Aids Related Stigma Essays - HIVAIDS, Health, Discrimination

Aids Related Stigma Essays - HIVAIDS, Health, Discrimination Aids Related Stigma Introduction Since the appearance of AIDS in the late seventies and early eighties, the disease has had attached to it a significant social stigma. This stigma has manifested itself in the form of discrimination, avoidance and fear of people living with AIDS (PLWAs). As a result, the social implications of the disease has been extended from those of other life threatening conditions to the point at which PLWAs are not only faced with a terminal illness but also social isolation and constant discrimination throughout society. Various explanations have been suggested as to the underlying causes of this stigmatization. Many studies point to the relationship the disease has with deviant behaviour. Others suggest that fear of contagion is the actual culprit. Examining the existing literature and putting it into societal context leads one to believe that there is no one cause. Instead, there would appear to be a collection of associated factors that influence societys attitudes towards AIDS and PLWAs. As the number of people infected with HIV increases, social workers are and will be increasingly called upon to deal with and serve PWAs. Although not all social workers chose to work with PLWAs, the escalating incidence of HIV infection is creating a situation in which seropositive people are and will be showing up more often in almost all areas of social work practice. This paper aims to examine AIDS related stigma and the stigmatization process, hopefully providing insights into countering the effects of stigma and perhaps the possibility of destigmatization. This is of particular pertinence to the field of social work due to our growing involvement with the HIV positive population. Association to Deviant/Marginal Behavior One of the most clearly and often identified causes of AIDS related stigma is its association to deviant behaviour. The disease has had and still does have a strong association for many to homosexuality, IV drug use, sexual promiscuity and other liberations of sexual practice (OHare, et al., 1996; Canadian Associacion of Social Workers, 1990; Quam, 1990 & Beauger, 1989). An especially strong association exists between homosexuality and AIDS. This is largely due to the fact that, in the early years of the disease, it was far more prevalent within the gay community and almost non-existent outside of it. In fact, until 1982 the disease was referred to as GRID or Gay Related Immune Deficiency. Even today, AIDS is often referred to as the gay plague (Giblin, 1995). Even though AIDS is now far less prevalent in the homosexual community and increasingly more outside of it, this link still remains strong for many. Along with the historical context of AIDS, the media is partly to blame for this not so accurate association. The Canadian Association of Social Workers (1990) reports that, often the media has not distinguished between gay and AIDS, so that public understanding of homosexuality and AIDS has become enmeshed (p.10). In recent years, the media has started to make more accurate distinctions between homosexuality and AIDS, but messages are still mixed and often ambiguous. The situation is quite similar in regard to IV drug use, prostitution, and other activities commonly associated with AIDS. This focus that the media has put on marginalized groups incorrectly places emphasis on high risk groups rather than high risk activities. As a result, the word AIDS alone conjures, for many, images of those who deviate from what society deems to be normal behaviour. Already Stigmatized Groups Many of the groups to which AIDS is associated have long histories of stigmatization before the appearance of AIDS. Homosexuals, in western culture, have almost always suffered the effects of being a stigmatized population. The same is true of prostitutes, IV drug users, and people of color (OHare, et al., 1996; Giblin, 1995 & CASW, 1990). It is significant to mention colored populations, as the parts of the world that are most severely effected by AIDS, such as countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, South East Asia, and Haiti, are mostly populated by races other than Caucasian. As a result, a strong association has been also been made between AIDS and people of color (Quam, 1990). The fact that AIDS is associated with already stigmatized groups has two principal effects. First and most obvious, is that societys negative attitudes towards the group in question are transferred to AIDS and PLWAs. Second, is an amplification of the existing negative feelings that society holds towards the groups associated with the disease (CASW, 1990). As a result, homosexuals, prostitutes, colored people and other groups associated to HIV infection

Using Tan and Tanto in Spanish Comparisons of Equality

Using 'Tan' and 'Tanto' in Spanish Comparisons of Equality Probably the most common way that Spanish uses to indicate that two people or things are equally a certain way is to use the phrase tan ... como where the ellipsis (three periods) is replaced by an adjective. The phrase is the equivalent of the English phrase as ... as. Examples Diego es tan alto como Pedro. (James is as tall as Peter.)Eres tan inteligente como cualquier hombre. (You are as intelligent as any man.)Cervantes es tan conocido como Shakespeare. (Cervantes is as well known as Shakespeare.)No estoy tan feliz como me gustarà ­a. (I am not as happy as I would like to be.) Such comparisons are known as comparisons of equality. Note how they are both similar to and different than  expressions of inequality, such as Diego es ms alto que Pedro (James is taller than Peter). Comparisons of equality using tan are similar when adverbs are used to indicate the way in which things are done: La cerveza puede afectarle tan rpidamente como el vino. (Beer can affect you as quickly as wine.)Las infopistas transformarn nuestra cultura tan poderosamente como la imprenta de Gutenberg transformà ³ los tiempos medievales. (The information highway will transform our culture as powerfully as Gutenbergs printing press transformed medieval times.) A similar sentence structure is used when a noun is used in the comparison. In such cases, however, a form of tanto, an adjective, is used, and it must agree in number and gender with the noun referred to. (Tan is an adverb.) A few examples: El paà ­s exporta tantos dà ³lares como importa. (The country exports as many dollars as it imports.)La experiencia tiene tanta importancia como el conocimiento de libros. (Experience has as much importance as book knowledge.)Nada tiene tanto à ©xito como à ©l. (Nobody has as much success as he.)No tengo tantas preguntas como antes. (I dont have as many questions as before.) The similar construction of tanto como can also be used to mean as much as. Note that this form of tanto is an invariable adverb; it doesnt change form to agree with words around it: Nadie habà ­a hecho tanto como mi padre. (No one has done as much as my father.)Dormir poco disminuye el rendimiento tanto como el alcohol. (Lack of sleep reduces performance as much as alcohol.)Tienen un lado bueno tanto como uno malo. (They have a good side as much as a bad side.)