5 ms·

> Places like California have recently decriminalized spreading STI/Ds If you're referring to SB 239, which passed in 2017, it did not decriminalize spreading

> Places like California have recently decriminalized spreading STI/Ds If you're referring to SB 239, which passed in 2017, it did not decriminalize spreading STIs. It converted knowingly transmitting HIV to a misdemeanor, with the penalty changing from 3 years in prison to 6 months. Effectively, it removed the special-cased extra penalties for HIV, and brought it in line hepatitis, syphilis, etc.

jojobas 4y ago
Felony -> misdemeanor is a much decriminalization as reducing police funding is "defund the police".
- rrssh 4y ago
  If it's only for HIV, it's indefensibly inappropriate to report it as decriminalizing all STDs.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
flangola7 4y ago
To add to this, it's a perfectly justified change. HIV is significantly less harmful these days. At one time, contacting HIV was only a matter of time until you developed AIDS, after which you could expect to have a life of increasing suffering and early death. A large part of your sex life is permanently eliminated, lest you spread the virus. Today it is entirely possible to contract HIV and not develop AIDS. Should you develop AIDS, the prognosis is significantly less grim. It is also possible to maintain normal sexual relationships without causing viral spread. Since HIV is no longer a death sentence it no longer makes rational sense for the legal system to treat it as one. On an even more positive note, mRNA research is amazing and there may be an HIV vaccine as soon as this decade. The last person to die of AIDS may have already been born!
- ravenstine 4y ago
  That's absurd. So what if nobody has to die from AIDS? It's still a life changing thing that means being on expensive medication permanently. Spreading it knowingly should be a crime. If I go around stabbing people in non-lethal locations, should I only be charged with a misdemeanor? > A large part of your sex life is permanently eliminated, lest you spread the virus. Please tell us who you think is willing to have sex with someone carrying HIV.
  - r2_pilot 4y ago
    It's outside of my risk profile, but the common refrain today is "undetectable == untransmissible", which is assured by routine medical checkups[where they try to detect viral load] and a daily dose of drugs[which suppresses the virus]. Some people may find that to be acceptable in order to have sex with someone carrying HIV. Safer sex should be encouraged in most circumstances.
  - wolfgang42 4y ago
    Spreading HIV is a crime—as 'favorited says, it’s a misdemeanor, on par with knowingly spreading other similar diseases. (And stabbing someone non-lethally can also be a misdemeanor, by the sounds of it: https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/defense/penal-code/245a1/ https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/defense/penal-code/245a1/)
  - flangola7 4y ago
    > Please tell us who you think is willing to have sex with someone carrying HIV. Enough people that a major dating platform has a profile section dedicated to it. https://help.grindr.com/hc/en-us/articles/230077107-Undetectable-untransmittable-and-U-U https://help.grindr.com/hc/en-us/articles/230077107-Undetect... Have you never heard of PrEP?

jojobas 4y ago

Felony -> misdemeanor is a much decriminalization as reducing police funding is "defund the police".

rrssh 4y ago
If it's only for HIV, it's indefensibly inappropriate to report it as decriminalizing all STDs.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

flangola7 4y ago

To add to this, it's a perfectly justified change. HIV is significantly less harmful these days. At one time, contacting HIV was only a matter of time until you developed AIDS, after which you could expect to have a life of increasing suffering and early death. A large part of your sex life is permanently eliminated, lest you spread the virus. Today it is entirely possible to contract HIV and not develop AIDS. Should you develop AIDS, the prognosis is significantly less grim. It is also possible to maintain normal sexual relationships without causing viral spread. Since HIV is no longer a death sentence it no longer makes rational sense for the legal system to treat it as one. On an even more positive note, mRNA research is amazing and there may be an HIV vaccine as soon as this decade. The last person to die of AIDS may have already been born!

ravenstine 4y ago
That's absurd. So what if nobody has to die from AIDS? It's still a life changing thing that means being on expensive medication permanently. Spreading it knowingly should be a crime. If I go around stabbing people in non-lethal locations, should I only be charged with a misdemeanor? > A large part of your sex life is permanently eliminated, lest you spread the virus. Please tell us who you think is willing to have sex with someone carrying HIV.
- r2_pilot 4y ago
  It's outside of my risk profile, but the common refrain today is "undetectable == untransmissible", which is assured by routine medical checkups[where they try to detect viral load] and a daily dose of drugs[which suppresses the virus]. Some people may find that to be acceptable in order to have sex with someone carrying HIV. Safer sex should be encouraged in most circumstances.
- wolfgang42 4y ago
  Spreading HIV is a crime—as 'favorited says, it’s a misdemeanor, on par with knowingly spreading other similar diseases. (And stabbing someone non-lethally can also be a misdemeanor, by the sounds of it: https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/defense/penal-code/245a1/ https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/defense/penal-code/245a1/)
- flangola7 4y ago
  > Please tell us who you think is willing to have sex with someone carrying HIV. Enough people that a major dating platform has a profile section dedicated to it. https://help.grindr.com/hc/en-us/articles/230077107-Undetectable-untransmittable-and-U-U https://help.grindr.com/hc/en-us/articles/230077107-Undetect... Have you never heard of PrEP?