Couples Getting Tested Together

When you begin a new relationship, everything is fun and new and exiting! There may come a point in the near future where the subject of sex comes up. Maybe you'll find out how many partners your new sweetie has had in the past. Maybe you'll talk about when you want to take your relationship to the "next level." No matter how the conversation begins, it's a good idea to bring up the subject of getting tested for HIV and STDs.

This is not an easy subject...I know! On the other hand, there are a couple of benefits to getting tested before you and your "boo" do the do.

• Peace of Mind: No matter how much you trust each other, the fact is most people don't show symptoms for most STDs. Even if they "know" that they don't have anything, they don't really know for sure until they are tested. If you both get tested together you can exchange test results right then and there, so there is no doubt what you are working with.
• Support: Getting tested can make anyone nervous, but if you get tested together you can help each other get through it. Even if one of you has never been sexually active, it will mean a lot if you both can be a part of the process.

 We are happy to test you and your honey any time for free. You can call and make an appointment or you can just walk in. Check out our testing hours and get tested together TODAY!

Top Ten for Teen Tamien (because "Damien" just doesn't sound as cool here)

 Wondering what’s so special about Teen Damien? Fear not, I have your answer here!

10. I get my HIV and STD tests—FOR FREE. Yup, you heard me (read me?) correctly. If you a) are strapped for cash b) don’t want this on your medical insurance (think avoiding the whole “Son, daughter, why would you need to get checked for STDs?!”) or c) are like me and spending way too much money on side-by-side choconana shakes (if you don’t know what I mean, you’re probably going to be healthier and richer without them) then you can come on down to the ole’ Testing Center without having to pull out your wallet.

9. TD looks gooooooooooood. I don’t know about you, but I’m a vision in orange.

8. We get the cool condoms. I don’t have a penis, but if I did, you’d better believe I’d be wearing one of ONE's glow-in-the-dark condoms…maybe not for sex, but just so I could flail around in front of my roommate’s mirror and pretend I was Han Solo with a 6 inch light saber or something. We have ribbed, studded, ribbed AND studded, flavored, thin, large, lions, tigers, and bears, oh my.*

7. Prevention is the coolest department. There. I said it.

6. Our Peer Educator Trainings are fun, helpful, AND you get paid. Find out more here.

5. Our Youth Advisory Council helps us plan and educate. Since Teen Damien exists for YOUTH prevention, we actually want YOUTH to help us develop the program. (Who would’ve thought? Some place that actually cares about what teens have to say?!?! What?!?! Yup. We do.) If you want to be part of our Street Team, In-House Development Committee, or Event Planning, check out the link here. If you’re thinking, “UGH, commitment, no thanks,” check it out anyway. We may surprise you!

4.  We’re easy to get at. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, this website, through teendamien@gmail.com, at 317.632.0123, or at 26North Arsenal Avenue. You may also see Teen Damien at your school, church, club, campus, or after-school program.

3. Teen Damien has Rashida. If you don’t know who she is, I REALLY hope you get a chance to meet her. If you DO know who she is, then you understand why she’s in the Top 10 for Teen Damien.

2.  We have a treasure cabinet with all sorts of safer sex supplies, so if you aren’t trying to exchange those four fluids, we can show you what your options are.

1. We tell the truth. And we think that you deserve all the facts so you can make your OWN choices about your sexual health. This is about your body, your health, your life.

*Side note, we do not have lion, tiger, or bear condoms. PLEASE DO NOT PUT A BEAR ON YOUR PENIS BEFORE SEX.

Solidarity,

Mackenzie

Youth Outreach Educator

Spring into Wellness! Teen Damien goes to Jameson Camp

So, confession: I'm fairly new to this whole Youth Outreach Educator thing. I mean, I've spent a lot of time educating, and have experienced almost 15 years as a youth, but having the official title means I have access to more opportunities in Indianapolis than ever before.

Prime example? Because I'm a Damien Center representative, advocate, and rockstar (if I do say so myself), I was privileged to have a table at Jameson Camp's Spring into Wellness Fair on Saturday, March 24, 2012.

Confession #2: I never went to camp. Ever. Camp sounded scary and lonely to a very shy girlie like me. BUT OH MY GOSH I WISH I WERE EITHER 7 OR 17 BECAUSE NOW I WANT TO GO. I was actually a little nervous showing up ("Where do I go? I don't know any of these people! What if no one likes me?") but was immediately welcomed by their Youth Leaders, exceptional kids who are dedicated to the camp's mission and complete service hours. In about 10 seconds the Teen Damien booth was set up and I was ready to rock and roll at camp.

