Where's the Stigma?

"If you are HIV positive, you don't tear yourself down...you just pull yourself up."

I must have been around 18 years old when I got infected with HIV. For some reason, it didn’t occur to me that there was a link between HIV and sex between men. As far as I knew, the media had only portrayed the link between HIV and heterosexual sex, the kind of sex men have with women. I didn’t know I could get HIV through gay sex.

January 13, 2012 — Suzana Markovic, AFP

Pressured to quit his job after telling his bosses he was HIV-positive, Boris Kovacic shares the plight of thousands in the Balkans who face prejudice because of a stubborn stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS.

When he was diagnosed 10 years ago, Kovacic promptly informed the hospital where he worked as a nurse.

"They kept transferring me from post to post. Finally, when they wanted me to work in the hospital archives, a woman working there threatened to resign if I came," he said.

This short film directed by Jake Price and produced by Catharine Bufalino and Stephanie Kaplan won the "Making the Familiar Strange Award" at the 2011 Social Issues Media Festival organized by 3MinuteMedia. "Living in the Shadow of Stigma" examines the lives of 4 immigrants in New York City.

“Life In My Shoes”, a new ground breaking youth-led campaign to fight stigma surrounding HIV in the UK has been launched in London.

Backed by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, the hard hitting campaign was officially launched at City Hall by Body & Soul patron and London HIV Ambassador Annie Lennox, and the Mayor’s Advisor for Health and Families Pamela Chesters.

Eight in ten young people know that HIV cannot be transmitted by sharing a drink with someone who is HIV positive, yet three quarters say they still wouldn’t do it.

November 28,2011 — BBC News Magazine

From India to Kenya, and Tajikistan to Bolivia—the daily difficulties that face people with HIV are often the same no matter what country they live in, and no matter how many thousands of miles they are apart.

In Stigma Under the Lens—marking World Aids Day on 1 December—the charity Christian Aid has worked with Magnum Photos, an international co-operative of photographers, to document personal perspectives of the disease. Here, take a glimpse at the lives of four HIV positive people.

"Responding to a question on HIV infection, nearly 40 per cent of students of class 8 either said HIV positive people should be avoided as one could get infected by going near them or that they should not be allowed to use public facilities such as pumps and toilets. Only 37.5 per cent said HIV positive people are capable of participating in everyday life like those with any other disease." (http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/article2707562.ece)

"Don Bosco Apologizes, Pleads Ignorance in Rejection of Student Over HIV"
December 5, 2011 — Dessy Sagita, JakartaGlobe

A school that earned the ire of the nation for rejecting, on World AIDS Day last week, a 6-year-old student because her father was HIV positive apologized on Monday but claimed its actions were due to “ignorance.”

December 7, 2011 — Simon Musasizi, The Observer (Kampala)

Sakila's parents shunned her, uncle broke her arm because of her status.

As a young girl in senior one, Zamzam Sakila, out of curiosity, decided to take an HIV test in 2001. A team of HIV/AIDS counsellors had come to Kuru Secondary School in Yumbe district where she was a student.

Check out this UNICEF TV video about a day care centre in the Uzbek capital that serves both as a refuge from discrimination and as a fun place to socialize and play for the young children. The video focuses on the psycho-social support and art therapy provided by the centre.

December 2, 2011 — Lillian Rizzo, GlobalPost

A Pennsylvania high school has denied a 13-year-old boy from attending because he is HIV-positive.

The boy, who was unidentified in the lawsuit filed in Philadelphia, is suing the Milton Hershey School in Hershey, Pennsylvania for violating "multiple anti-discrimination laws that protect the rights of people with HIV to remain free from unwarranted discrimination," CNN reported.

November 28, 2011 — British Red Cross

As World AIDS Day (1 December) approaches, a new survey has shown one in three young people in the UK fears their parents would react negatively if told they were HIV positive.

The survey, commissioned by the British Red Cross, focussed on 1,500 11 to 24-year-olds. It found that a third of those questioned were concerned about their parents becoming angry, judging disapprovingly or outright rejecting them.

The Southeastern United States, a region which the Bible Belt is part of, has higher rates of HIV infection than any other region in the country. With 9.2 cases per 100,000 people versus 2.5 in the Midwest, 3.9 in the West and 5.6 in the Northeast, researchers have been intrigued to find out why this difference is so large. Typically HIV diagnoses have decreased metropolitan areas, but in rural areas the pandemic has continued escalating. Stigma, lack of resources, and lack of education are the main issues that contribute to this regional difference.

Portions of an article posted on UNICEF's website back on March 23, 2011

"One of the hardest aspects is thinking you have someone you can trust and then to be stabbed in the back," says Katlego, who has just finished high school in Gaborone, Botswana’s capital city.

