HIV & Violence...

I've posted a lot about marginalization & higher risks of contracting HIV.  There's little more disenfranchising than being an abused women in a society that cares little for anyone not fortunate enough to be born male.  I've read numerous articles over the years about how women in places we deem lesser are constantly targeted by violent men, often their husbands.    They are beaten, abused & raped.  They have no control or autonomy.  These savages wage physical & emotional war on these women & then to add insult to injury they infect them with a myriad of diseases, including HIV.

You might think I'm talking about Africa, India or even some Southeast Asian country.   Technically, I was reacting to an article about Africa where over a 1,000 women are infected daily with HIV.  But, it's anywhere women are treated as lesser.  It's anywhere violence against women occurs without serious penalty.  It's everywhere these brutal men are allowed to continue breathing after their 1st act of aggression. Because, hey, it was a only a woman, not even a woman, just a girl.

The only way this will ever stop in these places is simple, scarily so.  The only way to stop the nightmare these women endure is to end the lives of those who would bring harm to them & theirs.   Is that awful to say?  Maybe, but ti's true.

Cya...

HIV & Criteria...

This isn't new, it isn't even ground breaking, but it's still amazing.  This report from the CDC gives a startling graphic of various populations & their likelihood of becoming HIV + over their lifetime.   

• MSM are the most apt to get HIV
• Heterosexual women are the least likely
• Black men are the most likely
• White women are the least likely
• Hispanics are in the middle to high end of these numbers

It also broke it down by state.  The southern states are more apt to contract HIV than the north central states.   Currently the national average risk of person contracting HIV in their lifetime is 1 in 99 or a little over a 1% chance.  Unless, you happen to be a Black male, then the chance goes up to 5%.  If your Black male having MSM, then you're chances set at 50%.  Yes, that's right a 1 - 2 chance of becoming +.  While the White male MSM sets at 1 in 11 or a little over 9%.

I've talked about this before, the dangers of being marginalized or on the fringe in regards to HIV or similar issues.   This isn't news, but to see it in a graphic is still eye opening.  Maybe this will get some people to pay attention.

Cya...

Still Spreading...

Throughout the news online for the past few days, there's been discussion of how Ohio may soon be hit by a wave of HIV infections.   Like its neighbor, Indiana, Ohio has been the victim of the economic downturn.   It has been hit hard financially.  When this happens the emotional, social, psychological & spiritual soon begin to suffer as well.  As these wounds compound, people look for solace.

Too often people find comfort in drugs; pain killers, oxy, meth & heroin.  This has already left Ohio with a high number of Hepatitis C cases.  It's likely other communicable diseases such as HIV are soon to follow.

The scary thing, this pattern is almost identical to what happened in Indiana.  Almost every state in the Great Lake region is in a similar situation & could easily go down the same path.  The old industry states have fallen & may never recover.  Look at the Detroit area.    Too much of the US is looking worse off than those countries we title "third world."

These people have been cast aside by the industries they made great.  They aren't falling through the craps, they're being shoved down the drain. They've experienced a rapid shift into the marginal world of being  part of  the fringe population of society.   It's not a pretty place & it's not safe.

Cya...

Standard Deviations...

I'm a trained Sociologist.  I usually don't go there, but I will now.  A core component of any research science graduate program involves methods, theory &  the dreaded statistics.    These are the tools to do your research.  You'll take a theoretical approach via a research methodology & often use statistics to decipher your data.

This is when you get to things like bell curves.  Similar to that thing you hoped someone didn't set high on your school tests.  Then maybe the teacher might grade on a curve because no got over a certain point.   

If a bell curve is placed on a standard 100 point test, then the center of the curve would be between 50 & 51.  The 1st standard deviation of a normal distribution should account for about 65% of all the points or ranges from mid teens to mid 80's.  The 2nd deviation should include everything from  the next +/- 13% or so or from mid single digits to the mid 90's.  The 3rd deviation should include everything but the lowest & highest points.  Each deviation after that would have even smaller populations.

Why did I just give you crash course on bell curves?   Because this is why conservatives are screaming.  Gays in the USA who just got the national right to marry removed 1 level of standard deviation from themselves & moved closer towards the center of things.  They moved toward the masses.  Like or not, they became more normalized.  I've always been the type to tell you to let your freak flag fly high.   Well, these people's flags just went down a couple of notches, getting closer to everyone else's.

