GHT Homepage Insight Attitude Matters

Attitude Matters
5th Aug 2008

How we think affects what we say and do - so standing up for better attitudes towards people living with HIV is at the heart of George House Trust’s message for Manchester Pride

Launching this year’s Pride campaign, we are left wondering why we still need to run
campaigns challenging attitudes towards people living with HIV. How can this be, in the year 2008? How can this be, when there is such extensive information now available about HIV, how it is transmitted, and what the risks are?
How can this be, when over 33 million people across the world are HIV positive?

Stigma and discrimination are still very real experiences for many HIV positive people. Every day we support people who have faced discrimination or negative attitudes as a result of HIV.

The discrimination, blaming, shaming and shunning of people as a result of stigma may
follow disclosure of HIV status to a friend or partner, or to an employer. It may be the dentist who turns down a patient, or it may be a school teacher threatening the confidentiality of a child.

From rescuing to nurturing
Our goal is that attitudes to HIV will change a great deal and in future we won’t need to
campaign so much about this. We want to switch from fire-fighting against bad attitudes, to nurturing people in far more positive ways. We want instead to support people in having really fulfilling lives, more satisfaction from healthy sexual relationships, and job satisfaction with an understanding employer, for example.

Our “What’s your attitude” campaign challenges everybody to think about attitudes to people living with HIV, and test whether your attitude is a positive, negative, or “untested” response. We want the campaign to make you think and talk about HIV
attitudes among friends, colleagues, bystanders on the parade.

What’s the story behind the negative attitudes? Would we feel different if our best friend
or close relative told us they have HIV? Are people wary of confiding in me because of my attitudes? How can I get my own worries answered?

Knowing someone and talking
One of the best ways of changing people’s attitudes is through simple social contact – talking and arguing about our ideas and attitudes. It would not take much to change the climate about HIV if everyone just did a little. If everyone reading this was prepared to speak out, if necessary to challenge what people say, what your friends and family may
let slip, or an employer’s policies. You definitely don’t have to have all the facts or a smart response. It can be very powerful just to say firmly “I don’t agree” or “That’s just wrong.”

Throw out questions, provoke debates, conversations, and share your knowledge. We encourage everyone to talk to our staff and volunteers over the Pride weekend to help
explore attitudes and to learn more about people living with HIV. Our Positive Speakers Programme will take out our message and challenge attitudes of various community groups and organisations across the North West.

HIV - no longer apart, secret and silent
With HIV we’re between a rock and a hard place. People fear being open about HIV status because of the risk of stigma and discrimination, but while we keep HIV apart, secret and silent, people will continue to feel badly about HIV because of ignorance and fear. The responsibility for challenging stigma and discrimination begins and
ends with all of us.
attitude matters - make yours positive

The full web edition of Insight 45 is attached to download

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Insight 45 full issue for web