Katlego tested positive for HIV when she was 11. She had become infected as a result of mother-to-child transmission.

October 21, 2011 — Eddie Avila, Rising Voices

An Egyptian by the name of Magid became the first in that country to openly speak out about being HIV-positive. Studies estimate that about 11,000 Egyptians are living with HIV, but that number could be much higher based on the fact that so many do not get tested or seek treatment based on the high degree of stigma against the disease.

Stigma and discrimination constitute two of the most widespread barriers to effectively dealing with the HIV epidemic. Arts and creativity are widely recognised as an effective and innovative medium to prevent and reduce HIV stigma and discrimination, especially among young people.

This toolkit has been developed by UNESCO in partnership with the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. Its objective is to generate discussions by providing interactive exercises that facilitate learning and raise awareness on key issues concerning HIV- and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination through arts.

August 31, 2011 — Bich Huong, Viet Nam News

"Living without discrimination" reads one of the signs carried by students from Yen Bai Secondary School and the Ba Vi Centre for Social Education and Labour at the Colourful Rainbowl camp this month. (Photo courtesy of Save the Children Viet Nam)

In this video by The Positive Project, young people living with HIV discuss how they became infected, how they cope, what stigma they have encountered, how HIV affects their relationships, and how they think HIV can be prevented.

June 10, 2011 — BuaNews (Tshwane)

Durban — Although South Africa's HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign has reached millions of people, some youths still don't feel safe or comfortable getting tested for HIV and feel left out of national debates about the pandemic.

Fezeka Gxwayibeni, 20, brought this to the attention of delegates at the 5th Aids conference when she talked about the needs of the youth with respect to government's HCT programme.

June 7, 2011 — Enhanced Online News

A new Web site about the documentary film A Mirror to the Heart: Breaking the Stigma of HIV/AIDS aims to draw attention to the importance of HIV testing and prevention. The site’s URL is www.mirrortotheheart.com

May 10, 2011 — International Center for Research on Women (ICRW)

April 21, 2011 — BMO News (New Delhi)

At least 61 HIV-positive students have been thrown out of Indian schools over the last 3 years, despite AIDS awareness drives, the Times of India reported Thursday.

The figures expose that children infected with HIV continue to face discrimination, even though advocacy programs are being conducted to sensitize principals and teachers to ensure that students with HIV/AIDS are treated with dignity and respect.

March 15, 2011 — Zambia Post Online

"In a society that heavily associates HIV/AIDS to sex, 19-year-old Charity Banda could have easily ended her life to escape the ridicule.

Born with the virus, Charity could not stomach the stigma that came with it until she finally accepted that what had happened could not be reversed and chose she had to move on with her life....

She says many young people have little information about HIV and AIDS and says more information should be provided in schools.

'We'll strive to erase AIDS stigma' — Feb. 3, 2011, Daily News & Analysis India

"The nondescript Kodoli village, about 30km from Kolhapur city is perhaps the first in Maharashtra to formally adopt a resolution not to discriminate against HIV/AIDS patients in the village...

February 1, 2011 — iafrica.com

"Students' and teachers' organisations are highly concerned about government's planned nationwide HIV testing campaign in schools.

The plan is expected to be rolled out next month and will see pupils being able to go for a test in a private space at school on weekends and during school holidays.

The Sowetan and Times newspapers reported that the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) described the school testing plan as a bomb waiting to explode.

July 23, 2010

"The Youth Volunteer Group from Thailand has won the 2010 Red Ribbon Award at this year's International Aids Conference in Vienna. The group of children and youths living with HIV was among 25 organisations shortlisted from about 700 bodies worldwide to receive the award announced on Monday at the conference...

Lights, Camera, Action!

In the film project "Positive Take", nine Montreal youth with HIV pick up video cameras and shoot the world as they see it, with the goal of fighting the stigma and discrimination they face.

L'ombre du doute (Shadow of Doubt) shares the story of how Emelyne learned of her status while growing up in an orphanage, Maison Shalom, in Burundi. She tells of her quest to get treatment and how lucky she feels that she has access to meds now that she lives in Canada.

November 26, 2009 — The Times of India

"Every morning when I see other kids going to school, I have an urge to pick up my school bag, too. Then I realise I have no school to go to," said Samir (12). Anjan and Samir are on the verge of losing an academic year. Neither the West Bengal State AIDS Control and Prevention Society (WBSACPS) nor the school education department has come to their rescue.

...

"When [other students] discovered her status at her previous school, she was called 'a walking corpse'. 'It was unbearable, and seeing you taking the drugs brought more insults; nobody would ever be your friend,' she said."

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