One of our greatest struggle as people living with HIV is how the media represents us. Most times we are either victims or threats. And those limited and distorted views of HIV fuel stigma and discrimination.

Because of this PozFem UK – our national positive women network- has put a lot of effort in preparing us to deal with the media. We have had several trainings that focused on public speaking, delivering key messages and engaging with the media. In one of or last meetings we talked a lot about how we could be more proactive and more visible. One of our dream is to have a group interview in which we could tell our stories,  and also speak about of how we have developed into a group of activists. We really would like to highlight how the struggle for PLHIV to be accepted as equal and valued members of our communities, is part of a larger battle for equity, equality, and human rights.

With World AIDS Day coming on the First of December we are getting quite a few requests to be interviewed, but I have still failed to seduce a journalist in this idea of a group interview. Anyhow, I have received  some requests for individual interviews and I disseminated them among PozFem members.

Last week I put one of PozFem  coordinators, L, in contact with a female journalist – a freelancer- who initially seemed really sympathetic. I gave L our guidelines on how to carry on interviews safely and effectively and I encouraged her to go ahead with it,  but to be cautious, and really think through what she wanted to put across. On Friday she called me really distressed because the journalist had somehow convinced her to give her a picture of her and her partner and now wanted to sell the story with the picture to The Mirror! L was really distressed, she regretted having given her picture and she was sure it wasn’t her wish for that kind of tabloid to manipulate her story. She was particularly worried because  she had recently moved house as a consequence  of AIDS related hate crime, and she was really frighten of this happening again and of the consequences on her children and family. I called the journalist and somehow I managed to talk her out of it. L was really upset since she really wanted her story to be out, she was determined to challenge the myths and stereotypes around this virus,  so she was really disappointed when it proved impossible.

To win peoples minds and hearts so that they feel able to show support and solidarity to those of us who live with HIV it is crucial to engage  with the mainstream media, however this is a real challenge, because we need to also protect ourselves and those we love. What can be done? How can we do it?

In South Africa, the lives of thousands of HIV-positive people are at risk because the government has not provided life-prolonging antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to many of those who need them. South Africa is one of the countries most affected by HIV/AIDS, with more than five-and-a half-million people living with the virus and at least two-and-a-half million killed by AIDS-related illnesses. The worst shortages of ARVs are in the central Free State province…. From VOA. Full story

This site may contain information about: virus. For a different topic see here. The blog is also related to: virus.

Rzadko mi się zdarza recenzować naraz zarówno książkę jak i film, ale tym razem ułatwiło mi to zadanie. Po lekturze powieści Maupina byłem usatysfakcjonowany gdzieś tak na 80%. Obejrzenie koszmarnie złego, nudnego i bezsensownego filmidła z Robinem Williamsem (to ten spec od ról nauczycieli i przewodników życiowych) automatycznie poprawiło ocenę książki.

W powieści Armisteada Maupina znajdujemy dwa rdzenie. Pierwszy to fabuła – prosta, przewidywalna, nieco manieryczna, w gruncie rzeczy mało interesująca. Ot, słynny radiowiec zaczyna nocne rozmowy z 14-latkiem, który przez całe dzieciństwo był sprzedawany przez swoich rodziców pedofilom obojga płci, filmowany, zaś filmy te sprzedawano. Chłopak napisał o tym książkę. Opis brzmi drastycznie, w rzeczywistości jednak wątek jest nudny jak moje kalesony i trzeba sporej dozy silnej woli, żeby nie zacząć przerzucać kartek dalej.

