Monday, 1st December 2014
On December 1st every year since 1988, World AIDS Day has aimed to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS, encourage support of those suffering with the virus, and lead remembrance of the millions of people who have died worldwide because of it. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a predominantly sexually-transmitted virus that, if left untreated, can develop into the debilitating illness AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). HIV/AIDS is a devastating problem worldwide, and despite leaps and bounds in modern medicine allowing HIV to be suppressed and preventing the development of AIDS, there is widespread discrimination of HIV positive individuals as well as a wealth of misconceptions surrounding the virus.
When I was a young child, the first I’d ever heard of AIDS was its usage in the playground. ‘He’s gay, he’s got AIDS!’ was a proclamation that was all too common. At that stage of my life, I’d never learned about HIV or AIDS, so the association stuck in my head. Thus when I reached my teenage years and first began to realise I was gay (at this point still without any HIV/AIDS education), I went and read about the virus. No matter how the sources told me that HIV was not exclusive to the LGBTQ+ community, or that practicing safe sex could prevent transmission, I became paranoid that because of my sexuality I would become ill.
It is a paranoia that follows me into my adult life, even after studying HIV/AIDS as part of my degree. I know that my partner and I are both free of sexually transmitted infections, and yet there’s always a voice at the back of my head whispering the same three letters over and over. From talking to some of my peers, I know that I am not the only person who feels this unnecessary sense of impending doom, and it stems from those early childhood impressions.
Millions of people dedicated their lives to have their governments recognise HIV/AIDS sufferers – to campaign for better treatment research, for better education, for better support of people who were wasting away in front of their eyes. Family members, friends and partners were lost, and many from the LGBTQ+ community. It is also important to recognise the millions of heterosexual individuals across the world affected by HIV/AIDS, and many in countries where treatment is not freely available.
The world owes it to these millions of people, from all walks of life, to educate everyone as early as possible about HIV/AIDS. Because it is predominantly sexually transmitted, many people are concerned that teaching children about it is inappropriate. Frankly, I would be far more concerned about the implications of a lack of education on the subject. Better education is essential in order to:
- Prevent the spread of HIV via unprotected sex.
- Remove the stigma associated with HIV positive individuals and with AIDS itself.
- Recognise the struggles that an entire generation went through to have HIV/AIDS taken seriously by the world.
So please, use World AIDS Day as an opportunity to educate your friends, your family and yourself – and to remember those who are gone, but never forgotten.
In memoriam
Written by Nigel
