I’m not your usual AIDS activist. First of all, I’m actually a terrible activist who rarely, if ever, takes to the streets. Second, I grew up on the political and religious right. Third, I’m a white heterosexual cisgendered monogamous male, not really in any risk group. So why do I care deeply about HIV? I grew fascinated with the complex science involved during medical school. I loved studying – and often forgetting on tests! –…
First, I want to acknowledge the nobility of this book’s purpose. HIV is a dehumanizing condition that only worsens with stigma. Today, both women and orphans are disproportionately affected, and both groups have traditionally been objects of the church’s compassion. However, such a compassionate orientation hasn’t been the case with HIV; instead, stigma reigns, especially in countries hardest hit by the epidemic. This book represents a direct call for the church to instead reclaim its…
A century ago, people with mental illness was handled through a sanitarium. Since the advent of helpful but imperfect medications in the latter twentieth century, however, many with mental illness now live in the community. As a result, they have to deal with stigma around their illness – both others’ and their own. Siddoway (simply Rachael in the tale) tells a true story of her parents and her family. She shows how hard their lives…