Drugi rdzeń jest majstersztykiem. Opisuje bowiem linearnie historię wielkiej miłości (i równie wielkiego jej upadku) czterdziestoletniego Gabriela Noone’a do dwudziestoletniego Jessa. Patrzymy na kolejne osiem lat ich życia. Typowość układu starszy-młodszy rozbijają dwie rzeczy. Po pierwsze młodszy Jess jest nosicielem HIV i w pewnym momencie o mało co nie wyniósł się z tego świata. To dość drastycznie zmieniło jego nastawienie do życia, związku i swojej przyszłości. Gabriel Noone był jego jedyną podporą – bez względu na to, czy weźmiemy pod uwagę (bezpieczny) seks, zarabianie na życie czy też podawanie basenu podczas stadium prawie terminalnego.
Po drugie, Gabriel Noone w swoim związku z Jessem znajdywał preteksty, inspiracje i pomysły do swoich kolejnych radiowych opowieści; wysysał z niego intensywne emocje i przerabiał artystycznie. Słuchowiska przyniosły mu sławę, pieniądze i poważanie. Nie ma tu zatem jednoznacznego przepływu wyłącznie pozytywnych zdarzeń czy emocji – obaj przez ten czas wyciągali ze swojego związku coś, czego potrzebowali. A potem nagle pękło i pięćdziesięcioletni Noone probuje zrozumieć, dlaczego tak się stało.

Książka Armisteada Maupina to nie tylko opis ale i dogłębna wiwisekcja umysłu starzejącego się geja. Dowiemy się z niej, w jaki sposób zmieniają się priorytety, na czym polega niebezpieczeństwo poczucia bycia zbędnym, w jaki sposób zmienia się postrzeganie świata (a właściwie dwóch światów – hetero- i homoseksualnego). Mamy poczucie, że uczestniczymy w powstawaniu ogólnej idei na czym ma polegać sens życia po pięćdziesiątce. Ze strony Jessa zaś widzimy szybką naukę czym jest życie, na czym polegać może związek z kimś znacznie starszym od siebie; jakie są jego zalety, wady i ograniczenia.

I w tym wymiarze powieść Maupina jest wybitna. W polskiej literaturze praktycznie nie ma odpowiednika, jeśli pominiemy bełkotliwe “Milczenie” Stryjkowskiego.

A film? Otóż film skupił się na opisywanej na początku fabule, której treść można streścić w kilku zdaniach. Nie podam zakończenia, bo o ile już po kwadransie oglądania filmu znamy finał, to zepsułbym przyjemność czytania powieści. W niej bowiem, gdy wątek 14-latka staje się uzupełniający, nie przeszkadza zanadto. W scenariuszu staje się totalnym gniotem ze słabym aktorstwem (Williams gra dwiema minami, włócząc się w kufajce i czapce z kąta w kąt; dobra jest w zasadzie tylko Toni Collette, która autentycznie straszy i przeraża), zerem fabuły, brakiem jakiegokolwiek zaskoczenia i drewnianym Jessem (Bobby Cannavale), który w filmach może służyć wyłącznie jako element ozdobny, dekoracja, coś w rodzaju paprotki w kącie. Film jest autentycznie beznadziejny i co gorsza psuje do cna przyjemność i chęć przeczytania powieści Maupina. Dlatego werdykt brzmi:

1. “Nocnego słuchacza” z Robinem Williamsem absolutnie nie wolno oglądać…
2. …jak już musisz, bo czujesz, że twoje życie od tego zależy: NIE PRZED przeczytaniem książki…
3. …która jest rzeczą wartościową i wartą poznania.

Armistead Maupin ”Nocny słuchacz”, Wydawnictwo Literackie 2009

Patrick Stettner “Nocny słuchacz“, Hart Sharp Entertainment / Miramax Films

bald ist es wieder so weit. alle jahre wieder kommt er , der WELTAIDSTAG. er erscheint mit einer regelmäßigkeit nach der man seine uhr stellen könnt. ja man könnt sogar den kalender danach neu ausrichten. entweder das mit dem WAT das jahr neu anfängt oder aufhört. je nachdem. aber da am 24. februar 1582 gregor der damalige chef der kath kirche für uns zu unserem besten, natürlich, urkundlich in der bulle inter gravissimas beschlossen hat, das der gregorianische kalender nun für alle gilt und in der folge das jahr mit dem 31. sylvester endet und mit dem 1. januar beginnt . . . . never change a winning team. außerdem, gewohnheiten zu ändern ist keine leichte aufgabe. ja man könnte sagen es ist eine der schwersten arbeiten überhaupt. wieso sollte man sich dann solcher mühen unterziehen ? und rein rational gefragt: was kommt denn für den einzelnen dabei unterm strich raus? nix. eben. also lassen wir den kalender so wie er ist.

