HIV stigma is now more dangerous than the virus – my research shows how to address this

The Conversation ^ | Dec 23, 2024 | Elena Vaughan

[fwdude]

Speaking at the 16th International Aids Conference in 2006, the then UNAids executive director, Peter Piot, remarked: “Since the beginning of the epidemic, stigma, discrimination and gender inequality have been identified as major causes of personal suffering, and as major obstacles to effective responses to HIV.”

Now, in the fourth decade of the HIV crisis, this statement remains largely true. Despite the leaps and bounds that have been made in the treatment and prevention of HIV, stigma and discrimination continue to harm the lives of people living with HIV, and hinder efforts to stem the epidemic globally.

[fwdude]

The disease with its very own "civil rights" makes more false claims and demands.

Stigma is almost always self-justifying and is the absolute right of the person who exercises it. When someone says it needs to be "dealt with," they are talking overt Marxism.

[KC_Conspirator]

The stigma of (insert here) is worse than than the (insert here).

Clown world.

[ClearCase_guy]

Nobody talks about AIDS.
Nobody cares about AIDS.

These people are trying to be victims. Attention whores.

[fwdude]

Indeed. The demand for “cares” far outstrips the supply.

[PeterPrinciple]

Homosexuality is a behavior. Change the behavior, change the disease.

The poofters actively infect others because they want to be noticed.

[fwdude]

Note at the end of the article, the remedy suggested to "address" this stigma is to "educate" health workers about "U = U," a completely irrelevant subject when it comes to the risk of needle sticks.

The "stigma" mentioned is that some healthcare workers exercise extra precautions when dealing with HIV-infected patients. Things like "double-gloving" and worrying about drawing blood from an HIV carrier. Oh, the horrors.

[Gay State Conservative]

There was a time when one could lead a perfectly normal life and still get AIDS. Arthur Ashe is a perfect example. He contracted it when he had major heart surgery and got a blood transfusion.Another good example is people with hemophilia. They get Factor VIII which comes from donated blood.

Married men and women who are faithful to their spouses and who don't shoot drugs basically never get it.

[metmom]

Oh BS.

Victim mentality is their only problem.

This idea that hurt feelings can somehow be equated to actual physical danger is ludicrous.

[Sarcazmo]

Lots of people have AIDS where I live. You can tell because they all wear masks.

[Sarcazmo]

I stay way clear of them. I’ll never use the bathroom after one that’s for sure. They might have sat on the seat.

[IYAS9YAS]

I have no sympathy for the homos on this one. They used Ryan White and as an innocent victim and used celebrities and druggies to try to make AIDS look like it just happens to people and de-stigmatize it. Rather than showing it for the primarily homosexually-transmitted disease it was.

[fwdude]

Married men and women who are faithful to their spouses and who don't shoot drugs basically never get it.

Indeed. It started out as, and remains, THE "gay disease." It is "gay"-centric by all accounts. Those who contract is by other means can trace the origin of the infection to a homosexual act usually by two degrees or less.

Men contract it from men. Women contract it from men who contracted it from men. Men very rarely contract it from women.

Seventy-one percent of new HIV infections are comprised of around 2% of the population. That's a "gay disease."

[philman_36]

Forty years ago the thought of catching a disease that could kill, short or long term,
through casual hook up sexual intercourse in a one night stand
was a deterrent to casual, promiscuous sex.

That was 40 years ago. Few even pay it any attention these days. Sex sells, as usual.
The "science" will save those so afflicted now with a regime of financially beneficial pharmaceuticals.

[bk1000]

“Since the beginning of the epidemic, stigma, discrimination and gender inequality have been identified as major causes of personal suffering, and as major obstacles to effective responses to HIV.”

Horse hocky. Everyone knows this is a queer disease, and you avoid it by not being queer. The reason we have that HIPPA garbage is solely to avoid stigmatizing faggies or “outing” closeted fags. HIV would be gone by now but for those who must indulge in such abomination. Here’s a thought: behave yourself.

[philman_36]

It's far beyond just homosexuals alone these days.
They were the opening of the...ahem...back door.
Bisexuality opened it up across the entire sexual landscape long ago.

[Billthedrill]

Since the beginning of the epidemic, stigma, discrimination and gender inequality have been identified as major causes of personal suffering, and as major obstacles to effective responses to HIV.

Death was a problem too. The alternative is a life in slavery to drugs that are both expensive and not really very good for your health. The cure is not to contract it in the first place.

[philman_36]

Everyone knows this is a queer disease, and you avoid it by not being queer.

See reply 15. And that doesn't even bring in needle sharing and the new possibility of tainted blood entering society.

Celebrating Diversity, Inclusivity, and Equity in Blood Donation (yes, that’s the title)

"Though these antiretroviral drugs are safe, effective, and an important public health tool, the available data demonstrate that their use may delay detection of HIV by currently licensed screening tests for blood donations, which may potentially give false negative results.” In other words, PrEP usage may interfere with HIV detection in donated blood and may increase the likelihood of a unit of donated blood falsely testing negative for HIV. The FDA and blood donor organizations do not encourage individuals to stop using PrEP to donate blood. May isn't very reassuring.

[fwdude]

Bisexuality opened it up across the entire sexual landscape long ago.

Honestly, bisexuality is just homosexuality on a part-time basis.

[kosciusko51]

I noticed the ads for HIV related drug have a “you be you” slogan...

[ChessExpert]

If the “stigma” is worse than the virus, then the virus must not be very bad, certainly not a crisis. This story just does not hang together.

I’ve been stigmatized for being a Trump supporter.

Whoever wrote this did not learn about sticks, stones and words.