So I don't know if it is just me but I feel like I am so much more aware of HIV/AIDS in the media today. I feel like I see newspaper articles or webpage articles about it much more than I did before. I think this is because I am more aware of the subject because I have been taking this class. I have been talking to my co-workers about the things I have been learning as well as my freinds and my parents. I am suprised at myself at how often I bring the topic up. Sometimes my parent look at me and are like, where are you getting this stuff from!? I told them about how I'm taking this class and they couldn't beleive there was a class all about HIV and AIDS. Like me, they were pleasantly suprised. I am thankful for the way this class has opened my eyes and my mind in so many way. I'm looking forward to learning more and excited to see what else I come across.
When looking for AIDS/HIV organization I came upon the website for the Blue Diamond Society. What makes this organization different from the other ones I found is its mission. On their website it states, "Blue diamond society fights for sexual and gender minority's social justice and right" Web: About blue diamond society, retrieved October 7, 2010. This organization reaches out specifically to gays and lesbians who are infected with HIV or AIDS as well as those who aren't. Blue diamond society is based in Nepal where religion prohibits and condemns homosexuality. Their website states that they strive to improve sexual health and human rights of the sexual minorities in Nepal. Some of the things they do include health promotion for sexual minorites, raising awareness of HIV/AIDS, documenting human rights violations and psycho-social counseling. Many of the individuals who run this organization are trained in HIV prevention techniques.
Did You Know:
There are more women in prison infected with HIV than men. Specifically, HIV infection in incacerated women are about two times higher than the rate of HIV infected incarcerated men. The HIV infection rate of incarcerated women are also 35 times higher than HIV infection in non-incarcerated women. I contintue to be shocked by the many statistics I come across and I'm sure I'm going to learn a lot more that surprise me!
Sources:Blue Diamond Society: http://www.bds.org.np/aboutus.htmlHIV Education Prison Project: http://www.idcronline.org/archives/june99/index.html
You will begin to notice the absence of material in today's newspapers on HIV. The only time you see something is if there is a conference in town, or someone was found intentionally infecting another person. People just don't care about HIV any more because they believe it has been cured and if not cured then the medications one takes will make living with it easier.
ReplyDeleteIt will be fun to see how all the students react to the M&M project, because I'm sure there are some in class who also believe the drugs are this planet's savior.
I agree I see more in the media but I too think it is because I am just more aware of it myself, so I notice it now. My friends and family also think that I am crazy when I bust out of no where with some random fact or statistic about HIV/AIDS. I think it is a serious matter and I wish it was more in the media because I think the reason we have such unbelievable statistics is because not everyone is even aware that there still is a problem.
ReplyDelete