Homophobia and LGBTQ Movements Involving HIV/AIDS
Homophobia Related to and Involving HIV/AIDS
Those who have tested positive for the human immunodeficiency (HIV) virus often report dealing with the social stigma of AIDS. Not only do those infected with the virus have to endure the medical visits, treatment, and knowledge of having a potentially fatal disease, but they must also deal with reactions of society to their disease. There have been studies that examine the public reactions to AIDS and those infected with it. When some responders were asked how they felt about people with AIDS, several reported that they were "angry, disgusted, and afraid." Some even went as far as to say that people with AIDS should be separated from the rest of the society or even that they "got what they deserved." [1] One basis of this kind of AIDS related stigma involves the fact that in many peoples' minds, the disease is often linked with lifestyles that some may regard as deviant, including homosexuality. Due to the fact that AIDS was initially identified in gay men, it was initially called GRID- or "Gay related immune deficiency syndrome." [1] It was also informally referred to as the "gay plague." While the majority of people in North America living with HIV or AIDS are homosexual men, there is documented correlation between negative attitudes toward homosexuality and negative reactions to people with HIV/AIDS. As homosexuality already holds a social stigma of its own, the addition of the AIDS stigma only leads to further ostracism, an unfair and unfortunate consequence. Further studies show that gay men are more likely to be held accountable for their infection, and friends and family are more likely to limit social contact with gay men with HIV compared to others with HIV. [2]
LGBTQ Movement and AIDS
While the LGBTQ social movement has a common goal to equalize and and accept LGBTQ individuals in society, it is heavily involved in political activism, including but not limited to AIDS related research and awareness. Although the association between homosexuality and AIDS may seem very negative, there have been positives to come out of it as well. AIDS has gradually brought more gay men into political and community organizations, as well as led thousands of gay men to volunteer in support, care, and education based programs regarding the AIDS virus. [3] "Demands for government-funded research were first made by New York's Gay Men's Health Crisis, the first community-based AIDS organization." [4] Other gay organizations have also contacted the government asking for support for further research patient care, education programs, etc. [4] Through support for the mainly gay-based AIDS Foundation and the Shanti Project (a non-profit human services agency that provides support to those living with HIV/AIDS), several programs were developed that provide care to AIDS patients. In addition, educational programs were established for groups that were thought to be "at-risk." [5] This helped to greatly raise the level of public knowledge regarding the AIDS virus. In Australia, as early as 1984, LGBTQ individuals have participated in establishing an advisory committee on AIDS, which included representatives from LGBTQ community groups. This advisory committee then obtained government support and funding for a national association of AIDS organization which allowed contact between the federal government and the AIDS-prevention movement. [6] Overall, out of the groups of people that have generally been most affect by aids, those from the LGBTQ community have had better success in communicating their demands to the government. [3]
References
[1] Leary, Mark R., and Lisa S. Schreindorfer. "The Stigmatization of HIV and AIDS: Rubbing Salt in the Wound." In HIV & Social Interaction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998: 12
[2] Collins, Rebecca L. "Social Identity and HIV Infection: The Experiences of Gay Men Living With HIV." In HIV & Social Interaction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998: 30
[3] Altman, Dennis. "Legitimation through Disaster: AIDS and the Gay Movement." In AIDS: The Burdens of History, 309. Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1988
[4] Ibid, 302
[5] Ibid, 303
[6] Ibid, 308
cover photo: "Life: AIDS, A Gay Cancer."Out4Gaycation. Accessed December 10, 2014. http://out4gaycation.com/life-aids-a-gay-cancer/.
Those who have tested positive for the human immunodeficiency (HIV) virus often report dealing with the social stigma of AIDS. Not only do those infected with the virus have to endure the medical visits, treatment, and knowledge of having a potentially fatal disease, but they must also deal with reactions of society to their disease. There have been studies that examine the public reactions to AIDS and those infected with it. When some responders were asked how they felt about people with AIDS, several reported that they were "angry, disgusted, and afraid." Some even went as far as to say that people with AIDS should be separated from the rest of the society or even that they "got what they deserved." [1] One basis of this kind of AIDS related stigma involves the fact that in many peoples' minds, the disease is often linked with lifestyles that some may regard as deviant, including homosexuality. Due to the fact that AIDS was initially identified in gay men, it was initially called GRID- or "Gay related immune deficiency syndrome." [1] It was also informally referred to as the "gay plague." While the majority of people in North America living with HIV or AIDS are homosexual men, there is documented correlation between negative attitudes toward homosexuality and negative reactions to people with HIV/AIDS. As homosexuality already holds a social stigma of its own, the addition of the AIDS stigma only leads to further ostracism, an unfair and unfortunate consequence. Further studies show that gay men are more likely to be held accountable for their infection, and friends and family are more likely to limit social contact with gay men with HIV compared to others with HIV. [2]
LGBTQ Movement and AIDS
While the LGBTQ social movement has a common goal to equalize and and accept LGBTQ individuals in society, it is heavily involved in political activism, including but not limited to AIDS related research and awareness. Although the association between homosexuality and AIDS may seem very negative, there have been positives to come out of it as well. AIDS has gradually brought more gay men into political and community organizations, as well as led thousands of gay men to volunteer in support, care, and education based programs regarding the AIDS virus. [3] "Demands for government-funded research were first made by New York's Gay Men's Health Crisis, the first community-based AIDS organization." [4] Other gay organizations have also contacted the government asking for support for further research patient care, education programs, etc. [4] Through support for the mainly gay-based AIDS Foundation and the Shanti Project (a non-profit human services agency that provides support to those living with HIV/AIDS), several programs were developed that provide care to AIDS patients. In addition, educational programs were established for groups that were thought to be "at-risk." [5] This helped to greatly raise the level of public knowledge regarding the AIDS virus. In Australia, as early as 1984, LGBTQ individuals have participated in establishing an advisory committee on AIDS, which included representatives from LGBTQ community groups. This advisory committee then obtained government support and funding for a national association of AIDS organization which allowed contact between the federal government and the AIDS-prevention movement. [6] Overall, out of the groups of people that have generally been most affect by aids, those from the LGBTQ community have had better success in communicating their demands to the government. [3]
References
[1] Leary, Mark R., and Lisa S. Schreindorfer. "The Stigmatization of HIV and AIDS: Rubbing Salt in the Wound." In HIV & Social Interaction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998: 12
[2] Collins, Rebecca L. "Social Identity and HIV Infection: The Experiences of Gay Men Living With HIV." In HIV & Social Interaction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998: 30
[3] Altman, Dennis. "Legitimation through Disaster: AIDS and the Gay Movement." In AIDS: The Burdens of History, 309. Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1988
[4] Ibid, 302
[5] Ibid, 303
[6] Ibid, 308
cover photo: "Life: AIDS, A Gay Cancer."Out4Gaycation. Accessed December 10, 2014. http://out4gaycation.com/life-aids-a-gay-cancer/.