Women of Empowerment Eradicate Discrimination

Women of Empowerment Eradicate Discrimination by an HIV Activist….

Zero new infections, Zero discrimination, Zero AIDS-related deaths….phew, what a mouthful! With 34 million diagnosed people known to be living with hiv, one would assume that the battle of discrimination would have been won. That’s what I am leaning on this very World Aids Day. Removal of discrimination might be the answer to the uncontrollable spread of hiv, maybe I pronounce!

Having been working within the field of hiv & aids, notice my small abbreviation of the two words that seem to choke most ‘presumed’ negative persons’ (if never tested before of course), I do so for I believe that writing it in small reminds me that; we as humans, are built to be bigger than this epidemic, than we give ourselves credit! Anyway, as I was saying, having worked within this sector of health, I’ve come to respect both views of those negative of hiv and those positive, as in terms of stigma, though not necessarily in respect of discriminating.

In terms of stigma, I totally believe this lays predominately with those living with the virus to use every given opportunity to come out and display their strength in living with a virus that has captured every eye & ear of every possible mentally capable person. Yes, it’s a struggle and a difficult thing to do, but it would make most people shut their mouths or stop pulling their noses at those living with hiv. Nothing is achieved from hiding behind the curtains. Again, yes, there are many reasons that can come off the head in terms of ‘not-to-come-out-behind-the-curtains, but all that can be easily forgotten once ‘coming out behind curtains’ floods people in the face, stigma would be an issue of the past. In relation to those negative persons’ wasting their time by building their energy on stigmatising those living with hiv or aids, wait till a positive diagnosis hits them. There’s a common saying, never laugh at another for you don’t know what tomorrow holds.’ I’ve no idea where it originated from, I believe the bible, but whoever came up with that statement…is brilliant in my eyes. We surely don’t know what tomorrow brings, so stigmatising another human being, whether, whatever they have they acquired knowingly or not, it doesn’t diminish that negative person chances of one day acquiring the same. Less stigma, and more strengthening to empower one another.

When I applaud discrimination as a possible cause of eliminating the uncontrollable spread of hiv, I reason it by this; most people discriminate that which they don’t fully understand or comprehend, in my belief. Now, to understand means you’ve to get knowledge and do away with ignorance once knowledge is begotten, and to comprehend meaning you acknowledge it’s there and not play a blind eye to it. You comprehend that hiv or aids is in existence, apply your knowledge of it and do the best to afford any negative aspect of it such as stigma, prejudice and discrimination, but apply positiveness by getting tested yourself and knowing your own status and helping those who have got a positive diagnosis. This help can just be as simply as walking in compassion, nothing physical. Why discriminate that person just because your own status is negative?

These two, hiv & aids, are not what meets the eyes. Recent studies have proven that hiv & aids have evolved as technology and understanding of medicine has progressed. People living with hiv (plwh) can live very normal lives without any physical appearance of one being ill. What was known before has become the known-past. Women can give birth without affecting the child with hiv. My ears recently caught some information which suggested that people who are hiv positive and deemed ‘undetectable’ and on meds are unlikely to infect anyone with hiv. Please take this with a pinch of salt as I would like to see that in BOLD writing on the guardian before I applaud, but alot of positive changes have happened.

Moral of this strategic info above, women we’ve stood and fought for so many rights, lets do the same and be the ones to stand up on fighting discrimination amongst our peers living with hiv. We can put a stop to gossiping, especially when it’s one other positive lady gossiping about another positive lady without discussing their own status. How can we? Let there be a change within our selves. I, for one, am ready to do my part. Hear my story next time…you’ll piece all I am saying together, perfectly.