How do you feel about western approaches to HIV/AIDS?
I think I am very ignorant to western approaches to
HIV/AIDS. I have to admit that I feel entirely unqualified to have much of an
opinion on this issue. My lack of knowledge, like so many others, is the result
of the fact that sex education in the United States was and continues to be
abhorrent in most of the country. When I was in high school the sex ed was
based on abstinence-only curriculum, we did not learn about condoms or birth
control. It is entirely my responsibility to inform myself, but I think it is
also important to recognize that our ignorance to preventative approaches
limits the manner in which we seek to find cures.
HIV and AIDS remains taboo and our approaches to the infection and syndrom remain treatment focused. Unfortunately, treatment relies entirely on the
antiretroviral drugs which are patented and ridiculously expensive.
I think that we are overly reliant on the
development of a "cure" for HIV. It seems to take away from a public
heath care approach. I would imagine that if we invested equal resources into
HIV and education we would have far few people infected. Additionally, if
we de stigmatized sex work, drug use and “risky” sexual practices, I bet we would see far
less people contracting HIV.
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