Elton John sat down with CNN recently to talk about the process we’ve made in AIDS education. He said some very interesting things. One was that he found AIDS to be cyclical. That every ten years or so, we have to re-educate people about safe sex because there is a whole new group of folks that don’t seem to get it. I find that interesting, because as long as I can remember there has been talk of this. I’m wondering who is not listening!

He also said that his lifestyle for a while consisted of throwing caution to the wind. He is a recovering alcoholic and drug user, so his caution went “out the window” and he basically was telling himself to gamble. He acknowledged that he is very lucky not to be HIV infected.

He said, “I love my life and I’m 62, I’ve never felt better. I’ve never had more joy than I have in my life right now, and the AIDS foundation is a huge part of that.”

Image: Bauer-Griffin

Teenagers who pledged to avoid sex until marriage were as likely to have intercourse as other U.S. adolescents, according to a survey of conduct mostly in 1990s.

Teens who took the pledge were less likely to use birth control pills or condoms than those making no promise. Essentially, the results show that teens need information on safe sex and pregnancy prevention even if they vow to refrain.

Imagine, teens making a promise and within a year or two – they up and change their mind. Gasp

I think it’s great that teens make such promises – but being a realist I know that kids change their minds from day to day.

What do you think about the whole virginity pledge thing? I think it’s a great idea, but it’s just that – an idea. I’m not sure how to make it actually work, but for crying out loud, kids need to know that it takes more than making a virginity promise to keep them from getting pregnant or from contracting a life altering STD.

Source: Bloomberg