Sex Never Gets Old: But Will the Message Reach Rural America?

Washington, D.C. / Berwind, WV — At the National HIV/AIDS Conference on Aging and Public Health, the Seattle-based HIV/AIDS Network Coordination (HANC) launched a bold new campaign: Sex Never Gets Old.

Through portraits and testimonials, the campaign declares that intimacy, pleasure, and sexual wellness don’t expire with age — and that HIV prevention, testing, and care must be lifelong.

The images are striking: seniors posing in cars, showing off tattoos; three older women laughing as they show off their trouple; two Black gay men smiling side by side — all under the bold banner “Sex Never Gets Old.” Alongside the joy and intimacy, the campaign carries a clear call to action: regular HIV testing and care should be part of aging with love and dignity.

Visit “Sex Never Gets Old” for more images.

But the question is: will a campaign like this resonate in rural Black America?

To find out, Black By God asked seniors living in their own homes in the small community of Berwind, McDowell County, what they thought of the campaign’s message. Their answers were candid, sometimes funny, and often eye-opening.

One woman in her 70’s reflected:

“For me, sex has always been something sacred, not secret. It starts in the mind, not just the body — it’s more spiritual than physical. When I was a young girl, my Aunt, who was in her eighties at the time, told us: ‘You never lose your sex drive if you’re with someone you love and are truly compatible with.’ Seeing these pictures made me smile, because it reminds me that intimacy doesn’t vanish with age.”

Others, also in their 70’s, admitted they had never talked about sex publicly before, much less in connection to HIV testing. “Around here, people don’t really talk about sex or testing,” one man in his 70’s said.

These voices reveal both the potential and the challenge of connecting national campaigns to local, rural realities. In places like Berwind — where internet access is limited, stigma is high, and healthcare is often miles away — information doesn’t always reach the people who need it most.

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Why It Matters in West Virginia

West Virginia is one of the oldest states in the country — nearly 21% of residents are 65 or older.

HIV risk remains real: More than 2,200 West Virginians were living with HIV as of 2022, with counties like Cabell, Kanawha, and McDowell among the hardest hit.

Stigma is strong: Conversations about sex and aging are often avoided in small communities, making testing and prevention even harder.

At Black By God, we’ve seen firsthand that seniors want information when it’s accessible and respectful. Through our partnership with Kinumi, our digital identity workshops, our senior-center programs, we’ve learned that older West Virginians are eager to engage — whether it’s about technology, wellness, or health.

As one senior resident in Berwind told us: “Nobody ever asked us before. Just ask us straight, and we’ll answer.” The strength of Sex Never Gets Old is its unapologetic message: pleasure, intimacy, and testing belong to everyone, at every age. The challenge is making sure that message reaches Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw across rural America as much as it does seniors in Seattle or D.C.

That’s the work ahead: translating national campaigns into local conversations, with trusted messengers and rural realities in mind. If there’s one thing seniors in Berwind made clear, it’s this: the conversation might be uncomfortable, but honesty is what keeps us healthy.

HIV Testing Resources for Seniors in West Virginia

• West Virginia STD Hotline: Call 1-800-642-8244 for free, confidential help finding local testing sites.
• Community Education Group (CEG): Based in Charleston, CEG offers HIV testing, prevention education, and support services across rural WV.
• Local Health Departments: Most county health departments provide free or low-cost HIV testing, but you often have to ask for it by name since it isn’t always offered automatically.
• WVU Positive Health Clinic (Morgantown): Rapid HIV testing and comprehensive care; accepts Medicare/Medicaid.
• Women’s Health Center of WV (Charleston): HIV testing and prevention, including PrEP services.

Note: In many clinics, HIV testing isn’t routinely included with bloodwork — you must ask specifically for an HIV test to receive it.