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 is the viral strain that leads to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome at its advanced stage. Usually, it is transmitted through contact with body fluids that are infected. However, there are also perinatal cases where the mother transmits the virus to her fetus during pregnancy.
The lay persons stigmatization of this disease is evident. After all, AIDS is commonly dismissed by the hoi polloi as something thats offensively called gay cancer. You can imagine how overwhelming this toxic mentality steps up when we turn the perspective on another channel, that is, on religion.
An unfortunately popular stereotype of this disease is that its something that the LGBTQ community primarily contends with. Its taking the conversation on another level, but this community is not acknowledged and approved in most religions. That is not to disregard the subset that sympathizes with the group, but nevertheless, conservatives still tout their righteousness and insist that AIDS is a punishment accorded to sinful actions.
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.
The Torah, Judaisms holy book, teaches that the person is created in the image of their God and is inherently worth of dignity just by that criterion. Conversely, however, people who are living with this disease experience a loss of self worth and esteem because of this tenet. There is no central authority on HIV groups or awareness in Jewish communities that is accepted the majority of Jews. Consequently, discrimination 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.
It goes without saying that the Jewish community in NYC is taking baby strides towards normalization. Of course, this normalization is not about accepting AIDS as a way of life, but of accepting its sufferers back into the fold. Greater sympathy and knowledge of its effects will gradually bring us closer to its complete prevention, maybe cure.
A certain group invested in this issue introduced a slogan stating Silence is to Death, Action is to Life. This tagline sums up the need to speak up and break the taboos surrounding AIDS. Our decision to do so will ultimately save lives.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus is the viral strain that leads to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome at its advanced stage. Usually, it is transmitted through contact with body fluids that are infected. However, there are also perinatal cases where the mother transmits the virus to her fetus during pregnancy.
The lay persons stigmatization of this disease is evident. After all, AIDS is commonly dismissed by the hoi polloi as something thats offensively called gay cancer. You can imagine how overwhelming this toxic mentality steps up when we turn the perspective on another channel, that is, on religion.
An unfortunately popular stereotype of this disease is that its something that the LGBTQ community primarily contends with. Its taking the conversation on another level, but this community is not acknowledged and approved in most religions. That is not to disregard the subset that sympathizes with the group, but nevertheless, conservatives still tout their righteousness and insist that AIDS is a punishment accorded to sinful actions.
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.
The Torah, Judaisms holy book, teaches that the person is created in the image of their God and is inherently worth of dignity just by that criterion. Conversely, however, people who are living with this disease experience a loss of self worth and esteem because of this tenet. There is no central authority on HIV groups or awareness in Jewish communities that is accepted the majority of Jews. Consequently, discrimination 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.
It goes without saying that the Jewish community in NYC is taking baby strides towards normalization. Of course, this normalization is not about accepting AIDS as a way of life, but of accepting its sufferers back into the fold. Greater sympathy and knowledge of its effects will gradually bring us closer to its complete prevention, maybe cure.
A certain group invested in this issue introduced a slogan stating Silence is to Death, Action is to Life. This tagline sums up the need to speak up and break the taboos surrounding AIDS. Our decision to do so will ultimately save lives.
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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.
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