2. What is Stigma?
Stigma surrounding HIV: the negative beliefs,
feelings, and attitudes towards people living with
HIV, groups associated with people living with HIV,
and other key populations at higher risk of HIV
infection
Discrimination surrounding HIV: the unfair and unjust
treatment of an individual based on his or her real or
perceived HIV status
11. WHAT CAN WE DO?
● The Individual!
● Spreading positive stories
○ http://www.adaywithhiv.com/
● Be an UpStander and Educate
12. Interesting VIDEOS AND ARTICLES TO CHECK OUT!
● Enacted Stigma
○ https://www.avert.org/living-with-hiv/stories/Karta
● Internalized Stigma
○ https://www.avert.org/living-with-hiv/stories/ricardo
● Anticipated Stigma
○ https://www.avert.org/living-with-hiv/stories/carrie
● Associative Stigma
○ https://milwaukee.citymomsblog.com/sponsored-posts/raising-a-child-
with-hiv-a-mothers-story/
● More on Reagan administration and HIV:
○ https://www.vox.com/2015/12/1/9828348/ronald-reagan-hiv-aids
● HIV Timeline:
○ https://timeline.avert.org/
Notes de l'éditeur
Suicide rates are higher in patients living with HIV than the general public, BUT after antiretroviral therapy was introduced in 1996, suicides among individuals living with HIV have decreased by 50%, so now it is obvious that the primary reason that individuals living with HIV would be committing suicide is because of the effects of stigma
Stigma is the disease, HIV is the virus.
CDC: 1982 - coined the term AIDS, along with first perinatal transmission, took focus away from LGBTQ community with disease (stigma inducing terms: GRID, gay cancer, etc); 1983: 4-Hs; list of at-risk groups: homosexuals, haemophiliacs, heroin addicts and Haitians; increased stigma
Reagan: 1985, sympathetic to people scared of sending kids to school with kids living with HIV - touching play clip “chilling video” - inappropriate comments and bad image; increased stigma
Diana: 1987, shows people living with HIV are normal decreased stigma
Nkosi Johnson: 1999, child activist living with HIV who was denied admission to school because of status; “We are normal” decreased stigma
USA travel ban from 1992 to 2010 for people living with HIV from coming into the country; increased stigma
Thabo Mbeki (2000): South African President; Denialism that HIV and AIDS are not related/no medical evidence of treatment; increased stigma
Pope Benedict XVI (2009): states condoms “aggravates the problem” of HIV - problematic; increased stigma
Indication of societal effects of stigma/discrimination surrounding HIV
Societal Effects of Stigma on Those Living with/Affected by HIV
Undermines efforts of progress
Barriers to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support
Contributes to the expansion of the global HIV epidemic
Suicide rates are higher in patients living with HIV than the general public, BUT after antiretroviral therapy was introduced in 1996, suicides among individuals living with HIV have decreased by 50%, so now it is obvious that the primary reason that individuals living with HIV would be committing suicide is because of the effects of stigma
Relate back to world leaders, personal stories, etc - stigma is not a large presence looming that we can’t fix, it starts with the individual, us; if we can stop stigma on campus, we can contribute through these events and spread awareness; if we can educate one individual, we are one step closer to ending stigma