A student organization promoted sex safe practices and HIV awareness Tuesday night at a benefit in honor of World AIDS day.
VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood hosted the event from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at the Civic Media Center on South Main Street. All proceeds from the event went to Planned Parenthood and HIV education.
About 50 people paid the $5 cover charge to enjoy the music of four local bands, The Haps, Dear Mr. Anderson, French Paradox and Douglas Shield and the X-Factors who performed at the fundraiser. Original art by UF students and baked goods were also sold at the event to benefit HIV research.
A large red and white HIV sculpture encouraged guests at the benefit not to get lost in the loud music and dim lighting.
Free HIV testing was offered in a small, private room in the back of the Civic Media Center. Megan Frazier, the president of VOX, said testing only took 15 minutes per person.
The testing didn’t require the individual to give blood, she said. He or she simply had to hold a cotton swab his or her mouth for about two minutes, and results will be sent to each person who got tested within two weeks.
Rosemary Daniels, a volunteer at the Civic Media Center and a member of VOX, said the most important thing the benefit had to offer was awareness.
“There is so much ignorance surrounding the issue of HIV and AIDS,” she said. “People think you can catch it through the most ridiculous and outlandish ways and we are hoping to change that.”
VOX is an organization that promotes Planned Parenthood and comprehensive, age appropriate sex education, Daniels said. They often work in conjunction with Planned Parenthood groups in Gainesville, North Florida and throughout the nation.
Daniels added that she doesn’t believe the general public knows enough about HIV and sex education.
“I think the more people know, the less afraid they will be to talk about it and the more they will actually be able to do about it.”
Adrienne Filando, a member of VOX who organized the benefit, said the event is a small step toward a society where everyone is treated equally.
“I got involved with this organization because I believe health issues have a close relationship with social justice,” Filando said. “In my mind, social justice is the number one thing before the economy, or education or anything like that. Once you have that, everything else falls in place.”
