AIDS and Stigma

Stigma prejudice stereotyping and discrimination have been present in human history for centuries and continue to serve as the basis for social attitudes or omissions to this day whether individually or collectively as they touch on topics considered taboo or that many are unable to deal with or talk about such as homosexuality prostitution successive monogamy and because they do not face this difficulty of dialogue (prejudice) and end up using their assumptions as a basis for judging others. The emergence of HIV/AIDS in the United States initially affecting people considered to be on the margins of society such as male homosexuals Haitians heroin addicts hemophiliacs and sex workers further reinforced the prejudice surrounding the disease which ultimately led to discrimination against the victims of this new disease. This attitude was reinforced by the media when reporting and exposing those affected by the new syndrome which continues to have consequences to this day.