MTV launched a campaign yesterday to promote sexually transmitted disease testing among young people. The Get Yourself Tested (GYT) campaign was launched during the television premier of Pedro, a movie about the life of Real World San Francisco star and HIV/AIDS activist Pedro Zamora. The campaign is backed by a number of celebrities as well.
In a press release, MTV’s General Manager Stephen Friedman said “The only way to know the status of your sexual health is to get tested. There’s no way around that fact…This generation has the opportunity to redefine the conversation surrounding STDs and to break down stigmas. We hope this campaign will help arm our audience with the information and the ability to make GYT part of everyday life.”
Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards also said “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.”
