News and Headlines : HIV-Positive Playboy Playmate to Discuss Her Life at CWU

HIV-Positive Playboy Playmate to Discuss Her Life at CWU

November 1, 2005

Contact: Kim Holland (509-963-1677/fax 509-963-3561/e-mail: hollandk@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - As a teenager growing up in California, Rebekka Armstrong dreamed of being a Playboy Playmate. In September of 1986, 18-year-old Armstrong attained that dream. It led to movie, commercial and modeling offers. Three-years later, her world would crumble when she learned she was HIV positive.

"Unfortunately," she states on her Web site (www.rebekkaonline.com), "an uneducated act of having unprotected sex will affect the rest of my life."

Armstrong will appear at Central Washington University on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. to share her story during a free, public presentation at 7 p.m. in the Samuelson Union Building (SUB) Ballroom

"Students can relate to Rebekka's situation prior to finding out that she had HIV," said Amanda Prestegard, event coordinator. "Everyone thinks that it can't happen to them. She is coming to Central disprove that notion, educate the student body and talk about how she decided to overcome the situation and fight the disease."

In order to not damage her career, Armstrong initially kept her diagnosis a secret. She went public in 1994 and is now an outspoken activist dedicated to preventing others from becoming infected. For the last 11 years, she has spent much of her time speaking at college campuses through the Playboy Foundation-funded "College Campus Safer Sex" education program.

She also is still a working Playboy Playmate representing the organization at a variety of other events.

Campus Life and Wildcat Wellness Center are sponsoring Armstrong's CWU appearance. For more information, or for persons of disability to arrange for reasonable accommodation by calling 509-963-1691 or (for hearing impaired) TDD 509-963-2143.