doch zurück zum thema dem WAT am 1. dezember. eigentlich fängt er ja schon früher an. so wie es die vorweihnachtszeit gibt so gibt s auch eine VORWATZEIT. und da sind wir grad mitten drin. ab oktober fängt sie an die VORWATZEIT. in den div hiv foren z.b. häufen sich die anfragen von fotografen, werbeagenturen, unabhängigen journalisten und film produktionsfirmen. alle sind sie auf der suche nach hiv positiven menschen, erklären oftmals wie es ist mit hiv zu leben und schildern mit vollmundigen und in eindringlich bewegenden worten das sie der öffentlichkeit zeigen wollen, dass das schreckgespenst das sich mit “HIV POSITIV”verbindet, keine daseins berechtigung mehr in unserer gesellschaft hat. ihr beitrag soll dazu dienen um den vorhandenen vorurteilen und schubladenken in unserer gesellschaft ein Ende zu bereiten. es gehe ja schließlich um menschen die die bürde “HIV mit würde” tragen und sich ihre zustehende lebensqualität einfordern und erkämpfen.

so oder mit ähnlichen worten geht es zu in der VORWAT zeit. läßt man sich darauf ein dann kommt – im fall einer homestory – ein kamerateam mit allem was dazugehört vorbei. es wird 1 oder 2 tage gedreht, gefragt, beleuchtet und dokumentiert wie der alltag eines hiv positiven so ist. die produktionskosten für solch ein projekt dürften sich da schon im 5 stelligen bereich bewegen. ob und wieviel von diesem betrag demjenigen der sich auf solch ein projekt einläßt zu gute kommt, damit seine lebensqualität zumindest für einen begrenzten zeitraum eine besserung erfährt, das wage ich zu bezweifeln. und irgendwann bis zum 1 dezember flimmert dann (s)eine markante geschichte über das “leben mit HIV” auf 2 – 3 minuten zusammengeschnitten auf irgendeinem sender in einem der üblichen tv magazine zwischen” veganer entließen hühner in die freiheit” und “super modell stolperte auf dem cat walk” über den bildschirm.

eine langzeitdokumentation bzw ein längeres feature über das leben eines HIV POSITIVEN das in den öffentlich rechtlichen tv anstalten oder einem der privaten sender gezeigt wurde  ist mir nicht bekannt. soweit ich informiert bin wurden alle projekte/konzepte die auf einer längeren begleitung durch ein kamerateam basierten und den alltag eines hiv positiven dokumentierte von den sendern bis dato abgelehnt.

die spendenbereitschaft in deutschland ist trotz finanzkrise immer noch recht groß. besonders in der VORWATZEIT. ob es sich um cd´s handelt von deren erlös ein gewisser betrag bestimmten projekten zugeführt wird oder ob es sich um diverse charity veranstaltungen handelt. keine stadt die etwas auf sich hält ohne charity veranstaltung. keine gala ohne prominenz aus sport und politik, kein event ohne stars und sternchen aus film und fernsehen die sich für HIV und an AIDS erkrankte menschen einsetzen. jeder fühlt sich danach besser. diejenigen stars die auf ihre gagen verzichten (bis auf unterkunft und ggf flugkosten – alles andere wäre unangemessen um nicht zu sagen obszön, das forden wie auch das darauf einlassen) und diejenigen die sich die eintrittspreise leisten können. da sich der staat schon lange aus seiner sozialen verantwortung verabschiedet hat (bis auf den neujahrs appell zu “mehr engagement zum ehrenamt liebe büger), sind es gerade diese beträge die dann letzendlich im einzelfall dem einzelnen zugute kommen damit seine lebensqualität nicht völlig den bach runter geht.

