Does stigma cause AIDS?
11-8-2006 Just as for years gay leaders have proclaimed that homophobia leads to HIV infection, so have they claimed that the stigma of being gay causes men to acquire HIV. And they’ve claimed that the stigma attached to HIV infection can also lead to MORE HIV infection. But in a new study, published on the Plos Medicine website, researchers point out that the “actual evidence base” to prove a direct link between HIV-related stigma and the pandemic “is almost nonexistent.” “In spite of this lack of evidence, the idea is repeated like a shibboleth,” say the authors. “With each repetition, its veracity appears to increase.” Sound familiar? Homophobia causes AIDS. Meth causes AIDS. Depression causes AIDS. Gender inequality, discrimination, poverty, what have you — they’re all claimed to cause AIDS. In reality, there are very specific risk behaviors which lead to HIV infection. And in the case of men who have sex with men, there’s one risk behavior — anal penetration. Here’s more from th
