| News Release For Immediate Release Talking about Condoms Condoms or Not? A new world-wide-web service for independent film makers, Reel Mind, is now showing a video made in 1994 that can stimulate questions about AIDS. Talking about Condoms, a 13-minute video tape for homeless youth features AIDS education outreach volunteers who explain how they use or don't use condoms to prevent AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases, and unwanted pregnancy. While some writers created frightening scenarios of an AIDS-ridden world, others have recently questioned the scope of the epidemic. For example, Peter H. Duesberg, in a 1997 book, Inventing the AIDS Virus, challenged the theory that the HIV virus causes AIDs, and so challenges the validity of the alleged epidemic. In an earlier book, Inventing AIDS, the author Cindy Patton discussed the power structures that accompanied the AIDS epidemic. Talking about Condoms is a video documentary that shows how AIDS education volunteers, who show no physical signs of disease, can claim to be victims of a terminal disease. The video shows the emotional traps that rumors can create. --a young man, Joel, claims to have AIDS and to enjoy one night stands --a young wife, Monica, claims to be afraid that she has infected her husband The rumors in Talking about Condoms could have exploded to national proportions, as Monica in the video could be a model for publicist Monica Lewinsky, Monica's look-alike, as she allegedly becomes sexually involved with the president of the United States. The next step would have been to give the president AIDs. But the thought of the president having sex with a staff member was enough to cause impeachment hearings--the White House prosecutor and the media did not need a virus. The rumors of a disease epidemic can have emotional effects on isolated individuals and entire nations. Most recently, President Clinton declared AIDS to be a national security issue for the United States and for undeveloped countries. Rumors work, with or without a virus and a disease. In Talking about Condoms you can see how young adults deal with the
ominous threat of a contagious terminal disease. See Talking about Condoms using
Windows Media Player at http://www.ReelMind.com. #### News Releases and Background Information
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