meet the Condom Granny

Because in the age of Viagra you are never too old to have sex - and develop AIDS...HIV does not discriminate and it affects both the young and old. This great article from the Sydney Morning Herald profiles a volunteer for the Senior HIV Intervention Program in FL.

Peeps, meet Miriam Schuler, the Condom Grandma. photo courtesy of the Syndey Morning Herald

Nine years ago, Ms. Schuler decided to do some volunteer work to help pass the time. Although she didn't know much about HIV/AIDS, she thought she'd give the Senior HIV Intervention Program a try. Ms. Schuler uses the words "shy" and "private" to describe herself, yet somehow found the way to say to a random stranger on her first try, "My name is Miriam, our program is called SHIP, Senior HIV Intervention Project, and we are here to educate the senior public about the dangers of unsafe sex".

Her reaction is classic--"When I heard myself say that, I nearly fainted. I mean, I have four children, but I've never spoken about it. It was a very big step for me."

Best part of the whole article is this:
Once a man asked her if one size of condom fitted everyone. She said: "Yes, of course they do".

He said: "Oh no, I need extra large." So she took a condom, rolled it down her arm to her elbow and said to him: "If you are this big, please give me your telephone number."

Kudos to you, Condom Granny. As a fellow AIDS activist, I am proud that you are educating the seniors of Ft. Lauderdale. Despite the resistance you've encountered ("At your age you ought to be ashamed of yourself"), I admire your perseverance and attention to this issue.