Behind The Red Ribbon!

Concluding three weeks of spending time with men in different correctional institutions throughout Northern California, brought up new facts and figures relating to AIDS and HIV. Another subject it brought up was men's real sexuality. Contrary to folk lure, or Hollywood, most sex that goes on behind prison walls is consensual. For a forthcoming book, that has been on the back burner, for years, it was a subject that came up daily in the last three weeks. If a number would have to be attributed to sexual acts in men's prisons that are consensual, it would be about 97%, with the other 3% combative and or non-consensual acts. A rational reasonable thinker, can clearly surmise why the numbers are what they are. Most men, have no issues with these numbers, they know they are true. It's the women that have a problem with these facts. So what do these interesting numbers mean? That once a cell door closes, a light bulb goes off in the man's head and says, 'Ok it's time to be gay now'? That's very doubtful. If we look at the latest statistics from the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, more then 80% of all new AIDS and HIV cases in the United States are women. The statistics also indicated that the large majority of these women, (98%) contracted the virus through heterosexual intercourse.

Who gave them the virus? Santa Claus? No their boyfriends, their husbands, their significant others. Who gave it to that person? Another man, that's who. So what does that tell us? In a recent conversation with an inmate at Folsom Prison in Folsom, California, he told me the following. "All men are gay, they either have been with a man, want to, or will." He was very clear, that prison life does not dictate what someones sexuality is or will be. He went on to say, that if someone really has an aversion to having sex with another man, they don't. My personal understanding and information of being incarcerated validates this man's assertions. The first thing I have asked clients, or people I interview in prison, is if everything is ok, are they being mistreated, and if so, by who. I could and sometimes am the only life line the person may have. I can recall a few times, less then the fingers of one hand in over 25 years that someone said yes, I'm being sexually violated. In 25 years, less then 5 incidents. So the other thousands, were celibate, I suppose that's what women must think. I'm not sure, because men are able to get married to women. Do women know? Do they just accept what the truth is, and just look the other way? I think, and I could be wrong, most don't know. They assume if a man courts a woman, that they are 'straight', Whenever a sex scandel comes to the forefront these days, oh I don't know, let's say Arnold and his recent revelations, of household staff, and an illegitimate son, etc. I was shocked, I couldn't believe it! I couldn't believe it was a woman he was involved with. I guess the men are holding out for more money! Time will tell!