ipl-logo

Ryan White: The Stigma Of AIDS

1542 Words7 Pages

It is the late 1970s, there is this epidemic, everyone is going absolutely crazy, every person is trying to figure out what the hell is going on, people are dying, and a stigma emerges just as quickly as the people are dying of this plague. In 1982, this disease finally gets a name and the AIDS stigma is in full force. AIDS related stigma and discrimination refers to the negative attitude, prejudice, and abuse directed towards people living with AIDS and HIV. The consequences of this stigma and discrimination are numerous. Some people are shunned by family, friends and the greater community, while others are faced with poor treatment in healthcare and education settings, destruction of their human rights, and psychological damage. All of these …show more content…

These same consequences were projected on a twelve-year old boy named Ryan White who became infected with HIV, and suffered unimaginable discrimination, fed by ignorance, fear, and prejudice (Saag 166). This particular case ignited the fire of combat that led to the reformation of the AIDS stigma and opened the door to many opportunities in legislation for the protection of all human rights. This paper will explore the stigma of AIDS, the effect of Ryan White had on such, and the present day outlook on the disease. HIV stands for 'human immunodeficiency virus'. HIV is a retrovirus that infects the T cells of the human immune system, and destroys and/or impairs their function, which reduces the body’s ability to fight infections. Once infected with this virus a person’s immune system experiences progressive deterioration which leads to immune deficiency. The immune system is considered deficient when it cannot fulfill its role in fighting off disease and infection. People with deficient immune systems are more susceptible to many infections, most of which do not affect the rest of the population without immune deficiency. Opportunistic infections are the infections …show more content…

Self-stigma is just as damaging on mental wellbeing of people living with HIV than that from another source. These people are scared of the discrimination that they may face which can stop them from seeking proper medical attention. The exact fear can be a limiting factor in the push to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic by continuing a wall of silence and shame surrounding the virus and its victims (Ogden, Nyblade28). In the report, Common at its Core: HIV-Related Stigma Across Contexts, a woman in Vietnam is quoted saying, “I am afraid of giving my disease to my family members-especially my youngest brother who is so small. It would be so pitiful if he got the disease. I am aware that I have the disease so I do not touch him—I talk with him only. I don’t hold him in my arms now” (Ogden, Nyblade 32). This quote speaks of such self-isolation and fear that comes from the sigma induced upon the victim

Show More
Related

Summary Of Aids By Peter Redman

569 Words | 3 Pages

In the reading by Peter Redman, he raises the argument that the ‘AIDS carrier” becomes the central representation of the HIV epidemic and how the representations of HIV cannot be narrowed down to one cause. In addition, the ‘AIDS carrier’ is represented as monster and the carrier spreads HIV from the deviant subpopulations to the mainstream. Also, AIDS has been connected to social and moral issues and singles out groups like gay men, black people, and young single women. These groups are then viewed as diseased subpopulations and that causes others to feel disgust and panic. The heterosexual men are then afraid to have physical or emotional contact with men in general and that’s why boundaries of heterosexual masculinity were produced.

Read More

Arthur Ashe's Ethical Dilemma

1152 Words | 5 Pages

This stigma touches on homosexuality. At that time Magic Johnson had contracted the disease as well and was thought of as gay or bisexual. The stigma then was that HIV/AIDS was contracted through sex between men and not simply blood transfusions, which were equally probable. “The story received an enormous amount of media attention”(Study). Another fact is political.

Read More

Andy Lippencott Impact On Society

1626 Words | 7 Pages

The quilt that bears thousands of notable names of people that died of HIV/AIDS is created as a memorial for the community folk art honored Lippincott. The quilt ensured that the fictional character of the late 1980s and 1990s is never forgotten for his contribution towards the realization of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in popular culture at the time. That factor, coupled with the fact that Lippincott initially confessed about his sexual orientation, assert to the significance of the social literature in highlighting popular issues in the contemporary world. Andy Lippincott’s section of the quilt underscores the public perception of a disease that was not really spoken about and the stigma associated with it especially in the popular

Read More

The Social Movement: A Case Study Of Act Up By Deborah Gould And David France

1883 Words | 8 Pages

Deborah Gould and David France’s study of the AIDS movement, specifically the ACT UP social movement, describe and demonstrate the essence of ACT UP as the emotions of the queer identity and populations in America during the 1980s and 1990s. Prior to the AIDS epidemic, there was a high degree of ambivalence among the queer populations about their homosexuality; some found a sense of pride and community within their identity while others experienced deep isolation and discomfort. However, as Gould describes it, the AIDS epidemic that began in the early 1980s “greatly magnified the stigma of homosexuality, intensifying lesbians’ and gay men’s shame about their sexual practices and anxieties about social rejection” (Gould, 2002). Lesbians and gay men were left feeling ostracized from society and individualized in their shame. On top of that, the thousands of lives lost daily to the disease only magnified the intense feelings of grief and loss associated with the queer community and

Read More

Summary Of The Book Love Is The Cure By Ryan White

1399 Words | 6 Pages

You should not kick someone when they’re down, instead, you should help encourage or uplift them. During the 80s and even now, people with HIV/AIDS are frowned upon, as if living with the difficulties of this disease isn’t enough pressure. President Reagan said it best during his long overdue speech in 1987, “It’s also important that America not reject those who have this disease, but care for them with dignity and kindness... This is a battle against disease, not against our fellow Americans.” (pg.45)

