Suffering from a disease is taxing by itself. And it is even more so when supplemented by excess emotional baggage like social stigmatization and discrimination. Feeling extra terrible at an already terrible time is something you wouldnt wish even on your greatest enemy. Anyhow, this is an experience common to HIV Jewish community NYC.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is the viral strain that leads to AIDS in its final stages. This can be transmitted through contact with the body fluids of an infected person. There is also a perinatal or congenital transmission passed from a mother to her child during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding.
Stigmatization has always been a given thing with AIDS. This taboo is as old as the disease itself. On its first significant outbreak, it was referred to by a popular media outlet as a new kind of cancer. The term caught on and before long, a considerable portion of the masses was calling it gay cancer. Thats only the discrimination suffered by infected persons in the general sense. Now, lets take it up a notch and talk about the stigmatization theyre accorded by religion.
A common oversimplification of a disease of this magnitude is that it is something that homosexuals primarily incur. Its a topic for another day, but the LGBTQ minority is one that is universally not accepted in most major religions. Of course, there are sympathetic subsets in every group, but there is no single denomination where conservatives and all out hate groups dont exist. Therefore, AIDS is something thats perceived in most religions as rightful punishment for sinful conduct.
That view purports and oversimplifies the ways in which the virus can be transmitted. It doesnt take into account the people that acquired it congenitally or unknowingly. This says much about the general state of awareness of the general public regarding this illness. With the advent of effective drug treatments, AIDS has changed from a deadly disease to a chronic, though manageable condition. The vast majority of its sufferers, though, remain as silent as ever.
In the NYC Jewish community, its said that there still exists the predominant assumption that AIDS is something thats mainly in the turf of homosexuals, drug users, prostitutes, and Third World Immigrants. Moreover, there is no accredited central authority on HIV groups and associations thats collectively accepted by the community as a whole. Its a small wonder that discrimination still abounds.
Certain individuals took up the mantle by themselves and formed the first gay synagogues where they are free to address the issues that are unique to their group. Now, there is a New York City based group that holds leadership training and seminars on HIV awareness. The program discusses the risks and prevention of AIDS, and the stigma undergone by its sufferers.
A certain creed in Judaism winds on about the virtue of protecting the vulnerable and defenseless in society. Groups that answer this calling spreads consciousness on the true facts about HIV. There are even religious groups that went out on a limb and integrated into their prayer books themes related to AIDS, imploring healing and faith for its sufferers and love and strength to those who care for them.
A fitting rallying cry is one introduced by yet another Jewish group. It states that silence equates to death and action equates to life. This pretty much sums up how being aware, informed, and proactive can consequently save a life.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is the viral strain that leads to AIDS in its final stages. This can be transmitted through contact with the body fluids of an infected person. There is also a perinatal or congenital transmission passed from a mother to her child during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding.
Stigmatization has always been a given thing with AIDS. This taboo is as old as the disease itself. On its first significant outbreak, it was referred to by a popular media outlet as a new kind of cancer. The term caught on and before long, a considerable portion of the masses was calling it gay cancer. Thats only the discrimination suffered by infected persons in the general sense. Now, lets take it up a notch and talk about the stigmatization theyre accorded by religion.
A common oversimplification of a disease of this magnitude is that it is something that homosexuals primarily incur. Its a topic for another day, but the LGBTQ minority is one that is universally not accepted in most major religions. Of course, there are sympathetic subsets in every group, but there is no single denomination where conservatives and all out hate groups dont exist. Therefore, AIDS is something thats perceived in most religions as rightful punishment for sinful conduct.
That view purports and oversimplifies the ways in which the virus can be transmitted. It doesnt take into account the people that acquired it congenitally or unknowingly. This says much about the general state of awareness of the general public regarding this illness. With the advent of effective drug treatments, AIDS has changed from a deadly disease to a chronic, though manageable condition. The vast majority of its sufferers, though, remain as silent as ever.
In the NYC Jewish community, its said that there still exists the predominant assumption that AIDS is something thats mainly in the turf of homosexuals, drug users, prostitutes, and Third World Immigrants. Moreover, there is no accredited central authority on HIV groups and associations thats collectively accepted by the community as a whole. Its a small wonder that discrimination still abounds.
Certain individuals took up the mantle by themselves and formed the first gay synagogues where they are free to address the issues that are unique to their group. Now, there is a New York City based group that holds leadership training and seminars on HIV awareness. The program discusses the risks and prevention of AIDS, and the stigma undergone by its sufferers.
A certain creed in Judaism winds on about the virtue of protecting the vulnerable and defenseless in society. Groups that answer this calling spreads consciousness on the true facts about HIV. There are even religious groups that went out on a limb and integrated into their prayer books themes related to AIDS, imploring healing and faith for its sufferers and love and strength to those who care for them.
A fitting rallying cry is one introduced by yet another Jewish group. It states that silence equates to death and action equates to life. This pretty much sums up how being aware, informed, and proactive can consequently save a life.
About the Author:
When you are looking for information about the HIV Jewish community NYC residents can come to our web pages today. More details about us are available at http://www.talktomeabouthiv.org now.
No comments:
Post a Comment