HIV Stigma In The Caribbean!

[DerryckMimbari]

http://guyanaatthecrossroads.blogspot.com/2010/12/hiv-stigma-in-caribbean.html
http://mimbari.livejournal.com/113701.html

December 10-2010:

HIV Stigma In The Caribbean!

GUYANA, like most or all Caribbean countries have endemic prejudices
against those who are the HIV positive, who may be Homosexual. They
associate HIV with Gayness/Homosexuality, and assume broadly that
anyone who is HIV positive may be Gay/Homosexual, and lives a
promiscuous life or lifestyle.

They also assume that you can only get HIV if you are Gay/Homosexual,
and that you are paying the price for your sins, according to their
interpretation of the Christian Bible. Which is ludicrous to say the
least, and overtly self-righteous of them too.

Blackmailing People With HIV Is Quite Common:

Within the Caribbean region, and Guyana, to publicly call someone a
Faggot, Anti-man, Homo, Batty Boy/Batty Man, and a Walking Serial
Killer is quite common. This is done by every age group and gender. It
is another way for people to castigate you as sick, toxic, degenerate,
or cancerous. It is a way most seem to feel to publicly humiliate
someone they do not like, distrust, or hate. So by blackmailing them
by any means necessary, they get their own warped and twisted sense of
satisfaction.

The Family Unit Is Guilty Too:

In most Caribbean families, this behavior is very evident. Any HIV
positive individual will not necessarily find solace, security, or
comfort within his/her family. Because this is the place where it
starts first, and where the hurt is felt the most.

Support Groups For HIV Positive People:

This type of support may be absent completely within the Caribbean, or
very limited. And if some sort or type of support is available, it has
to be under cover mostly. Because if the community knows that some
building houses, or provides HIV positive or Homosexual individuals
this type of support. It allows those who hate these people to locate
them easily, verbally and physically abuse them, and possibly burn
down that or those facilities, because they feel it embarrasses the
community at large.

Secondly, most HIV positive individuals, or even Homosexuals within
the Caribbean, would not want to be associated so openly with this
facility, For fear of all, or most of the above cited happening to
them.

SOLUTIONS:

HIV and AIDS is a social pandemic, a global pandemic, and it does not
discriminate between sex, gender, or sexual orientation/preferences
either. The states MUST ensure that Legislation is in place or
enacted, to protect the Civil/Human Rights of all those who are
infected with HIV/AIDS.

Housing MUST also be allotted, or provided for people with HIV, as a
safe place to live, maintain their health, feel secure by being with
those who are also infected with this disease, and MUST be protected
from scrupulous Land Owners/Renters, who exploit HIV positive
individuals. Because they are too weak, ignorant, helpless, or fearful
for their lives, to represent or defend themselves.

And anyone who is HIV infected MUST be given treatment at any hospital
or medical facility, (private or state run). MUST be allowed
admittance like any other patient to the wards therein, and given
equal treatment, medicines (whenever available), to treat HIV.

And stringent efforts MUST be made by the state to ensure that the
GENERIC HIV protease inhibitors, and their associates are available to
all HIV positive people throughout the entire country/states.

FREE OF COST TOO!

Derryck.
NYC.