Read More

Roy Cohn Essay

1559 Words | 7 Pages

Being infected with AIDS in the 1980’s and in many scenarios today impact social relationships and potentially leaves the infected abandoned by loved

Read More

Not So Strange Bedfellows Analysis

812 Words | 4 Pages

Analyses were made from past events that reflect on the shift in the framing of AIDS. It began in the 1980s after the identification of HIV; a central risk group framing arose (p.216). Those who were considerate to be at a higher risk were homosexual, hookers, Haitians and heroin users (p.216). However, in the 1990s it became clear that women were becoming more infected and affected by HIV/AIDS than men in the poorest countries (p.216). Due to that international developing agencies build up a new AIDS program, which framed women and children to the vulnerability

Read More

AIDS Crisis In The 1980s

758 Words | 4 Pages

Before scientists realised that heterosexuals could also get infected, it had gone by the names of ‘GRID’; ‘Gay-Related Immune Deficiency’ or ‘gay cancer’. In 1983, scientists from the Pasteur Institute in Paris discovered the first evidence of AIDS being caused by a virus. Shortly thereafter, the World Health Organisation assembled in Geneva to discuss the international effects of the syndrome, seeing how both men and women from several countries were now battling the devastating disease. Research on the syndrome continued. By 1986, scientists had successfully isolated the virus and had given it the name ‘HIV’ or ‘Human Immunodeficiency Virus’.

Read More

My Brother By Jamaica Kincaid Analysis

1228 Words | 5 Pages

The narration reflects Kincaid's perception of Antigua. “This disease, in Antigua, produces all the prejudices in people that it produces elsewhere” meaning that many of those with the disease are ashamed to have it and do not tell others (30). For this reason Devon denied being HIV positive (65). AIDS/HIV has associations with homosexuality making it a taboo topic to talk about. Antiguans are not particularly homophobic rather they “are quick to disparage anyone or anything that is different from whom or what they think of as normal”(40).

Read More

Hiv Persuasive Essay

1926 Words | 8 Pages

HIV: A LIFE CHANGING DISEASE The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, more commonly known as HIV, is a type of lentivirus that originated from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1920. It is believed to have crossed from chimpanzees in Africa in a similar form known as the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) to humans due to the consumption of these chimpanzees by humans.(1) The small act of eating chimpanzees lead to the projection of this disease into humanity and rippled to a massive holocaust. HIV is now an epidemic and it is estimated that almost 78 million of the human population in 2013 have been infected with the virus and approximately half of the people who were infected have died of HIV.(2)

Read More

Sampling Now The Popular Media Article Analysis

1001 Words | 5 Pages

With this article it discusses how there is a correlation between stigma and HIV. It also points out how without educating people on the facts about HIV we are leaving the door open for miseducation that increases stigma. This article also informs on way to fight against stigma and discrimination. This articles references many studies done in order to show the association between HIV and stigma. It breaks down how stigma leads to things like discrimination, violence, poverty, poor and social wellbeing, harassment and abuse, poor health services access and uptake.

Read More

Hiv Aids Case

1258 Words | 6 Pages

Question 8 As a health professional, in all circumstances, places and time periods, the first priority should be to protect and conserve the well-being of the patient, seek adequate and successful treatment methods, and above all, be a knowledgeable and friendly face to provide advice and care for all types of injuries and disease. With difficult diagnoses, this process and responsibility becomes even more difficult, yet of even greater significance and importance. Furthermore, to ensure quality of life of the patient and encourage them to seek support in their diagnoses, it is beneficial for the physician to provide the patient with resources that may aid them in coping with the diagnosis, management of the condition, and provide them with information and a network of similar patients. As a physician in the late 1980’s, it would be hard to provide adequate care and a sufficiently thorough diagnosis of the HIV virus and the subsequent progression to AIDS to a newly HIV positive patient.

Read More

What Are The Lgbt Community And The Aids Crisis

862 Words | 4 Pages

The LGBT Community and the AIDS Crisis In the early to mid-20th century homosexuality and other LGBT behaviors were taboo and overall ridiculed. Yet, the 80’s brought a huge blow to the LGBT community, but eventually led to the change of the community. This unified the LGBT community and propelled the idea of equality forward. The AIDS crisis of the 1980's paved the way to a new civil rights movement and it brought the different sectors of the LGBT community together.

Read More

Do Social Workers Prevent The Spread Of HIV/AIDS Epidemic?

1005 Words | 5 Pages

The disease still has a stigma, but the awareness is different from in 1981. More people are aware of the virus and how to prevent it than when the virus first came out in America. The virus was initially seen in being widespread in Africa; however, it became an epidemic in America in the 80’s. Since then, more has been studied about the disease and the myth that only gay white man can contract it has been debunked. Now it is seen that anyone can contract the virus and that the virus does not discriminate between heterosexual or homosexual.

Read More

Don T Forget About Aids: Article Analysis

924 Words | 4 Pages

Post #:1 Date: 10/27/2014 Article: Don’t Forget About Aids http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/28/opinion/elton-john-on-the-unfinished-fight-against-aids.html Author: Elton John Analysis: HIV activists spending considerable effort dispelling the stigma attached to AIDS as some sort of disease affecting only "sinful" people. As a result, people recognized AIDS as a universal problem, not a gay one. Any attemt of the gay community to push it to the top of the agenda can backfire significantly, as people may start tieing it back to "addicts and homosexuals".

Read More

More about Ryan White: The Stigma Of AIDS

Related Topics

Open Document