Essay --

Chris Nguyen Xxxxxx Xxxxxx 27 December 2013 Socialization and Stigmatization of HIV/ AIDS in Developing and Developed Societies: A Comparative Survey of Selected Recent Literature Introduction In the last thirty years the social perception of HIV/ AIDS has changed dramatically in the public conscious. The disease itself has shifted from being a baffling virus in the 1960s and 1970s, to the offensively termed â€Å"Gay-related immune deficiency† or GRID, to finally being termed the Human Immune-deficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the 1980s. Despite scientific advances in modern medicine, the perception of the illness is still highly sexualized and carries a deeply negative stigma, especially in economically developing societies. In this paper I will analyze a selection of current literature to gain understanding of how HIV/ AIDS first came into existence and how it was initially perceived in the public conscious. From this same pool of recent literature I will examine sub-Saharan African societies, specifically cases in Tanzania and South Africa, as well as the socio-politic al context surrounding HIV/ AIDS governance in present-day China. In contrast, I will also draw from an article that discusses stigma experienced by HIV-positive women living in Canada- a developed society. Despite the reams of scientific literature on the subject, public consciousness about living with HIV/ AIDS and preventing its transmission in developing and developed societies remains low. Cultural and Socio-political Perceptions of HIV Infection Modern perceptions of HIV and AIDS are driven by archaic and outdated social stigma that has existed since the discovery ... ...gical sense. Obviously people observe different cultures and norms across all of the world’s societies. In order to address a common problem across uncommon environments, problem-solvers must seek-out culturally appropriate means and methods for confronting any given issue. HIV and AIDS- related stigma is a problem that has plagued social society since the discovery of the illness. Even the most developed societies like Canada are not immune to prejudice and bias. As such, much responsibility falls upon educated people to share the importance of sexual and reproductive health with those who may not have access to the same level of quality education. While history has already written bias and stigma into the lives of those who have lived and continue to live with HIV or AIDS, the phenomenon of bias can be understood. And with understanding comes the hope for change.