Meningococcal bacteria in Australia a "possibly gay" disease - christians (US)

Australian newspaper cartoon from the 80's, blaming gays for HIV/AIDS

The backlash against Australian marriage equality it appears is already starting amongst the far right christians, even in the US. Unbelievably they are now asserting that and Australian Meningococcal outbreak is a "possibly gay transmitted disease". 

This is the same accusation leveled at gays over HIV transmission 30 years or so ago. It's not a new perception, but a continuation of the notion that we are diseased vermin spreading disease through society and are therefore a danger to it. Of course we know now that HIV isn't a gay disease, it's simply a disease that can be caught by anyone. One only has to look at Africa to see how true that is. HIV doesn't discriminate, people do.

The same is true in this case, Meningococcal can be caught by anyone, it's doesn't discriminate. To blame gays for it's spread in 2017 is appalling and factually wrong. Yet it appears the US RWNJ's are drumming up prejudice and lies against us in retaliation for gaining (somewhat) marriage equality here. Once again American christians are exporting hateful lies about us across the Pacific.

Firstly, this is how Meningococcal is spread, directly from the US National Meningitis Association:

Meningococcal disease is contagious. It is spread through the exchange of respiratory secretions during close contact such as kissing or coughing on someone. Although meningococcal bacteria are very dangerous, they cannot live outside the body for very long. This means the infection is not as easily spread as a cold virus.

 About one in ten people carry meningococcal bacteria in their nose or throat without showing any signs or symptoms of the disease. These people can unknowingly transmit the bacteria to others. National Meningitis Association (US)

It has nothing to do with being gay. But don't let the facts get in the way of anti-gay hysteria. This is BTW at the end of a post raving the usual bla about the evil gays getting marriage equality in Australia. Pity it's a US article as if it was from an Australian site it would likely run afoul of our anti-discrimination/vilification laws. Remember a lot of funding for the No vote re the survey came from the US. The Yes campaign was outspent 5 to 1.

Meanwhile, a possibly gay-transmitted disease has spread to the point that the a public health warning was posted. 

The government issued an alert about an outbreak of a strain of meningococcal, a life-threatening bacteria infecting a growing number of men in the Northern Territory. The territory Department of Health advised all citizens to be careful, as the disease is spread only by “close and prolonged contact” with saliva, such as in deep kissing. 

 “Meningococcal can be fatal or leave people with severe disabilities,” a government website warned. In the last year, rates of the dangerous “W” strain of meningococcal tripled in Tasmania. 

As a result of the outbreak, the NT Department of Health initiated a vaccination program for indigenous Aboriginal people up to age 19. “This age group targets those most at risk of serious illness and those who are most likely to be carrying the meningococcal bacteria,” the government explained. Lifesite