25 years of AIDS

Not to start the day with a downer (not like that's ever stopped me before), but I just have to comment on Laura Bush's appearance at the UN's General Assembly meeting on AIDS/HIV (aka UNGASS). She, Barbara Bush Jr., and a random conglomerate of conservative/religious right abstinence-only believers were the US delegates to this meeting. On top of suggesting that our National HIV testing day should now become a Global HIV Testing Day (incidentally, that day is June 27), she suggested that nations should improve literacy to combat the spread of AIDS. What a bunch of crap.

I have a degree in English so I'm not gonna knock the whole "let's teach everyone to read" endeavor. And what should I be expecting from a former librarian? However, eradicating illiteracy in the world is not going to cure AIDS. It may not even prevent the spread of HIV. You don't need to read to know what a condom is and what it does. And chances are, if you're illiterate you've heard about condoms from your friends. Someone could demonstrate how to put on a condom for you. Or maybe you can practice. And if you're an IV drug user who can't read, well then you have bigger problems than illiteracy. But still, don't share needles is an easy message. So, I fail to see how literacy fits into this whole scenario. Perhaps someone could explain it to me. How is knowing how to read necessary to stopping the spread of AIDS?

25 years of AIDS and we're talking about literacy???