Civilization should endorse homosexual monogamy for reasons of public health and accountability.

I look forward to it being a lively but informative one. I also want to thank him for his patience, due to unscheduled interruptions in my private life. Thank you. Now let's begin. In 2004, after observing declining HIV and STD infection rates in Africa, prominent HIV experts from around the world announced that promiscuity practically by itself was fueling the spread of HIV. Several prominent HIV experts authored an article in the British Medical Journal underscoring just how deadly promiscuity was on the continent; experts included officials from the Global Fund for AIDS, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the US Agency for International Development [1]. It was touted as advice to all nations globally on how to resist the scourge. Experts noted that after a decade of fighting the disease in Uganda, HIV infections had plummetted from 15% to 5%. In the decade that preceded the 2004 announcement, the government had carried out a robust campaign encouraging people to reduce the number of sexual partners and to become faithful [1]. Similar results were seen in nations that carried out identical countrywide campaigns over the course of several years, including Thailand, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the Dominican Republic [1]. In the article, disease experts boldly announced, "The rate of change of sexual partners - especially concurrent partners - is a crucial determinant in the spread of sexually transmitted infections . . . . There would be no global AIDS pandemic were it not for multiple sexual partners" [1]. They also advocated an "ABC" approach to dealing with the epidemic, similar to the strategy used by several nations: Abstinence or delay of sexual activity, Be faithful and reduce partner number, consistent Condom use. The greatest emphasis was placed on reducing partner number and being faithful (in tandem with consistent condom use). Promiscuous sexual behavior was viewed as the primary reason for the spread of HIV/AIDS. In the previous ROUND Con insinuated that gay men are somehow incapble of being monogamous. This is a bold claim. In actuality everyone is capable of being monogamous - and social and environmental pressures can often facilitate that, as it has in parts of Africa, Asia, the Carribean and elsewhere, because of the aggressive HIV/AIDS pandemic and because of ardent national concern. In 2012, the United Nations announced that HIV infection in Africa and elsewhere has continued to plummet because of national campaigns like the one above, promoting abstinence, being faithful to a single partner, and regular condom use. New HIV infections have dropped by more than 50% compared to 2001 in nations like Malawi (73%), Botswana (71%), Namibia (68%) Zambia (58% ), Zimbabwe (50%); in South Africa and Swaziland new HIV infections have decreased by 41% [2]. The surprisingly good news is that these public campaigns do work. HIV/AIDs related deaths have also dropped by 25% globally because of the progress seen with these national campaigns and because of greater investment in STD prevention and treatment [2]. Public campaigns against unsafe sex and promiscuity really do benefit a nation. My contention is that a civilization is best served by promoting both abstinence and monogamy among its people, gay, bisexual, transgendered or straight. Gay and bisexual people are perfectly capable of being sexual monogamous - and this can be facilitated by the right social pressures. For example, a study released by the CDC in 2000 showed that sexually active gay people then were more monogamous than sexually active gay people in 1975, primarily because of the scourge of HIV. In fact, the authors of the study also noted that monogamy increased among straight people during this period exactly for this same reason [3]! Social, environmental pressures clearly do change our habits. The CDC study showed that in 2000 [3]:-only 10% of heterosexual married men had reported having sex with someone other than their spouse while married, compared to 28% in 1975. -only 14% of heterosexual married women had reported having sex with someone other than their spouse while married, compared to 23% in 1975. -59% of gay men reported having sex with someone other than their main partner while involved with them, compared to 83% in 1975. -only 8% of lesbians reported having sex with someone other than their main partner while involved with them, compared to 28% in 1975. The authors of the study speculated that greater awareness of HIV and STDs had led to less infidelity outside of relationships [3]. As society further opens itself up to monogamous gay and bisexual partnerships/marriage, I believe less and less infidelity will be commited. [1] . http://news.bbc.co.uk...[2] . http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com...[3] . http://www.thebodypro.com...