Black women’s HIV/AIDS infection rates are dropping but singer & fierce gay ally Deborah Cox says there's still much more work to do. She’s a Grammy-nominated recording artist that has had 11 number 1 hits on Billboard’s dance charts & is currently on tour with Jekyll & Hyde playing a lady of the night but that hectic schedule hasn’t stopped Deborah Cox from being a leading voice for HIV/AIDS prevention & education. Cox has chosen HIV awareness as her charitable mission speaking in public service announcements for both Break the Silence & Lifebeat. Cox spoke with HIV Plus managing editor Neal Broverman about her dedication to this cause for the magazine’s March/April 2013 cover story. She believes that many black women still see HIV as a white gay man’s disease & that will only change if a diverse group of people continue to speak out. Cox stated, “We have to get many, many types of women out there, so people can see a different range talking about AIDS. Any time I have the opportunity to bring more awareness to HIV I’m there. I’ve been an advocate for a very long time for the fight. A lot of times I do things off the radar. It’s not important for me to get accolades.” Deborah’s first experience with HIV/AIDS came when a friend of hers succumbed to the disease. She saw her friend alone & afraid. That experience cemented her commitment to the cause adding, “When people find out they’re alone, that contributes to the illness too. When you don’t have that emotional support it’s a downward spiral. That’s what happened to my friend. I never want to see that again.”
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