Still don't get it?  OK.  There's a South Park  episode where Cartman is teasing Kenny for being the poorest kid in school.   Eventually Kenny is removed from the school for a while & Cartman revels in it.  At least until he realizes he is now the poorest kid in school.  

If more people become accepted then eventually, we'll have to look for others to discriminate against.  Its all very stars on thars.   What if we really accept the poor, the gay, the downtrodden, the ethnic;  then who will we target?  The ideologues, the religious, the conservatives, etc...  Every step these groups take towards being normal, threatens the conservative's ideology & power.  

With Gays being more accepted, white populations shrinking & less people being religious, there is a very real threat to the conservatives & their fairy tales.   It won't happen soon.  But we're closer than ever to ridding the power positions of this world of people like this.  So, yes, the Supreme Court decision to allow Gay marriage poses a serious risk to their power base.  Goodie.

Cya...

Not Exactly...

I can't not talk about how the US Supreme Court just sided with Gay marriage.  This prevents state from banning these marriages.  It won't solve all the issues Gays face, but its a definite step in the right direction.  Hopefully, this will lead to the removal of laws allowing people to be fired just because they're gay.

This might not have anything directly to do with HIV, but it is related.   This decision removes another point of deviation from the Gay population.  This takes them 1 step close to the center & away from the fringes.  It adds to their societal legitimacy & lessens their marginality.

Maybe this will lead to a better sense of self & belonging for this generation.  Its possible, their risk behavior levels could lower due to this recognition.   I know SCOTUS decided this, but the fight isn't over with yet.  I'm sure the conservative are howling & foaming at the mouth.

Cya...

Conversations Stopped...

I've talked a lot about being a person on the fringes, being marginalized for whatever reason.   Whether it's being gay, ethnic, female, trans, + or whatever, there's always some way in which the deck is stacked against you.    This hetero-normative world prefers things in their little pigeon holes & has White males at the top of the pyramid.   

It sucks & a lot of people get discriminated daily just on the basis of not being white, hetero male in this society.   Its a serious issue & should be talked about.  It should be addressed.   

But, we have to deal with the fact no amount of litigation or civil law is going to intrinsically change how people respond to us.   It isn't illegal for a racist person to be racist.  As long as he doesn't actively discriminate against you in some legally protected way, he's within his rights.  Not saying he's not an ass, but he's not breaking any laws.

Some of us in these fringe communities have gotten too sensitive to these others.   Some of us have fought so hard for so long, we just see everything as a slight.  Some want the fight just for the drama. 

Take the gay cake fiascoes that keep getting talked about in the news.  OK, I'm gay & if someone refused to handle my business I'd move on to the next baker.  No way, I'd try to force someone to handle my cake, they'd probably spit in it.  

I'd never go to that bakery again. I'd write every bad review I could.  But, I wouldn't take them to court,  If I was a baker, there'd be plenty of things I wouldn't want to put on my cakes.  I'd avoid politics, religion & racial things.  I wouldn't want to produce a hateful cake.  That'd be my bakery & my name.

Again, I am gay & if someone doesn't want to deal with me, it doesn't make it a gay issue.  They could just have a problem with me personally.  They may be in a bad place themselves.  Even if it was because I'm gay, so what?  Trying to force thing would most likely only worsen the issue.  

We, the marginalized, can become so jaded we're locked & loaded, ready for a fight.  We can see slights where there were no meant.  We can choose worthless battles over meaningful wars.   We need to choose our fights & hold back on cries of indignation until we're sure of the situation.  If not people will think we're just milking the issue.  Is that all we're doing?  Maybe some of us, just like the attention.

Cya...

Oh Really...

I found an article today that discussed variables making young gay & bi males more prone to contract HIV.  I'm not bothering with a link, not because the info isn't valuable, but because it's been stated a lot already.  This was another "Duh!" moment. 

They found young males 13 - 24 had a higher prevalence of being HIV + if:

• They lived in a lower income area
• They were Black or Hispanic
• They had lesser economic or education opportunities
• There was a high level HIV in the area
• There was a high  presence of drug use in the area

Like I said, "Duh!"  These are factors marginalizing them from the rest of society.  I've blogged a lot about marginalization & stigma.  Everyone of those factors is a strike against these people.  

This information is important, but why present it as new?  Its far from it.   This isn't limited to HIV.  Its part of every aspect of life for people living on the fringe.  It irks me someone spent $ to study this. 