am 1. weihnachtstag ist man dann froh das der ganze trubel endlich vorbei ist.  ja, aber was ist mit den übrigen 11 monaten? ich meine das jahr hat 365 tage  . . . . . . ach darüber reden wir dann das nächste jahr. spätestens zum WAT.  bis dahin, mach s gut . . . .

zu dem thema leben mit hiv:

• „Ich war wie die WM“
• „Ich dachte, nicht nur mein Leben sei zerstört, sondern auch das meiner Tochter“
• positiv 2008 – länger leben, aber verarmt?
• Die Deutsche AIDS Stiftung in der Krise
• HIV im Alltag
• Das Trauma AIDS . . .

By Saoirse De Bont

UNV Volunteer in India

The caption in tourism advertising for India reads ‘Incredible India’, and incredible it is! There is an intensity of experience, in both a positive and negative sense, which characterizes life in this country of contrast and diversity. With one sixth of the world’s population, India is the second most populous country in the world. It contains more than 2,000 ethnic groups, 22 official languages (in addition to English), and every major religion is represented.

India is a land of varied landscapes, startling wealth and poverty, and comprises a people who are colourful and welcoming. Simultaneously, it is a country that faces significant development challenges, just three of which are discussed below.

The deserts in India, as the camel safari trade in Jaisalmer certifies, are one of the most popular tourist attractions of the country. However, lack of water and subsequent desertification is one of the most significant challenges facing India today. Inadequate rainfall during monsoons especially in 2009 has had a devastating impact on agricultural productivity, leading to the threat of famine in many areas. India has 16% of the world’s population, yet only 2.4% of its total land area and 4% of its fresh water sources.

Gender inequality remains a serious issue in India. The sex ratio in the last census (2001), which was 933 females for every 1000 males, reveals a preference for male children leading to female infanticide, sex selective abortions and girl child neglect. The adult literacy rate varies between 76% for males and 53% for females. According to the 2005-6 National Family Health Survey, nearly 45% of girls aged 20-24 were married by age 18.

This statistic relates to HIV (my field of work) in that girls who are married at a young age tend to have less knowledge about how to protect themselves from HIV and are less likely to have the ability to negotiate condom use. Moreover, young girls who are not physically mature are biologically more susceptible to the virus if they engage in unprotected sex with an infected partner. A range of socio-economic factors influence child marriage practices in India; poverty and gender norms are two crucial factors.

In 2006, there were more than 7 million children of primary school age not going to school. Children do not attend school because of poverty, gender norms, and lack of access to quality, child-friendly schooling. Improvements have been made in recent years regarding gender parity in education with 47% of those enrolled in primary education being female. However, more remains to be done, particularly in ensuring access to education for marginalised populations.

No piece on India is complete without at least a mention of its food and art forms, both of which are world-renowned. Indian cuisine is characterized by the sophisticated and subtle use of spices, herbs and vegetables using a wide variety of cooking techniques. Each state has traditional foods, with the result that travelling around India is an interesting culinary experience. Similarly, different regions of the country have vastly different dance forms, and the steady stream of festivals and events mean that these are on ready display.

I first visited India in 2005, and I left with the belief that it was one of the most amazing countries I had ever been to. Four years on I have come to understand some of the problems this country faces. Nonetheless, ‘Incredible India’ it remains.

One of the leaders of the nation’s influential Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) tells Newsmax that President Obama is “very dangerous” in his economic policies and his foreign policy is causing “severe damage” to U.S. standing in the world.

He pointed out that Southern Baptist make up a “disproportionate” membership in the Armed Forces and that the SBC strongly opposes any changes to military policies relating to gays in the military. He suggested that changes Obama has stated he will make would undermine military readiness because it could cause many evangelicals serving in the military to leave. SOURCE

Being a veteran I know for sure that I would not have joined the Military and would have got out if military policies as Obama calls for was passed in to law. Ever heard the old saying ” you turn out to be like the people you hang around”? Well this southern boy will not be hanging around gays.

