear of thus being rejected increases the chance of unprotected sex.

This commercial emphasizes spontaneous sex. It never asks any question of sexual health status. The very environment of the act demands the high risk nature of the sex. So in consequence it directly promotes the chances of getting an STD which means the chance of HIV and/or AIDS is MASSIVELY more likely.

Mrs. H, I see it like this. If we, via the media, promote spontaneous, high risk sex we promote the chance of getting and spreading HIV and AIDS. If we maintain a cultural fear and taboo about speaking to a potential sex partner about their sexual health status, we promote HIV and AIDS.

Unprotected sex is high risk sex and promoting HIV and AIDS. Ignorance of a sex partner’s sexual health is promoting HIV and AIDS. And both of these are the reason that most of those with HIV and/or AIDS currently in the United States are 25 or younger.

Assuming that unprotected random sex acts with a person that looks healthy, is of the opposite sex, or part of a race that is of lower HIV risk does not make anyone immune or safe from contracting HIV and/or AIDS. It is virtually inviting the contracting and spreading of the disease. And the 501 jeans ad does just that.

Some might think that I am overreacting. Perhaps I am. But what if your kid gets HIV and/or AIDS? What if it is you? IS not asking a simple question, having documentation, and being protected worth less than your life?

Because unprotected sex is like playing Russian Roulette with the odds, and you will be shot – if not the first time, then eventually. No one can beat the odds forever. Even if a jeans commercial would like to make it seem like you can.

Levi's 501 jeans - promoting HIV and AIDS?

Have you seen this television commercial?



It’s goal is to sell the Levi’s 501 jeans. Given. And it’s using sex as the medium to make the jeans sell. Normal.

But should it be aired?

I’m not talking about violating the Freedom of Speech. I support and understand their right to make the commercial. They did noting wrong in that arena. And I would argue if they were prevented from being allowed to air it, because of that right.

Perhaps the question I need to be asking is should they have made it in the first place.

The ad is based on the thought of ambiguous anonymous sex, and more than hints at unprotected sex at that. The kind of sex that promotes and spreads Sexually Transmitted Diseases – especially AIDS and HIV. And it’s targeting this thought on teenagers and 20-somethings.

The thought behind the ad is simple. If you wear these jeans, you will spontaneously be picked to have sex in the most unusual, and therefore potentially unprepared, places you can imagine. Wearing these jeans will get you to not wear them because of the multitude of random sexual encounters you will engage in.

If that sounds irresponsible it is. If it sounds like I got the message wrong, please look at the commercial again and tell me what else it might mean.

At no moment do we see the 2 in this video pause to ask if there is protection available. Or if they have been tested for HIV. Or any STD. Or even a hint of a condom on a pocket, wallet, or anywhere. They may not want to market another product (though co-branding couldn’t hurt either company) but just having the image can’t hurt them.

But why is there no mention of any responsible action or question?

Because it’s too sexual. Because that would be explicit. Because some mother or preacher out there would freak out that their child heard or saw something relating to sex.

Yes, an outline of a condom in the jean pants pocket is too sexual. But stripping each other and the glimpse of a woman’s bra and panties plus the jeans on the floor is NOT sexual.

People please. What the hell.

If we as a society are going to promote random, wanton sex especially among the youth of the nation, the least we can do is hint at the fact that some thought to protection from STD’s and HIV/AIDS has happened.

This commercial takes place in New York City - Manhattan specifically. There are at least some 14,400 known cases of HIV in New York City alone – 4,800 of them were new infections as of 2006. There is no way to accurately gauge the number of unreported cases. People that have not gotten tested to find out.

According to 2006 statistics Syphilis is up 60% not to mention other STD’s. That was 2 years ago.

So yes the commercial has the right to be made and shown. But it’s not responsible, and potentially it’s a deadly message that could affect you and/or your kids.

Be smart, be protected. Get tested. It’s your life after all.

Possible connection from oral sex to cancer - 5.22.2007.2

As I promised something far more serious is an item I mentioned I’d speak about. Oral sex can possibly give you throat cancer. Seriously. This isn’t some story that parents tell their kids, like you can go blind or grow hair on your palms.

A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine has shown that human papillomavirus or HPV can be transmitted and cause a rare form of cancer. HPV is believed to be responsible for some types of cervical cancer, and vaccines are being worked on currently. Another study, from Johns Hopkins University, found around 72% of those with this rare form of throat cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, also had a type of HPV. They also found that prior HPV infection or more than 6 oral sex partners increased the chance of contracting the cancer.

I’d love to crack jokes about this. I have no doubt that some guy reading this will be pissed. Guaranteed this post will spoil the fun of a few people, but this is serious. I’m not advocating pre-marital sex, nor am I saying abstinence is the only other choice. I’m just highlighting a health concern that everyone should be aware of. Maybe researchers will find that this is incorrect, then again maybe not.

I recall reading a report about 2 years ago stating that oral sex among teens was up dramatically. That same report stated that young girls did not consider this sex. It is of course, and while pregnancy may not be a consequence there are other factors to be aware of. This is just one concern, and it is a recent finding that is getting more attention. Various STD’s [Sexually Transmitted Diseases] can be caught, carried, and passed on via oral sex. If you aren’t careful and chose to have sex, be aware there could be a negative outcome.

Call this post a PSA (Public Service Announcement). Just something I saw and wanted to pass on. Take it as you will. But if you are upset because I just ruined an evening of fun, save me the email. I already have an idea how that feels.

This is what I think, what do you think?