HIV/AIDS: The media, the church, the taboo and the stigmatisation.
I was secretly hoping that this post would be ready on time for World AIDS Day but to tell you the truth, I was still on my blogging break and I wanted to take my time. I also realised that forcing myself to wait patiently for World AIDS Day to publish a post about HIV/AIDS would have been very ironic considering what I’m about to discuss.
HIV and the fight against AIDS is something that is very close to my heart as it has affected my extended family in more ways than one. I have seen how the illness devastates lives and shatters people’s dreams when they lose hope. I am surrounded by people who have been affected by it directly, or indirectly and are finding it hard to cope. It is painful to see and very hard to come to terms with, but it is something I don’t have a problem discussing or writing about. The way this virus is killing millions of people all over the world, coupled with the fact that there are simple, easy ways to prevent this from happening makes me even more eager to learn, talk and do something about it. However I have noticed that tackling HIV/AIDS-related issues has been made very difficult, if not almost impossible by the ongoing stigmatisation of the illness that exists on a global scale. It also makes me wonder who is responsible for this… The media? Society? the Church? … What causes people to be so silent about it? What makes us as a society so uncomfortable? Discrimination and even racism and homophobia are among some of the prejudices that people suffering from HIV have to face and ultimately deal with. How can we stop this from happening?
How HIV/AIDS is percieved…
I have been doing some relatively light research on the topic for the past few weeks and I have read different articles, including stories from patients themselves. Some of them describe their illness as an ‘ennemy’ residing inside of them. HIV is not a virus that defines the patient or determines who they are as a person. “I am not my HIV positive status” would probably be a correct way for these patients to describe the way they feel about the condition. It is a seperate thing that is living in them and making their bodies weaker day after day. But it is only when they recieve adequate information on this virus, its effects on their bodies, as well as proper counselling, guidance, help and support, that they learn to live with the illness with hope in their heart, and welcome ways to manage the symptoms. I also found that once they get to that stage, the majority of patients are usually much more opened about their status and their new found strength even leads some of them to dedicate their lives to educating others.
Why the stigma? Why the taboo?
- Because of the moral implications of the ways in which HIV is transmitted. People automatically associate HIV with sexual immorality and drug abuse.
- Because of the fact that it is a terminal illness, with no cure. Somehow it puts people on edge, makes them uncomfortable, lost for words, including words of comfort for those suffering from it.
- Because lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS as well as blatant ignorance leads people to form negative attitudes towards sufferers.
- Because society associates HIV with ‘irresponsibility’, and once a person is diagnosed, the same society places a huge responsibility on them to make sure they do not transmit the virus.
- Because society can easily become judgemental of the decisions HIV patients may take after their diagnosis: E.g. When a HIV positive mother decides to go ahead with her pregnancy. Or when a HIV positive person decides to continue being sexually active, even though they use protection.
- Because it is often percieved as the ‘disease of the homosexuals’ or ‘Africans’ or ‘so and so’… In other words, society has been led to believe that HIV is something that only affects some groups of people.
- Because sex itself is also a taboo in some places, some religions, some contexts.
The void and the avoidance in the media…
I find it very shocking that in this day and age, HIV/AIDS is someting that gets major attention only a few times a year on mainstream media platforms. Whereas cancer research and cancer awareness adverts are shown on TV almost everyday, and quite rightly so – that’s how you create awareness. Newspapers and magazines feature adverts for support associations aimed at people who suffer from all kinds of diseases and conditions, but when it comes to HIV, there is a void. Another thing I have noticed is that when it is being discussed in the news, there is a further sense of avoidance. I watched a news report a long time ago about HIV/AIDS in third world countries and the patients were all uncensored. Yet on the same channel a few weeks ago during World AIDS Day, they featured HIV patients from a Western country and blurred their faces; which I was absolutely fine with, because I believe everyone should have the right to privacy and anonymity; but it goes to show, something about HIV/AIDS still makes our society uncomfortable.