Here I come….

A long day draws to an end – ending with a party to celebrate the beginning of summer. Thanks to Monika & Bernd for a wonderful evening, even the wind and the clouds could not stop us drumming and eating and drinking and chatting a great eve long. It was good to see people again, catch up and simply make new friends. A perfect end of a day which began with meeting somebody who will be ordained to be a deacon in two weeks time. This will be a special occasion for me as it marks an end to a way I had the pleasure to accompany as a spiritual director for some years now. And amazingly, being a spiritual director does not mean a one-way-street; having done this now not only once it was and is always a sharing, which includes the spiritual director. I always learned in advising somebody in a big way myself  – giving is receiving; this is so true as I experienced again and again.

And then the email from Konrad, making me aware of a double negative I used in one sentence of  a one of my blogs and making so my sentence unknowingly to the opposite I really wanted to say. Thanks for that, you creme de la creme volunteer , and for all who will find the sentence with a “don’t” and a “not” in one sentence concerning my view on sexuality: please scrap the first “not” and the sentence is right!  Ach ja, Konrad, we are missing you also… very much so…

And there was another highlight today: I was invited to write about “Aids in Africa” for a publisher’s academic compilation (University of Trier) and today I could file the finished script after receiving confirmation that my writing was appropriate for the intention of the publisher. It feels good to file away what one has accomplished in the knowledge one has done well..

So -  a good day, and a throughout the day working internet connection – what else does one need to go to bed as a happy chappy..:-) Good night

We often forget that HIV/AIDS is not just a growing epidemic on other parts of the globe, but it is also an ever growing crisis that has also been plaguing America since the 1980s.  In 2006 the HIV virus was estimated by the Center for Disease Control to have infected 1.1 million people in the United States with the number of infections growing at a rate of 56,000 more Americans a year.  A recent study, conducted by the World Health Organization, concluded that AIDS is now the leading cause of death and disease for women between the ages of 15 and 44.  International AIDS Charity Avert estimated that there were 2 million children under the age of 15 in the world infected with HIV at the end of 2007. AIDS around the globe, including America, is a growing crisis that we as global citizens need to address.

Washington DC has the highest rate of AIDS of any city in the United States.   It is estimated that one In 33 DC residents is infected with HIV/AIDS giving DC an infection rate of 3%, though he number is believed to be higher.  According to The Washington Post, DC’s infection rate is comparable to San Francisco’s during the height of the AIDS epidemic and has double the infection rate of modern day New York City.  The Center for Disease Control views an infection rate of 1% to be a crisis yet the capital the United States has three times that number.

The nation’s capital is the perfect place to voice our concern and demand an ending to the epidemic, both in DC and abroad. During the start of the Obama administration, many promises regarding AIDS were made. Promises about increased global funding for US Global AIDS programs, access to affordable generic drugs in developing countries, and lifting the federal ban on federal funding of syringe exchange were all broken as none of the promises have materialized.

On December first, World AIDS day, Washington DC will urge the administration to follow through with their promises.  In an effort to inspire the US government to take action against the dire condition of the capital city, and in many places around the globe, DC Fights Back (www.dcfightsback.org), along with other groups including AIDemocracy, will be organizing a march/rally starting in Lafayette Park (the White House) at 12 pm and ending in Freedom Plaza at 2 pm.  The rally hopes to raise awareness of DC’s and the World’s AIDS crisis and inspire policy changes.

Interested in joining the rally? Just show up at the White House at 12pm on December first, OR for more information on joining the AIDemocracy team during the rally, contact priti@aidemocracy.org.  On Facebook? You can RSVP for the rally and learn more about the issues there, visit: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=187734974082&ref=mf.

After walking to my mailbox today, I was slammed with a reason to praise God for something. Yesterday, I returned from a trip to Haiti and the DR, and the faces of poverty were still very fresh on my mind. Back home in Maryland, I opened my mailbox to find an article featuring WILLET in a magazine called, 6:8 Magazine. The article was a summary of our trip to Ethiopia earlier this year, where we were introducing everyone to our goal of seeing an additional 500 children sponsored in 2009. As I skimmed through the article, I was reminded of our sense of urgency that we felt when we returned back from Africa.

