Just A Thought: Double Standard

So, in the news recently was a the story of a small censorship kerfuffle regarding a gay sex scene on Torchwood. The BBC wouldn't air the episode until the gay sex scene was removed--not because, they say, it was a 'gay' sex scene, but because it was an explicit sex scene--but here in the US of A, and mainly because Torchwood airs here on you-pay-to-watch-it Starz, the gay scene was shown.

And it was hot. I mean, how could it now be? John Barrowman-on-man lovin'? But watching it, then re-watching it, and re-re-re-watching it--for blogging purposes, of course--I was struck by something that I found a little offensive.

For those of you who don't know the story, Torchwood began this season with a Miracle Day, when people all over the world stopped dying. Have a pipe slice through your chest? No problem. Throw yourself on dynamite and blow up? Still alive. The one problem is that Barrowman's character, Jack Harkness, used to be immortal, but after the Miracle, he is the lone mortal on Earth. He can die. Everyone together now?

So, the sex scene begins with Jack picking up hot bartender Brad, and going back to Brad's place for some Barrowman love. Interspersed with this scene, is one of Rex Mattheson, Mekhi Phifer's character hooking up with Vera Juarez, the doctor who treated him the night of the Miracle when he should have died.

The two scenes were shot very well , with the story moving back and forth between the gay couple and the straight couple hooking up. But, right before the sex was where the problem, for me, arose. As Jack and Brad were making out, Jack asks if Brad has protection. Brad says there's no need for it anymore because no one dies since the Miracle, but Jack remind him that you can still become infected with any manner of STD or HIV, and then since you live forever, the struggle with meds and so on is more difficult.

So Brad and Jack use protection and then proceed to have some glorious gay sex.
But, Rex and Vera never had the discussion of protection whatsoever. And the woman is a doctor; a doctor who's realized how, since no one dies, the needs for meds and painkillers, more meds and more painkillers, is of even greater importance and yet she doesn't mention protection. Not for STD or HIV or even pregnancy.

To me, and maybe it's just me, the mixing of the two scenes seems to re-emphasize that tired old myth that HIV is a gay disease, and only gay people discuss it because it only applies to them. And we all know at isn't true. HIV knows no gender, color, age, race, religion,  political affiliation, or economic standing, but it's still the issue of gay couples on TV and in film.

Until we show that HIV is a gay AND  straight problem, we can never fully understand the implications. It isn't just a gay thing. It isn't just a discussion for gay couples, gay hookups, gay one night stands. It's a thing we should be talking about.

Am I being too sensitive? Or am I right in thinking that, in many cases, the media still shows HIV/AIDS to be a predominantly gay issue?