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Comment by neuro_image2 | Hacker News Reader

The title is only "absurdly wrong" if you confuse P(hiv+|gay) with P(gay|hiv+). Because the statistic highlighted in the title is accurately reflected in the article: P(straight|hiv+) > P(gay|hiv+). If the title said "heterosexual men are more likely to have HIV than gay men" then your outrage would be justified.

But people writing headlines for press releases are supposed know that people are going to make that mistake, and that we often only read the headlines. (TBH, I think they do know)

Even setting that aside, there's still a slight (though kinda nit-picky) inaccuracy in the title which AussieWog93 pointed out.

Public health messaging often borders on propaganda, and some would argue that it should be that way as it saves lives.

There’s also nothing interesting about that statistic, though …

According to the article, doctors and patients alike seem to dismiss the possibility that HIV can infect heterosexuals. On the contrary, more heterosexuals are being found positive, and at a significantly later stage in the illness, than homosexuals. In the gay community, it's common to get an STI test quarterly, or at least after having sex (protected or not) with a new partner. Doctors and patients alike need some education with regard to risky behavior to prevent the spread.

P(HIV+|straight) is still crazy low, so it's a bit of a tempest in a teacup.

The only people acting like this is a tempest is the folks losing their shit over this headline. If I get scratched or bit by a strange dog, I'm gonna get a rabies shot. Not because it's highly probable that I'll get rabies, but because rabies is really terrible and easily treatable. Have sex with a new partner, get tested. Get stuck by a needle on a bench downtown, get tested. No need to panic.

I agree with your "strange dog" analogy, but not with the idea that people are losing their shit. I think you might be inferring prejudice where there is none.

Yes, getting tested is a good idea. It is also true that the headline is sensationalist.

I feel pretty confident inferring that folks using the phrase "woke narrative" are displaying prejudice. Feel free to disagree.

The idea that bi men are a danger to straight women is an old myth spread by magazines during the early days of the AIDS crisis. It has no basis in reality.

If the prevalence of HIV in bisexual men is significantly higher than it is in heterosexual men (it is) then clearly they represent a higher risk.

Sorry if numbers offend you.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10461-018-2083-8

Numbers don't prove anything. Can you be 100% sure you're heterosexual? There's no scientific test for sexual orientation.

In reality, there are 2 kinds of orientations: bisexual, and closet bisexual.

> Numbers don't prove anything. Can you be 100% sure you're heterosexual?

Why is this relevant? Surely I can be 100% sure that I'm not having sex with men, regardless of how bisexual you think I am.

Is this seriously your argument?

The point is that men who have sex with men (commonly abbreviated to MSM in sexual health literature) have higher incidence of HIV and STDs.

I think your point is ridiculous (from both personal experience and published surveys), homosexual and bisexual men make up a small minority. Regardless though, it's easy enough to say whether or not you've had sex with a man.

And in answer to your question, seeing as I've never had sex with a man (nor intend to), I'm 100% sure that for all intents and purposes, I'm heterosexual.

Just to be clear, there's nothing intrinsically wrong with homosexual/bisexual activity, but there are provable additional risks for MSM.

>In reality, there are 2 kinds of orientations: bisexual, and closet bisexual.

Woke reality-bending. The "everyone is a little bit gay" is perhaps hip and PC but it's mainly wishful thinking by gays who want to coerce straight guys into sexual intercourse.

'numbers don't prove anything'...

Sir, this isn't 'The Huffington Post' discussion forum.

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