1 in 5 gay, bisexual men has AIDS virus and many don't know it, says CDC study

[Alcon]

The obvious solution to this crisis would be to encourage them to form monogamous relationships.  The "family values" crowqs is complicit in this situation.

of course, it's always the fault of the biblical Christians

Not their fault alone, of course. Still, it would clearly be in the interest of public health to not just allow but encourage gay marriage. That certain Christians demonize gays and their relationships is helping to spread AIDS among gays. It's the exact opposite of "love thy neighbor."

Um, you don't need a government marriage license to be able to form a monogamous loving relationship with someone.

That doesn't contradict what he said.

[Alcon]

The obvious solution to this crisis would be to encourage them to form monogamous relationships.  The "family values" crowqs is complicit in this situation.

of course, it's always the fault of the biblical Christians

Not their fault alone, of course. Still, it would clearly be in the interest of public health to not just allow but encourage gay marriage. That certain Christians demonize gays and their relationships is helping to spread AIDS among gays. It's the exact opposite of "love thy neighbor."

You're blaming the lack of gay marriage as the reason that gays aren't forming monagamous relationships?  Where's the logic in that?

Again, that's not exactly what he said.  He's arguing that disallowing gay marriage contributes to a general cultural gulf between the way heterosexual and homosexual relationships are treated.  Long-term homosexual relationships are regarded with such skepticism that they aren't even legally codified in most of the U.S.  I don't think anyone sane argues that this is the only problem (homosexual female HIV rates probably are not nearly as high for reasons that aren't just physiological), but I think there is "logic" in observing the idea that homosexuals don't see their long-term relationships as as normalized and intrinsic to their sexual identities as most of us do (eventually, at least.)

Not that I'd even argue this is the primary factor.

[Alcon]

OK - maybe as a small factor, I'd agree then.

I'm not convinced it's that small.  I mean, what do you think accounts for the promiscuity among gay men?  Is it that men avoid committed relationships when it's eas(ier) to get laid, or because there's something intrinsic about being gay that makes men -- and only men -- slutty?  Neither of these seem greatly more compelling to me than the explanation I offered.  I mean, what else is there?

[Alcon]

OK - maybe as a small factor, I'd agree then.

I'm not convinced it's that small.  I mean, what do you think accounts for the promiscuity among gay men?  Is it that men avoid committed relationships when it's eas(ier) to get laid, or because there's something intrinsic about being gay that makes men -- and only men -- slutty?  Neither of these seem greatly more compelling to me than the explanation I offered.  I mean, what else is there?

Let's consult the literature.

Men more interested in short-term mating?  Gasp

I absolutely agree that it's a strong contributing factor, but does that alone explain the massive gap in long-term relationship adherence in heterosexual versus homosexual men?  It's feasible, I guess, but if norms associated with heterosexual relationships (monogamy) are such a powerful draw as to restrain heterosexual men so effectively, it doesn't strike me as unreasonable to assume that the lack of a social norm over long-term homosexual relationships contributes to a lack of disincentive for male homosexual promiscuity.  Probably not not the primary factor, but if norms are so successful in restraining heterosexual men, it seems like they'd probably have a role for homosexual ones--which I think is what was being argued.  (This, of course, is under the assumption that men aren't just lay-maximizers who are especially bad at convincing women to go along with it.)

Oh, and lol at how men's numbers track here:

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