Letters to the editor

Dear Virginia Wesleyan,

My name is Kristin Eaton and I am the co-founder of the AIDS organization Students Saving Students. Many of you have seen me around campus as a classmate, sister, president, advocate and friend. Few of you are aware of another position that I hold that goes something like, “I am HIV affected. I am affected by the virus that causes AIDS.”

AIDS is among us. It is on our campus, in our classrooms, it is even with me as I write this letter tonight. You see, I am not HIV positive. I do not carry the virus that causes AIDS. What I carry are the memories of loved ones I’ve lost: the memory of a boy who will never attend his 10-year high school reunion; the memory of a man who will never get the chance to laugh again; the memory of a five-year-old who will never set foot inside a kindergarten classroom.

I’m sure you’re not surprised to hear that over 75% of America’s kids have sex before they graduate high school. But it may surprise you to know that only 2/3 of them are using a condom. That boils down to one in three students who have put their lives at risk. ONE IN THREE. Look around. So few of us have had an HIV test. Can you tell me if the person next to you is HIV positive? Can you tell me if you are?

I can’t say how often I’ve been told “It won’t happen to me,” or about the discomfort of a condom or how awkward a moment it can be. Let me share with you the fact that every hour an American under 21 — someone our age who didn’t think it would happen to them — contracts HIV. Let me share with you the discomfort of a five-year-old fighting just to breathe. Let me share with you the awkward moment of sitting your parents down to tell them you’ve got AIDS.

You see, I am not alone here. You, too, are affected by the virus that causes AIDS. So I ask you as a classmate, sister, president, advocate and friend — think twice about the discomfort and awkward moments because it can happen to you. Use a condom. The first time. Every time. No exceptions.

Sincerely,

Kristin Eaton