To date, blacks in America continue to suffer disproportionately in proportion from HIV infections. HIV has always preyed most on those marginalized from society, and American blacks are included in that recipe. Although many associate HIV as a gay man’s disease, black women have come to suffer more in recent years. How are we to know and understand these stories? Dan Royles shares it through seven distinct angles.
The perspectives include that of black sexuality in Philadelphia, the black identity and multiculturalism, black gay men, the Nation of Islam’s proposed (but ultimately failed) AIDS cure, the black church, the link between activism in Philadelphia and globalized HIV treatment, and black women’s intersectionality. Because the stories are so varied, rich, and profound, each will resonate with a reader to a degree in their own way. For me, the story of the Balm in Gilead ministry in the black church was the most interesting, followed by a proposed, but ultimately failed AIDS cure from the Nation of Islam.
Because of the complexity in social and scientific issues, I love studying about HIV/AIDS. I’ve known that black communities have been affected by HIV more historically and today, but this book has nurtured that knowledge into a deeper appreciation of the experience. As a white man, I appreciate the complexities involved in this community’s struggles with a horrific disease.
The quick answer for this book’s audience includes those interested in HIV or those interested in the black identity. More broadly, though, those who, like me, like learning about marginalized communities and difficult challenges will also appreciate this book. Studying complex social phenomena, even when we don’t understand everything, will only make dealing with simple cases much easier. This book offers a breadth that will challenge almost every reader and deserves consideration from any reader seeking to broaden themselves.
To Make the Wounded Whole: The African American Struggle Against HIV/AIDS
By Dan Royles
Copyright (c) 2020
The University of North Carolina Press
ISBN13 9781469661339
Page Count: 319
Genre: HIV/AIDS
www.amazon.com