Ολίγον τι και ως πολύ μελώ ο τίτλος της εν λόγω καμπάνιας αλλά πάω πάσσο.

Τέτοιες προσπάθειες πρέπει να τυγχάνουν στήριξης και προβολής από όλους. Η μόνη μου ένσταση είναι ότι πλέον πρέπει να ξεπεράσουμε τίτλους και σκέψεις που περιέχουν λεξούλες όπως ελπίδα, όνειρο και λοιπές ευκτικές έννοιες. Είναι πια η στιγμή να αποκτήσουμε μια ισχυρή στάση απέναντι στον HIV και να μιλάμε πια ξεκάθαρα για γνώση, υπευθυνότητα, προφύλαξη.

Με ομπρελίτσες και event δεν γίνονται πολλά καθώς όλα αναλώνονται στην εσωτερική επικαιρότητα και δε διαρκούν πάνω από κανα δυο ημέρες.

Η όλη προσπάθεια ενάντια στη διάδοση του HIV πρεπει να αλλάξει χαρακτήρα, να εντατικοποιηθεί και να υιοθετηθεί επιτέλους δυναμικά και οργανωμένα από το κράτος και την Ε.Ε. Γιατί τόσο πανικός για μια άθλια γρίπη και οχι για τon ΗΙV; Το σεξ δεν είναι πια ταμπού, ή μήπως έτσι νομίζουμε;

No, I didn’t stop blogging. I’ve just been through an exceptionally rough time and when I did get a chance to relax, blogging was fairly low down on my priority list. But now that I’ve reached most of the deadlines that were stretched out before me, I should be able to do a few things that I neglected over the past 6 – 8 weeks, including blogging.
One topic that has been on my mind quite a lot lately, is the influence of prayer on mission. A lot has been written about prayer and I hardly consider myself as an expert on the topic. In fact, I’m usually the first one to admit that I have no idea how prayer works. That’s not the same as to doubt whether prayer works. It’s just that I have no special formula that I can use to guarantee that things will happen in the way we want them to if you keep to certain rules. I do also know the truth of what Søren Kierkegaard once wrote: “A man prayed, and at first he thought that prayer was talking. But he became more and more quiet until in the end he realised that prayer is listening.”
What I do realize, the longer that I’m involved with mission, is the essential role of prayer in this work. Just looking at our own ministry in Swaziland, Shiselweni Reformed Home-Based Care, and the way in which God has provided in our needs after people prayed about something, has made me realize that, statistically, it would be virtually impossible to say that it was purely by chance that things had happened, sometimes within an hour after praying about a matter. It could happen once. It could happen twice. But when you have ten, twenty and more stories to tell of how people prayed about a certain matter and an answer came, then you have to admit that something supernatural is happening.
We have a large number of prayer supporters all over the world. Not nearly enough though! But those who are praying for us, form an essential partnership in our ministry. Some pray daily. Some pray on a specific day in the week for Swaziland. But without prayer support, we, who are working on the inside, know that our attempts to do what we do will never rise above mere humanitarian assistance.
We can do lots of good things for God, but to rise up to a higher level, every mission ministry needs consistent prayer support. Perhaps Acts 1:8 could be our guide for prayer for mission: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the ends of the earth. If every Christian could start praying consistently for four mission ministries – one close by, one a bit further away, one even more further away and one really far away – who knows what we might see happening in the world.

Though female condoms have found no many takers, sex workers call it their diamond armour. They not only use it when their clients refuse to wear a regular condom, but also use it when they have their menses, so that they don’t have to lose out on their earnings during those days.

“Female condom is like mythological character Karna’s diamond armour for us. Before this we were at the mercy of clients, and couldn’t do anything when clients refused to wear condoms,” said Radhika (38), who was a sex worker and is now working as Field Supervisor of Suraksha, a NGO.