Cya...

Mental State...

I'm not going to point to any specific article today.  There's been a recent influx of reports regarding the mental health of gay men & their likelihood of contracting HIV.  These  mental health issues ranged from depression to addiction.  There is agreement in these articles these conditions increase the likelihood of a gay man becoming +.  I just 1 thing to say to that...

DUH!

Of course these things contribute to becoming +.   I would be surprised if the same didn't hold out for every sampling population, not just gay men.   Mental illness is just another factor affecting decision making ability.  It also further isolates us, therefore marginalizes the person suffering from the condition. 

I've talked repeatedly about how marginalizing & isolating a person put them at risk for HIV & just about every other bad thing out there.  Whether its being clinically depressed, schizophrenic, or  an addict, it all impairs your reasoning & contributes to risky behavior taking.  

There's nothing new being said here.  If this is news to these researchers, then we've got serious problems.  It is almost certainly not only applicable to the gay community either.  Anything that marginalizes a person puts them at risk for a host of issues & 1 of those is  HIV.

No news here.

Cya...

Further Marginalized...

I've talked about how marginalization affects health before.   The point is the further a person is from the mainstream culture the more apt they are to be marginalized, isolated & suffer the consequences of the situation.   With HIV, it's how far you are from being a straight, white male, who's usually Christian.  With every step you take away from that "norm", you become more & more at risk for dangerous behavior, unsafe sex, lesser education, lesser opportunities.  Basically your chances for anything good or beneficial go down & the chances of bad things or detrimental events goes up.

I, like every person no longer in their 20's, has complained about having less in common with other people today.  Everyday I hear about people I grew up watching on TV or listening to on the radio have died.  There are very few of the places I went as a kid still standing as they were.  Skating rinks  & drive-in theaters are all but a memory in most places.  The grand movie halls are gone, replaced by cheap multiplexes, that charge a day's earnings to see a movie.  The diners & dives have been replaced by chain restaurant crap factories.   All the cars look like boxes & the music is made on & sometimes by a computer.  I could go on.

I've tried to make peace with most of this.  Even though each 1 of them made me feel like I'd lost part of myself.  Each time I felt a little less present.  But this week something happened that just absolutely sucks.  CW ran the last ever Saturday morning cartoons.  This article & many like on the web say what I mean.  Cartoon Network is an abject failure.  There will be no more kids up before dawn, anxiously awaiting the new cartoon lineup.  Instead they will find, pseudo-news, sports crap, edutainment hell & useless animal shows.  All of which can be found on dozens of other channels any other time of any other day.  

Another bit of my childhood is gone.   Like cruising down the drag or being a mallrat.  Bit by bit, they're destroying the childhood landscape of Boomers & Gen X'ers.  My cable company recently killed off Viacom channels, so most the local kids only have Cartoon Network's crapola.  If they don't have cable, they don't have anything.

Thank you so damned much American corporate TV asshats.  Kill another piece of my life.   Make me feel even less involved with everything than I already did.   1 day, you'll find yourselves in this boat as well.  When it happens, I hope people remind you of what you did before.  

Goodbye Saturday Morning Cartoons, you will be missed & remembered.

Cya...

Social Nasties...

This article talks about how poverty & marginalization are fueling the HIV epidemic in Europe. The study covers things I've discussed before like being on the fringe.  The primary drive for the epidemic was considered to be social exclusion.  The more a person was removed from the social core, the more apt they were to have HIV & to infect others.

I've covered this before, a few times.  To me, it's a no-brainer,  but apparently some people are taking longer to get the message.  The farther removed an individual is from the group, the less apt they are to conform to it's norms.  People on the fringes are often subjected to things the mainstream never face; more discrimination, higher crime rates, higher rates of disease, less security, etc...

I've said it before, if HIV treatment isn't brought to everyone, then no one will ever be free of it. 

Cya...

Another Numbers Fest...

According the AIDS Gov Blog 1 in 4 new HIV infections is among people between the ages of 13 - 24.   I'm  not surprised.    It makes statements about how over 1,000 youth per month are diagnosed + with a prevalence of ethnics, gays & bi's in the numbers infected.

Again we're talking about marginalized people.  People often so disenfranchised with the status quo they often slip through the cracks of society.   The article goes on to say that 60% of  + young people have no idea that they're infected.  Therefore, they don't seek medical treatment & continue to spread the virus to others.

