Planned Parenthood, MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation are launching a brand new initiative to increase awareness and testing for sexually transmitted infections among Americans 25 years and younger.
The new program is designed to connect to tech savvy youth by using the common cyberese of abbreviating longer phrases — like Oh my God to OMG and laughing out loud to LOL. The program is Get Yourself Tested, or in the cyberese mantra of youth-speak GYT.
The program has a website, and will also be using other social media outlets.
The program was launched in conjunction with MTV’s production of a movie about the channel’s reality star Pedro Zamora who died from AIDS complications.
In a press release announcing the new program, Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan CEO Lori Lammerand had this to say:
“Most people would be shocked to hear that, by age 25, one in two sexually active young people will have an STD. This is not just a statistic, but the reality of what Planned Parenthood health centers see every day. The GYT campaign is an excellent opportunity for people to learn what Planned Parenthood knows — that affordable testing and treatment and education are the tools teens and young people need to stay healthy and safe.”
Also according to the press release, one in four Michigan women has an STI, and 6,501 young adults are living with HIV.
Planned Parenthood is offering express testing for all STIs at their clinics for a fee, but most Michigan Health Departments offer the testing for free. HIV testing can be gotten for free as well. Check with your local Planned Parenthood or health department for more information about STI testing, including testing for HIV.