Confession #3: I'm ridiculously nosy. So, naturally, Miss Nosy McNoserson darted away from her Teen Damien table to check out the other booths and talk to some of the Jameson Camp leaders and counselors--here's what I found:

• I'm at a healthy BMI (body mass index) thanks to Ericka from Speedway Nutrition. Eating healthy pays off, and now I have the calculation to show it!
• FitCity is an organization in Indy that helps fight child obesity--the healthy way.
• Love, commitment, and relationships should be discussed with people of ALL ages, including the youngsters. We don't give them enough credit sometimes. Thanks, Planned Parenthood of Indiana!
• I'm too big for the bouncy houses. Yeah, I checked.

Final confession: If I'm not at the Damien Center in July, it may or may not be because I'm pretending to be 12-year-old so I can hang out at Jameson Camp. I still haven't decided if I would want to do the JC Juniors Camp, the Wellness Camp, or Tataya Mato. (This one is for kids infected/affected by HIV. So incredibly important.) Thank you, everyone at Jameson Camp, for including Teen Damien in your 2012 Spring Into Wellness Fair!

Mackenzie
Youth Outreach Educator
The Damien Center

Myths Dispelled: Rae Lewis Thornton comes to Butler University

I had no idea someone could be as strong as Rae Lewis-Thornton. To me, she was the symbol of pride, knowledge, adn caring prevention. While many members of the church were in attendance at her talk on Friday, March 9th in the Reilly Room at Butler, her talk was not what an orthodox individual would call "holy." Luckily for most people there, we weren't orthodox@ In her speech, I felt that she was putting every aspect of her life on display. While she mainly talked about the social and physical aspects of living with first HIV, and then 7 years later AIDS, I felt I knew more about her whole being than I had ever experienced at any convocation. This is exactly what is needed. Rae Lewis-Thornton is more than a poster-person or speaker for HIV/AIDS awareness; it has become her mission in life to spread the truth in a manner that hits straight to the heart like an arrow.

 As a young person, I could not fully picture HIV/AIDS through the statistics that were presented at the beginning of the presentation on behalf of the Ryan White Planning Council because it made me feel small: just a statistic of probability. Yet when Rae Lewis-Thornton took the stage, she drew the whole audience in. When she incorporated those statistics, they became much more meaningful to everyone: more comprehensible. Also, topics that had never even crossed my mind became relevant and clear, through her wonderfully guided discussion.

The most important point Ms. Thornton spoke on was the fact that young people these days are either unaware that AIDS can be deadly (because we now have so many drugs that help treat HIV/AIDS), or do not care about possibly contracting HIV because there are drugs to help treat it. This is a shocking and sad truth. The youth of our nation is becoming infected at a high rate that is entirely preventable. Ms. Thornton's stories about many of the physically painful and emotionally humbling experiences through which she has lived illuminated my hope to help young people understand the dangers of HIV/AIDS and any other STI. She assured us that attempting the "do as I say, but not as I do" method is seriously ineffective and is not doing our children any favors. If we truly want to aim for prevention, we have to be real with our youth and explain to them exactly the prevention efforts they can take, and we must do so in a style they understand. Infection is NOT inevitable.

Abby
Teen Damien Youth Advisory Council Member
Butler University

We are Women: Taking Action against HIV/AIDS

This week Damien Center staff, clients, friends, visitors, and volunteers helped us honor Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day by participating in the Red Pump Project.

The Red Pump Project raises awareness about the issues around HIV/AIDS for women and girls by providing an online space for dialogue, education, and (you guessed it)--pictures of fabulous red pumps.

Well, since I'm not always following the rules, I turned Teen Damien's version into the Red Shoe Project, in order to include those ladies and men who wanted to rep this awareness day without high heels.

The result? Poses from staff members and tons of red shoes! The Testing Center is now green/white clinic meets kindergarten classroom, but our Youth Advisory Council worked really hard to help me pin up all the pics and facts that everyone colored for us.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), HIV/AIDS is the 5th leading cause of death in women in the United States, ages 24-44. This means that many women are contracting it in their teens (13-24 year olds, there's Teen Damien), not getting care, and dying. GIRLS, WE NEED TO GET TESTED. When we don't get tested, we don't know our status, and we don't get medical care when we need it.

The Red Pump(Shoe) Project was a great way for Teen Damien to raise awareness, but the conversation needs to continue after March 10. Let's be aware! Let's get tested! Let's care enough about our bodies to want them to be healthy.

According to the CDC, in 2006 15,000 women were diagnosed with HIV. There were 3,784 AIDS related deaths among women in that same year. Do yourself a favor; in 2012, don't become one of them.



Mackenzie
Youth Outreach Educator, Teen Damien