For the last week a lot of articles have been detailing the continued woes of HIV in the deep South. Some writers words were laced with bewilderment, but most were exasperated with the situation. This isn't new.
It isn't even a surprise. The south has had the highest regional transmission & lowest survival rats for HIV in the US for years. The reasons are obvious.
Most of these people were talking about are fringe types & not considered worth the time of the wealthy & political. These people keep voting Republican & keep getting screwed over by it. The poor, gay, ethnic, female, etc... aren't really all that important, are they?
This area is rife with poverty & corrupt politics. Its been that way for as long as there have been states. These politicians won't open the medicaid in their states & have fought Affordable Care at every point. Most of these people have no insurance or real access to healthcare.
Add to that, the ridiculous level of religion in these states & its no wonder things are the way they are. They say it isn't HIV that kills you, but the stigma. Stigma runs rampant down south. A place where just about anything can happen to you for whatever reason, like being gay or +, & no one will do anything about it. Worrying about who knows your status is a real concern. So, a lot of people never get tested.
Poverty, politicians, religion, lack of healthcare, stigma, take your pick. These are why the southern HIV situation is the way it is. These are the reason the South won't be getting better anytime soon.
Cya...
No comments:
Post a Comment