By Kyra O. Davenport
“People look at me like I am garbage, a piece of trash when I tell them that I am HIV positive says Maryland Resident Sandy Blackwell, 55 Member of National Association of People with AIDS. The stigma of HIV/AIDS can prove to be detrimental to society. The stigmatizing nature of the disease can cause people to fall in to depression and it can also lead to suicide. There are many complexities involving stigmatization caused by being diagnosed with HIV. Howard University and the local community came together to bring awareness to this issue at the HIV/AIDS Stigma conference on World AIDS Day.
Upon arrival at the conference, I was confronted with compelling academic posters such the stigma of HIV positive pregnant women and “How the media affects the self-esteem of HIV positive black men”, these bright and eager students were ready to engage onlookers and educate participants on the damage stigma is causing and how we can slowly but surely eradicate it. As I continued to browse I ran into a poster by displaying HIV positive men with a voice, telling a story of how they are living with HIV today. Rodney McCoy Jr, 49 says, “This program was created for community mobilization, a concerted effort, we have a coalition NAPA. He also says it’s time to confront the Stigma, and I happen to be living with HIV myself, and a lot still needs to be done as far as community outreach, furthermore, there needs to be representation for both genders ling with HIV.” Another participant expressed feelings of underrepresentation, “A lot of the times people focus on men living with HIV/AIDS and let them go on in society, but women get treated as if we are nasty and we deserved what we have. The community needs to focus on women more because we are the population bearing the brunt, and we are not getting proper representation, there is a prejudice still out there.” D.C Resident Yvette Lindsey55.
“The conference was very informative, they even covered stigma issues on an international level, stigma is not only about the gay population it’s about all of us” says N.W. D.C resident Linda Murph, 49.The conference was not only about stigmatization, while some participants were in workshops others were getting Free HIV testing Freshman Courtland Lacky, 18 says, “I was so nervous, definitely get tested it’s like a weight has been lifted! As the conference charged the community with supporting those who are infected, it also focused on HIV prevention.” “ Let’s get involved Go Get Tested!,” says Lacky.
The conference also held a series of workshops such as “Understanding Impact of Stigma on families and Us, The Layering of HIV Related Stigma within a community, and Faith, Spirtituality and HIV: Barriers and Facilitators to HIV prevention. In one particular workshop labeled “How Stigma and lack of Disclosure a young African American woman felt so liberated that she approached the microphone passionately and stated that her family treats her as if they do not care for her and went on to say that she feels that believe if she use their toilets they may fear being infected, she continues by saying that a lot of people do not want to disclose their HIV status, but the brave individuals on the panel at this particular workshop help her to get the courage to come before all these strangers. This is just one of many inspiring workshops that participants were encouraged to attend.
More community involvement and public education on HIV/AIDS will make for a better community, society, and world at large. Ignorance as to how the disease is spread causes many to ostracize people living with the virus. The main message that the professors, media scholars educators, activists, patients, and community members wanted to articulate was that people living with HIV are human they have feelings, they are leaders, and they are capable of making a positive difference in society. There is the inclination that people fail to realize the impact stigmatization is causing, I am living HIV and stigma says Blackwell.
No comments:
Post a Comment