There isn't a lot new in this article, but it's serious enough to be worth repeating.  Other researchers have made these statements before, but now the CDC & other federal agencies are other supporting these claims.

It's easy, the more marginalized a person is or feels, the more apt they are to take part, willingly or not, in risky behavior.  This behavior model isn't being modified by anyone, so it's most likely going to continue.   This risky behavior leads to denial or dismissal about the possibilities of their actions.  So, the wheel keeps turning & the same-old, same old, just moves right along.

HIV will only be overcome via education, testing, treatment & inclusion of everyone.  It's really that simple.

Cya...

Good Article...

This article is a good read.  There isn't really anything I can add to it that I haven't already said before in this blog.  The article is about young people in the USA & why they aren't getting tested for HIV.   

It talks about marginalized people, but also of those ignorant of the reality of HIV.  Love, sex, & stigma was a short phrase in the article referring to young people trying express themselves via sex & fearing the stigma of HIV too much to talk about it or protect themselves form it.

It's a good read, hope you look at it.

Cya...

Baton Rogue...

According to this article, Baton Rogue had the HIV highest transmission rates, not the most cases, but still.   New Orleans placed at 5th in the nation.  Not something you want your city or state known for.  

I can't say that I'm shocked.  These areas have been economically hard hit since Hurricane Katrina.  They have a large minority population & a known issue with every factor that contributes to HIV transmission; lack of HIV education/prevention, high incidence of drug use & a high rate of poverty.  

I've listed these fringe factors before.  Louisiana has a huge number of marginalized people.  Case after case has shown these people to be more prone to being in situations that lead to HIV.   This isn't just about people living in the southern USA.  It's about people living in isolation, being marginalized & disenfranchised.  

Until we get everyone involved with the fight against HIV, this virus isn't going anywhere.  We can't be satisfied that the mainstream, white, middle class, straight person got the info.  Everyone must be included & involved.  I see an article like this at least a couple of times a month.  People almost always react like it's something new.  It's not.  How much longer before we realize this disease doesn't care who it infects, so we can't care who we treat.  Everyone must be educated, tested & if need be treated.

Cya....

Living On The Fringe...

This article that came out today goes over something I've covered before in this blog.   This piece talks about  how people who are farther removed from society are more negatively impacted by HIV than others.  Ethnicity, education, gender & income all have a huge impact on how likely your are to die from HIV.  The more marginalized a person is, the less likely they are to survive the virus.

Like it or not, we are not an integrated society.  Some groups are pushed to the edges & others choose to self-segregate.   Regardless of how they got there, many people live on the very cusp of society.  These people are the most at risk of dying from HIV &  likely, the most apt to spread the illness,  

When they say all men are created equal, what they really mean is, everyone is equal as long as they're:

• Male
• White
• Of a mainstream religion
• Reasonably educated
• Reasonably affluent
• Straight

The further a person is removed from those traits, the less "equal" they are.  I get it, resources are limited & you want them for you & yours, classic conflict theory.  Just do us the favor of not acting like we're all equal.  I'm sure I received better care than some lesser educated, person of color.  However, I'm also certain that  I received inferior care compared to some affluent, straight, white man.  Medicine should not be a place of inequality, but it is.

Cya...

Margins...

I'm not leading with an article today.  If you want some, Google HIV & marginalized people, low income people, people of color, gay, drug users, etc...  Repeatedly, I read articles detailing the horrors of being HIV & being one or more these categories.  Wow!  That's totally not a shocker.  These people already face struggles & issues on a daily basis that mainstream people don't even register.  When you add HIV to the mix, it just adds 1 more straw on a camel whose back is already broken.

A lot of society acts as if it doesn't matter if those kinds of people catch a communicable disease.  They probably got it for doing something they shouldn't have been doing in the first place.   It's easy to judge people.  Just remember, leaving these illnesses untreated doesn't just mean marginalized people die.  It also means the diseases get to spread further & possibly mutate.  Like it or not, everyone will have contact with these "marginalized" people.  Unlike HIV, many of these illnesses spread fairly easily. 

I want to leave you with a thought.  Remember the text books you had in school.  Remember how nice it was to get one that had been some smart kid's the year before.  If you were lucky the teacher hadn't erased all that kid's notes & you had some pointers.  Guess where those little tidbits were?  In the margins.  Just because, the margins aren't used the same way as the main bulk of the matter, doesn't mean important things can't come out of them.

Cya...