Hydeia Broadbent Opens Up About Dating With AIDS
Hydeia Broadbent, who contracted the AIDS virus from her drug-addict mother upon birth, became an activist at 6-years-old and the now 27-year-old has opened up about dating and sex on World Aids day.
Broadbent, who appeared on Oprah to inform the world about her disease at the age of six and spoke at the Republican Convention at the age of 12, recently spoke to Lot 21 about the desensitization of youths concerning AIDS and HIV.
“I believe the younger generation tends to be de-sensitized, because they don't really know how huge an issue HIV/AIDS was in the 80s,” she said. “My 19-year-old sister [who is positive] has no problem dating guys her age. They are so open and not afraid, not like the guys my age who remember growing up afraid of getting AIDS.”
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Broadbent said the lack of fear in today’s younger generation scares her.
“While that’s good for my sister's generation, it’s kind of scary because there isn't a sense of fear,” she told Lot 21. “I think my generation let them down because we forgot to inform and show them the true reality of AIDS.”
This has shed light on the question of whether people can have children with the AIDS virus and avoid impacting their offspring.
"The answer is yes. I have engaged in a healthy monogamous relationship,” Broadbent said. “Currently, I choose to abstain. Due to advancements in medicine, a person, male or female, can get married and have children without passing HIV onto their loved ones.
However, she encouraged people to think twice before rushing to engage in relations with an HIV positive individual or one that has contracted full-blown AIDS.
“If you don't have health insurance, it could cost almost $4000 a month for medications and that doesn't include the cost for doctor’s visits, blood tests or other medications you may need,” Broadbent said. “At the end of the day, safe sex or no sex is better then a positive test result. Please remember people are still dying-maybe not at an alarming rate, but some do lose their fight against AIDS.”