Though sex workers insist on condoms, some clients force them to have sex without a condom. It is then that the female condoms come to their rescue. “It is usually goondas and policemen who want to have sex without condoms. They don’t even pay us. There are some clients too who force us to have unsafe sex and pay more. There are some, who tear the tip of the regular condom and come out,” said Geetha (30), General Secreatary, Karnataka Sex Workers Union.

Geetha has herself become a victim of Sexually Transmitted Infections. “Some years ago, I was in desperate need of money, and agreed to have sex without condoms for a higher price. Later I got boils on my private part, and was healed after medication. At that time there were no female condoms too,” she said.

Besides safety, female condoms are also used by sex workers during their menses. “For some of us, periods last for a week and forgoing our earnings for a week every month is a huge loss. So we wear female condoms at that time. It blocks the blood and the clients too don’t come to know that we are wearing a condom or that we are having our periods,” said Radhika.

The other advantage of female condoms is that that the man doesn’t get to know if the woman is wearing it. “It is like a tube and goes inside the vagina, and clients don’t get to know. We either wear it before meeting the client, or go to the toilet and wear it just before the act,” she said.

Radhika says that in Channapatna taluk alone, she distributes over 150 female condoms every month. This is besides the regular male condoms. “Sex workers take three to four female condoms in a week,” she said.

While one female condom costs Rs 70 in the market, the Karnataka Health Promotion Trust distributes it to sex workers for Rs 5 per condom. “I tell them that they spend Rs 5 for flowers which dry away, while this condom can safeguard them,” said Radhika.

“First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—
and there was no one left to speak out for me.”
~Martin Niemöller

When I was a college student, I had the privilege of attending various free events that supported various causes I believed in, many of which did not “involve” me directly as a white, straight, Protestant: LGBT rights awareness, racial harmony, Holocaust remembrances. Each time, I was truly disheartened to notice that I was usually the only person in the room who did not fit into the group being discussed. My disappointment was usually met with confusion by the people being represented; they considered me extremely naive to think a straight person would show up to a LGBT event, or a gentile to Holocaust Remembrance Day, or that a white girl would take a class on Africa.

In the United States, we are constantly hearing the phrase, “take care of our own.” In times of war when civilian casualties are unavoidable, certainly, this is often necessary. However, recent studies have shown us that in general practice, it doesn’t work. Mother Nature–or God, or Allah, or Hashem, or somebody–ensures that it doesn’t work. It isn’t a bleeding heart agenda that compels me to ask people to think about those who are half a world away; it’s not just compassion–it’s common sense. Interdependent race that we are, a species of international dependence and international travel, no force of any kind remains half a world away. HIV/AIDS certainly didn’t, and that’s why Dr. Nathan Wolfe does the work that he does, and that’s why he’s an extraordinary man.

I first heard about Dr. Wolfe as most others did, because of his involvement with CNN’s Planet in Peril 2: Battle Lines, which aired last December. Dr. Wolfe is a virus hunter. He was interviewed in the jungles of Cameroon by CNN reporter Anderson Cooper, where he explained the work he is doing studying zoonotics, or viruses that are transmitted from animals to humans. HIV is a zoonotic, and resulted from starving individuals in Africa–and scientists are almost positive that the transmission occurred in Cameroon–forced into the woods to hunt and kill simians, or “bush meat,” to survive. Eventually it spread globally and created the AIDS pandemic, killing plenty of our own. There are more zoonotic viruses lurking in African primates, and conditions in many parts of Africa have not improved–in Cameroon, many still survive on bush meat. Since it is so often said that if we do not learn from our mistakes, we’re doomed to repeat them, when will the next pandemic occur? Dr. Wolfe has taken it upon himself to head the Global Viral Forecasting Initiative, and attempt to answer that question.

