GYT: Get Yourself Tested!

Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma is proud to participate in a nationwide campaign with MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation and to officially unveil “GYT: Get Yourself Tested,” a campaign to increase testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among those under 25 years of age.

“In Oklahoma, we currently rank 6th in the country for teen births and more recently have been informed of an outbreak of syphilis among our teens.” said Terry Dennison, Director of Education at PPCO. “STD’s are treatable or curable, so this is why it is important to get yourself tested. Now, more than ever, it is critical that young people make safe responsible decisions regarding your sexual health.”

GYT kicks off with a mix of promotions on-air, online and in the real world that will unfold throughout the month of April in recognition of National STD Awareness Month. The central hub of the campaign, GYT09.org, will provide comprehensive information about STDs and will direct users to the nearest testing location simply by entering a zip code. A mobile companion to GYT09.org, the GYT short code (49809), provides details about local testing locations to mobile phones by texting a zip code.

“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,” said Dennison. “The GYT campaign is an excellent opportunity for people to learn what Planned Parenthood knows — that affordable testing and treatment and education are the tools teens and young people need to stay healthy and safe.”

An all-star collective of pop culture personalities are carrying the GYT message far and wide, appearing in a series of attention-getting on-air and online promotions on MTV and other MTV Network properties this month; blasting out GYT on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms; wearing GYT on their chest and sleeves; and of course, going to get tested for STDs.

For more information or to find you a Planned Parenthood Health Center nearest you, call 1-800-230-PLAN.