World AIDS Day: Australian media Blackout

[harleymc]

As I did my morning search of news sites on December 1 it was apparent that there was a media black out from Australian national media sites about World AIDS day and the impact of HIV in Australia.

Neither the Fairfax Press nor the Murdoch press had anything on their web sites. The ABC had a fairly well buried reprt about a speech that Aung San Suu Kyi gave about HIV in Myanmar and there had been an article about stigma within the gay community published several days earlier.

The gay community press carried the load for the entire HIV coverage about Australia. 

Was coverage better wher you live?

[Pricho01]

Yup harleymc I agree, there is this enormous silence around HIV which I find really disappointing.... there was the "scare" campaign back in the day, now very little....

[mitch777]

Yes, we are becoming the forgotten people. Well, maybe not forgotten but it's a "manageable disease" don't you know? (sarcasm intended)

ps- Dealing with healthcare providers over the years doesn't seem to matter to many when I tell them how long I've been living with hiv. Even they have no clue.

[tednlou2]

I see all the coverage in the news about breast cancer, companies putting the pink ribbons on their products, and various shows like Ellen talking about breast cancer.  I often wonder why HIV doesn't get that kind of attention.  I think breast cancer affects twice as many as HIV per year, but you would think there would be some balance.  Don't get me wrong; I'm glad breast cancer gets so much attention.

Of course, many will say HIV/AIDS gets so much federal funding-- far more than breast cancer.  I'm not sure how the money breaks down, but I don't think there is an ADAP/Ryan White-like program for breast cancer.  Bill Clinton and Bill Gates aren't talking about breast cancer, like they do HIV.  President Bush did not appropriate billions for breast cancer.  I also get most know someone with or who has had breast cancer, while that can't be said for HIV.  Well, at least not as many friends and family touched by HIV as cancer.  So, while HIV doesn't get nearly the media and commercial attention as breast cancer, I guess more funding goes to HIV.  Right?  Or wrong? 

[mecch]

I think that is a tangential issue - which gets more funding.... 

The major French newspaper here in Switzerland has at least 4 articles a month with HIV/AIDS topics.  The one yesterday
http://www.letemps.ch/Page/Uuid/663236a2-5932-11e3-9789-6ad49fff2c4d#.Ups0H5Hth4M

About women in Burkina Faso fighting against silence, taboo and stigma of HIV, and for straightforward testing and treatment.

[Miss Philicia]

A google-news search shows thousands of AIDS-related articles in the past 24 hours.

[britchick]

MSN had pictures online re World Aids day.....1 picture showing the Apple store in London, lit up in red.The other pictures show lots of young kids with banners and marches in India supporting today.

britchickx

[buginme2]

 There was a cute little flash mob today from a group promoting hiv awareness,  it was reported in the local media.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Westlake-flash-mob-promotes-HIV-AIDS-awareness-233952671.html

[Miss Philicia]

Good article

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/29/opinion/opinion-watney-aids/index.html

[mecch]

Its interesting that he investigates and explains the lack of knowledge and awareness, and the resulting behaviour and beliefs, among the young. A lot of people just get angry at or belittle this generation for their ignorance and recklessness.   

(One small quibble:  Nothing prepares you for the sensation that is very like extreme jet-lag which sets in within an hour or so of taking standard daily anti-HIV medication. -- lots of combos don't produce this, these days... Guess it all depends..)

[buginme2]

Good article

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/29/opinion/opinion-watney-aids/index.html

Yes.   This would be a great article to debate. 

Its interesting that he investigates and explains the lack of knowledge and awareness, and the resulting behaviour and beliefs, among the young. A lot of people just get angry at or belittle this generation for their ignorance and recklessness.   

(One small quibble:  Nothing prepares you for the sensation that is very like extreme jet-lag which sets in within an hour or so of taking standard daily anti-HIV medication. -- lots of combos don't produce this, these days... Guess it all depends..)

I thought he came down a bit too hard on the millennials and his over exaggeration of current drug treatments felt like an untrue scare tactic. 

[mecch]

Just by chance, on World AIDS Day,  I caught this documentary about Arthur Russell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uziDEMpJmAo

The strange and wonderful Arthur Russell:  maybe some of a certain age remember him?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Vr2RRcsWo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y24yZ2QUBfk

[J.R.E.]

Locally in our area, on this World Aids Day...


http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2013/12/1/on_world_aids_day_mi.html


ST. PETERSBURG --

Anjela Cavalier takes the same pill every day. It promises her a normal, healthy life.

Cavalier was diagnosed with HIV in 2001. She is among merely 34 million people around the world with the virus.

On Sunday, millions of people showed their support around the globe in honor of World AIDS Day. Thanks to the awareness the day brings, more and more people are living normal and healthy lives, just like Cavalier.

"It’s changed my life, because a person like me, I have never been in the hospital," said Cavalier. "Never had a broken bone, never spent the day in the hospital other then to visit people."

Cavailer said because she decided to get tested and the doctors caught the disease early, she has been able to live a healthy and normal life.

"When I was diagnosed...it didn’t deter me as this is the end,” said Cavalier.

She has even become a strong voice for people with HIV and AIDS, and was crowned Miss Aids Service Association of Pinellas County (ASAP).

"What a lot of people don’t know is that, people who contract HIV kind of look at it like a death sentence and it's not," said Cavalier. "If you take care of yourself and you get checked regularly, you live with it just like every disease.”

Part of the reason people with HIV can go on to living relatively normal lives is due to research, modern medicine and people coming together to raise money and attention to the cause.

The fourth annual Santa Speedo Run took place on Sunday in Ybor City. Runners were barely clothed, but they carried a heavy message: wearing so little means so much.

Even with modern medicine, HIV and AIDS is a killer around the would. Getting tested is the best way to know your options.

[J.R.E.]

Oh Yes, !  then there was the Santa speedo run in Ybor city today:

http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/events/bad-santa-santa-speedo-run/2154588


Ray

[klassykitty]

I am so moving to Ybor 

My doctor does a write up in the "people write in and comment" section for World AIDS Day that's usually all that I see. 

I think Lancaster still thinks sweep it under the rug and it doesn't exist.

Michelle

 

[Miss Philicia]

Obama reveals $100 million HIV research initiative

I forget, is December still "I-Hate-Obama" month or has that ended?

ps: a drone just saw me masturbate

[tednlou2]

I caught the very end of his speech.  Andrea Mitchell was saying how he didn't go nearly as far on funding, as was hoped.  I will have to read news reports on what she was talking about. 

Everyone is saying today is World AIDS Day.  Is it observed today, due to it falling on Sunday? 

[loscang]

Judging by my cold response by the DIAC on an immigration visa to Australia due to my HIV I am not surprised by that...

Australian government has a very cold stance on people with HIV and even if those people are  highly skilled professionals!

Guess that I have to ply my skills elsewhere in the world... perks of the modern economy!