No one can or should deny the impact that HIV/AIDS has had on the West. The intense effect it’s had on the gay community, their national identity and their perceived role in our society is staggering on its own. Of course, that is hardly the extent of it–AIDS can hardly be considered a “gay disease,” as the fastest rising at-risk group for HIV infection is heterosexual women. The crisis continues to rage in the United States despite declining media attention–2009 studies concluded that the percentage of the population of Washington D.C. that are infected with HIV/AIDS rivals that of Uganda. We are not so different, so superior. Clearly, it’s not just a moral compulsion that should make us want to care about what happens to Africa; it’s that if we don’t, it will come back to bite us in full force. That’s the way it should be. If you pay attention, it’s astonishing how often compassion goes hand-in-hand with pragmatism.

One of the most poignant examples for me of how this crisis is as close to home as any other, is the story behind the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the deaths of Elizabeth and Ariel Glaser. In 1981, Elizabeth Glaser–the late wife of actor/director Paul Michael Glaser–contracted HIV from a blood transfusion while giving birth to their daughter, Ariel. By the time she learned of her infection, she had transferred the virus to Ariel through breastfeeding, and had another child, Jake, who contracted the virus in utero, before his birth in 1984. Ariel died in 1988 at the age of seven. In her grief, and in her desperate need to protect her son, Elizabeth founded EGPAF that same year. She revolutionized the public’s perception of pediatric AIDS and HIV/AIDS in general, inspired research and raised funding. Elizabeth Glaser died in 1994. She was 47.

It doesn’t get much more white-bread, apple-pie loving America than the Glaser family. Yet it was a pattern of poverty and disease half a world away that resulted in their deaths.

I’m not blaming the West entirely for Africa’s problems. However, if we adopt the attitude that a failure of such a magnitude is a human failure and not just an African failure, that paradigm shift could change the global patterns of disease, hunger, and prejudice. So many Western lives would be different if people in Cameroon that most in the Western world never consider hadn’t been starving, if they hadn’t been forced to eat bush meat, if that virus hadn’t become what it is. If we can take advantage of this connection and make it more positive, instead of making the same mistake twice, who knows what we can achieve. I think if we really want to make this generation count and make our greatest investment into the future, Africa is really the golden key. It’s such a beautiful, diverse continent that is so bountiful with resources, but there is so much work to be done. I think Westerners really need to take more of an interest in that continent’s potential, because so many people just see it as this big ball of strife that can’t be fixed, but it isn’t true.

We were told to “take care of our own.” It didn’t work. Ariel Glaser died. Elizabeth Glaser died. We need to try a different tactic.

Also, might I suggest that Africa is our own? For me, it’s enough that people die elsewhere. I never bought into the idea that children are worth less because they’re born on a different rock. That said, I understand that it’s difficult for people to wrap their brains around their own struggle, let alone those on another continent that never directly affect them. So I’m not judgmental if it isn’t enough for you that people are suffering in far off lands–I’m here to remind you that Ariel Glaser could have been your kid.

If AIDS didn’t happen to land in your backyard, I’m happy for you. But the next pandemic might. The universe already responded to our callousness with a massive, international crisis that changed us forever–a massive, international hint. Let’s not miss it.

You can follow Dr. Nathan Wolfe on Twitter @virushunter.

For more information on how you can help, here is a list of excellent sources:
Global Viral Forecasting Initiative
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières)
*Condition Critical – run by Doctors without Borders, it is the single best web-based resource I have found for voices from the war in Eastern Congo. In DRC, where rape is a weapon of war, HIV/AIDS takes on a whole new meaning.
AVERT
UNAIDS
Gay Men’s Health Crisis
ONE
amFAR
International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care

If I’ve missed any of your favorites, feel free to put them in the comments.

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Dalam rangka memperingat hari AIDS se-Dunia. Mahasiswa Peduli AIDS  Universitas Kristenj Petra Surabaya akan menyelenggarakan Pekan Peduli AIDS 2009, yang akan diadakan pada 25 Nopember 2009 di Auditoriun Universitas Kristen Petra Surabaya. Pukul 11.00-15.00 WIB.

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