Has HIV/AIDS, Further Stigmatized Gays?

In your opinion has HIV/AIDS, further stigmatized gays, or have we as a society, gotten past the perception that it is a gay decease? Please, be honest, with your answers.

HIV/AIDS has no boundaries. I work for the AIDS Coalition of Coastal Texas,Inc. less than half of my clients are gay,and I currently have quit a few grandmothers on my case load.Black ,white, yellow ,purple or blue AIDS does not care who it infects.Society has not made a huge change in their opions, but we are slowly getting there. I have many churches and civic organizations that volunteer to help us , that is major progress.More and more Americans are now able to say that they personally know someone who has HIV. It touches all of our lives.

there are places in the world that still think aids is for gays and some that dont. the majority that do think it is are middle east and some in the west, america has one of the most conflicted population on this subject as most countries unanomosly agree with one idea, in africa altho numourous contries ban being gay, they dont see aids as a gay desease because so many people there are suffering from it who are not gay

I totally believed it has stigmatized gays.

The first thing people think about it when AIDS is spoken is 'gay male anal sex.' Don't deny that you know it's true. So then people think gay sex = disease = unnatural = "It's Wrong" (tm.)

I'm an AIDS dissidents btw. I think there's a lot we don't know. I think that it is ANOYMOUS gay sex by living a double life and not coming out of the closet that is the issue, as well as all the drugs and alcohol mixed... not from the sole act of bareback gay sex. There's nothing wrong or unnatural or inherently sick about sticking another man's dick up one's butt. It's only natural.

OneWingedAngel: As they used to say in bars (str8 ones, at least), "You can't fly on one wing." (That was the excuse before they ordered a second drink.) And I think you're flying in circles here. Even given that anal gay sex is natural--God *did* put the prostate right at the top of the chute and make getting poked there feel realllly good--what's natural is not necessarily safe.

WhatNext: Yes, the perception is that it's a gay decease--meaning death. The perception is also that it's a gay disease. This is partly because gay guys, mostly not having kids or spouses to care for, were and are the biggest agitators about treatment.

I think so. There are still many uneducated people out there who think HIV/AIDS is a gay disease. You'd be surprised. There's a lot of scary things going on in this country.

it is not hiv/aids that continues to stimatize gays, but instead it is the significantly higher percentage of gays that participate in risky lifestyles compared with the general population ( this doesn't say that there aren't too many heterosexuals partaking in risky behavior also)

furthermore, a lot of people do not approve of the exaggerated flamboyant behavior many gay men portray, especially in hollywood. (the birdcage, jack from will and grace, queer eye, etc). i have gay friends and family, and not a single one of them acts this way. it is not natural, it is an act and is degradding toward other gays.

this is not a biggoted answer, just an honest one.

Unfortunately I believe that stigma still exists. It is getting better more people are realizing that they know someone who has aids and that person is not gay. But there will always be ignorance in this world so i do not look for quick progress.

Foremostly, I'd like to correct you! HIV/AIDS is not a gay disease! It could affect both gay and straights. As a matter of fact it affects mostly straight men. And I don't think it's a stigma to the gay population as long as you are aware and educated about it.

Of course.

Considering it was first called GRID (Gay Related Immunodeficiency Disease). That stigma has followed the gay community especially in first world nations.

Pity is now, most people who are dying of AIDS are African and straight. To use an example, Botswanas life expectancy has dropped 25 years in the last 5 years.

Unfortunately, doesn't look like things will change much until first world oldies start dying themselves.

IT is my oppinion that society is on the tail end of stigmatizing us to this disease,however we have a long way to go b4 its stopped.

I DONT THINK IT MATTERS WHO U R, AIDS OR HIV IS EVERYWHERE, june 25th lifetime movie is on called girl positive!!!!!

HIV/AIDS has no boundaries.