HIV and the Church…
We all know the Catholic church’s stance on HIV and we’ve all read the Pope’s recent declarations, in which he highlighted that the use of condoms was ‘acceptable’ or ‘ok’ in some cases, namely: between male prostitutes. Okay, there is an improvement and I’m so glad he finally recognised condoms as a positive thing in the fight against HIV. But hold on… male prostitutes? Isn’t that a tiny fraction of the sexually active population of this world? Using them as the only example of cases in which the use of condoms should be condoned is almost an insult to the rest of the world. I feel that by saying who should and shouldn’t be allowed to use condoms, the pope is almost saying who should and shouldn’t contract HIV. When I read about all this, I almost wanted to scream: “HIV leads to AIDS. AIDS kills people. Condoms reduce HIV infection risks. Do the maths. It’s not rocket science…!” If we want to save people, let’s use all the necessary tools.
As for other Christian denominations, I believe that we should not close our eyes to the realities of this world. The church should not condone sex outside of marriage but it would be very naive to believe that everyone abstains from sex before marriage. Let’s not forget we live in a world where people believe in different things, follow different rules, embrace different cultures, different view points… The church cannot afford to be shalow. We have to see the bigger picture and we mustn’t ignore what is happening around us.
Which leads me to another ‘taboo’ within the church: The issue of testing. If the church recognises that many people, including Christians, are sexually active before marriage, shouldn’t we encourage that young couples looking to married get TESTED for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases prior to getting married? I read about a very unfortunate case in which a woman married her fiance not knowing he was HIV positive. The two of them as a couple had chosen not to have sex before marriage, although the woman was perfectly aware that her husband-to-be had been sexually active for most of his adult life. Shortly after they got married, they found out the man had been HIV positive all along and had passed the virus on to his unsuspecting wife. “But Waiki, educating people isn’t the church’s responsibilty, it’s down to the indivuduals themselves.” I hear you say. To me, a church that runs ‘marriage preparation classes’ and that is willing to come to terms with the fact that people, as angelic as they may appear, do not necessarily enter into marriage with a perfectly clean track record, should also be willing to spend time advising young couples on sexual health. HIV and other STDs should be a topic of discussion in marriage preparation classes and not just seen as things that could potentially occur during marriage. Many Christians have a sexual past, whether we like it or not. It’s not all about adultery, it’s also about past sexual relationships. A person could be 100% faithful to their new spouse but if they have an unchecked, I repeat, an UNCHECKED sexual past, who knows what baggage they are bringing into the marriage? By making HIV a taboo, we contribute to this lack of education, and, consequently, the lack of prevention. So, when I was saying in my opening paragraph that it would have been very ironic to wait for World AIDS Day to discuss HIV, I hope you now understand what I meant. I welcome your replies, whether you agree or disagree with me, I’d love to know what you all think so please take the time to comment and share!
Waiki
I subscribed to your blog early this morning. I think that was ordained because you posted this blog today.
As you may or may not know, HIV/AIDS is a subject that is very close to my heart – not because I’ve had any personal experiences with it, but because of the fact that such a tiny, tiny, microscopic molecular structure has the power to devastate an entire human body, entire families, entire communities, countries, economies, attitudes, social norms and so much else.
It’s fascinating, for want of a better word. The fact that such a tiny, tiny microscopic molecular structure (which is not even actually ‘alive’ like bacteria – it cannot ‘survive’ without its host cell, i.e. white blood cells) behaves so parasitically and produces such hideous effects, yet, YET, in 2010, 30 years or so after its discovery, our so-called advanced human race still have problems accepting that people who progress to AIDS are VICTIMS of a DISEASE. Like rape and domestic violence, being HIV positive or in end-stage HIV attracts such little sympathy and understanding and much moral judgment. In such a MORALLY PERVERSE and DEPRAVED society, the fact that we still have the audacity to judge people with this virus in their blood confounds me!
