What did you do on World AIDS Day?
AIDS has always been a bit of a taboo subject, after all, it is a disease often associated with drug abuse or casual unprotected sex, activities often going against the status quo of society.
But i think something needs changing, more light needs to be shed on what is ultimately more than just taboo or what we think we know. In countries like Africa, the disease has become an epidemic, due to lack of education on protected sex or the dangers of drug abuse. The disease is often passed on to children, and you know what? there is no cure yet.
and whether we contracted the disease due to our own negligence, or we were an innocent victim, do we all not have a right to treatment that can help such victims that has claimed so many lives? regardless your moral judgment (which so many of us tend to have.) this is more a cry out for compassion and love, values not bound by prejudices.
back in the 90's, AIDS was much more fearsome, people died within months. but advances in medicine can help HIV victims survive and be a part of society. and this is the sigma i'm talking about, sometimes perhaps we still cringe at the thought of someone with AIDS. vestiges of the stories we were told before as kids perhaps?
i'd like to highlight this video that World Community Grid (full disclosure: World Community Grid is a client of mine.) put on youtube on World Aids Day to share more about the stigmas and facts regarding AIDS, and how we can help in research projects like FightAIDS@Home and find a cure to this disease:
i hope you can join us. ridz has already started a team called "small changes" where you can join other Singaporeans in making a contribution to help the world.
Interesting links
World Community Grid website
World Community Grid Youtube Channel Learn more about WCG and its other projects)
Action For Aids
Love Amplified - World AIDS Day Concert
4 comments:
Hi Brian,
It'll be ashame to think HIV/AIDS as a taboo subject. To consider it taboo is to prevent ourselves & other people from getting the proper informations.
Fight the disease not the people with it.
People should know that more and more people are infected NOT by abusing drugs or those we thought before. More mothers & babies are infected by HIV from their loved ones.
Some serious actions must be taken to help them and to prevent more "innocent" people from getting infected. And making HIV/AIDS a taboo subject is NOT helping.
My name is Leonnie. I am a wife of an HIV positive man. It's not a taboo for me to say it because by saying it I'm telling the world, I'm here to share my experience, learn & fight the disease together.
:)
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sarah
http://www.thetreadmillguide.com
Thanks for the post, and the article about AIDS.
I have to say that I have been quite impressed with some of the movements I have seen in Singapore (not saying it was surprising, just have not been overseas during World AIDS day). The student groups at my school, and some of the other campaigns, including the ones you have pointed out.
For me, one of the things that has been frustrating is the types of people we (Americans) send overseas - well, maybe 'send' is not the best word, since some choose to go on their own.
They are usually religious people that have an agenda. In Africa, they try to teach people about abstinence, rather than give them condoms. It is not only culturally ignorant, but also practically stupid.
You mentioned moral judgment - that is essentially what they are doing - making a claim that their way of life is not morally acceptable.
It is frustrating when something as simple, and cheap, as a condom can do so much, but because of a religious agenda are not promoted.
Brian, thanks for commenting on my blog (injelea). Unfortunately the comment was shred by the comment system so I only got it as an email. I really like the world community grid because you can start making a difference just within seconds and let your computer do the work :-)
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