3 Girls I Know

During the first half of 3 Girls I Know, three bright young women--Ari, Maggie, and Tishaun--speak candidly in individual interviews about the familiar day-to-day stresses of teenage life: peer pressure, strict parents, school, and sex. But during the second half, the overriding theme of personal choice emerges, as it turns out that each girl's respective sexual awakening was punctuated by a nerve-wracking HIV test and none were sure of the outcome in advance. Of the three, only Ari, a young woman of Chinese-American and African-American heritage who acknowledges that physical abuse and her mother's traditional views did not provide the kind of environment where she could comfortably discuss personal sexual matters, has been infected with the HIV virus. As a result, she now dedicates her life to counseling junior high and high school students about safe sex and the consequences of living with HIV. Maggie, who also chose a career of counseling teenagers on lifestyle choices, relates how both peer pressure and binge drinking contributed to her own teenage pregnancy, ultimately thwarting her career plans. Finally, Tishaun candidly discusses the social difficulties of being a lesbian teen and the choices she made that led to an HIV test. For the millions of women living with HIV/AIDS--as well as for those who hope to avoid contracting the virus--the sound advice and personal experience of these young women will be welcome. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (A. Cantú)