Thank you for writing this article. I pray that people like you keep working to eliminate this stigma, because only upon this elimination of stigma will there actually be hope of preventing and eradicating this hideous but fascinatingly sophisticated virus.
Bisous, x
Sam, thank you. Your reply is like a continuity of my post because you mentionned things I didn’t even think of. I hope everyone will read it. I know it’s something that is close to your heart and you seem to know so much about it. I wish you all the best with whatever you aspire to do in connection with the fight against HIV/AIDS in the future (I didn’t forget any of the things you told me on Saturday!) Likewise I hope God can use people like you to help get rid of the stigma. Thanks for subscribing, I’ve subscribed to yours as well even though you always update your readers on Twitter! Bisous a toi aussi x
SAMANATHA ,I loved your post and Waiki This is your IMPORTANT blog in my opinion. Yes in 2010 there is still such a TABOO concerning the HIV virus,and still so many old myth such as only GAY people have the virus and those who sleep around! Of course the more promiscuos you the greater the chances,however we know that it takes one unlucky occasion to contract the virus! HIV does not discriminate,Black,White,Wheatlhy, Poor,etc. Can be contracted by the best of people! I thinkeven in 2010 alot more awarness needs to be conduted.
I myself was very ignorant towards this Virus in the past,untill I learned that quite a few of my family members had the disease, being younger and havng very little knowlege about the Virus other than hear say was sadly judmental thinking well those family members were probably sleeping around,not thinking to myelf it just takes one unfortunate time! I have friends today who live in the so-called idealistic family,and I know if I mentioned to them very close family members of mine have the HIV virus it would not surpise me if they did not want to be around my extended family members again,but then again I cant blame them reason being I was like that at one point, and some people are ignorant because they do not know better.
Thanks for your reply Sophie, I can definately relate to what you’re saying because it seems over the years more and more people around me were affected by it in one way or another, and when I was younger it was something I didn’t really understand but now I see how serious it is and it makes me want to do something about it. Hugs, see you soon x
It’s sad that even in this day and age we continue to be so judgemental about the whole AIDS/HIV issue.
I totally agree with you that all churches should encourage premarital testing because it is important and also for a lack of knowledge the people will perish.
This has truly been an eye opener.
Thank you for reading and commenting, I’m glad you agree. x
Wow, this is deep, very thought-provoking, and necessary too. Totally get your point about blogging about it AFTER World Aids Day… why aren’t there more HIV/AIDS-sufferers-helping charities? It’s like we discriminate between diseases too – “This one is a decent disease to contract, this one, not so much!”. I really pray and hope that the world will take notice, that the media and governments will stop picking and choosing between who they help, how they help, and when they help.
Having said that, we need to be the change we want to see in the world… so on I go to RT & FB this.
Well done, thank you, and much love.
Oh wow thanks for such a lovely response, thank you for sharing as well Yinkster! God bless you and yes, let’s change things…
I love the quote, “the church should not be shallow”. This subject intrigues me greatly and it is more than male prostitutes, durgies and homosexuals. I have a friend that is a missionary in Africa and those are not the demographics that are affected by the virus. It is heart breaking hearing the stories from her regarding their battle with the virus and trying to educate and prevent it within their work and she is not preaching to abstain!
Western Christianity mentality regarding this subject is like many of their stances- closed minded and tied up in a preconceived box. I am a Christian, but not one of those. Thank you for this post. I have a feeling I will be rereading this one a few times and chewing on your thoughts! GOOD POST!
Glad to have you back, I have missed you!
Thanks for reading. Of all people I think Christians in particular should help change distorted mentalities but how can we do this when some of us [Christians] are so dismissive, closed minded and sometimes even ignorant… but like you I refuse to be one of them, I really want this topic to become something that we don’t feel uncomfortable mentioning in church, provided of course that we aim to help people and create awareness.
Pingback: Is HIV on your mind? « Waïki Harnais