HIV doesn't kill. Discrimination does.
Tonight Dr Nason Tan wrote:-
Only those of us intimately affected by HIV can readily appreciate the social processes that structure the stigma and discrimination people living with HIV face. The relationship with HIV can be described as being like “one who watches in the darkness of night a mounting invasion it feels but cannot see". - Martin Choo
Despite medical advances and understanding of HIV since the 80s, we now know the disease doesn't kill but stigma does and we haven't been able to change that still. Why is that so? We are most effective when we demonstrate solidarity and wage battles for our rights, including our rights to life, health and love. The more people are willing to talk about HIV, especially those with it, the less discrimination we will see. We should be able to mention in one same breath like, 'Oh, I have underlying diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and HIV." without fear.
Despite medical advances and understanding of HIV since the 80s, we now know the disease doesn't kill but stigma does and we haven't been able to change that still. Why is that so? We are most effective when we demonstrate solidarity and wage battles for our rights, including our rights to life, health and love. The more people are willing to talk about HIV, especially those with it, the less discrimination we will see. We should be able to mention in one same breath like, 'Oh, I have underlying diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and HIV." without fear.
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Thank you Dr Nase for understanding the tough times we PLHIV faced in our day-to-day lives.
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