HIV is a serious matter. But interestingly, I stumbled onto an online game involving HIV... Found on http://www.posornot.com/, Pos or Not is a game where pictures and short profiles of people living with HIV have been thrown into a mix with those of people who are HIV negative, and you're tasked to guess whether that person is HIV positive or not.
Simple enough? You'd think so. It's really a simple way of teaching people that you can't tell who has HIV and who does not just by looking at them. Hopefully, this will help people like me living with HIV realize that there's nothing to be ashamed of, as we are not much different from everyone else. At the same time it should help others understand that there is no reason to discriminate against those living with HIV.
Personally, the stigma that surrounds HIV seems to be a huge battle for those of us who live with it. Stigma becomes a barrier to so many things, such as being comfortable in your own skin, getting tested in the first place, disclosing one's status, accessing healthcare services, and just living a normal life.
You've heard me before rant about the paranoia I experienced just getting my lab test done, and this wasn't even a test connected to HIV. It was for my driver's license for crying out loud.
It just came out before the onset of May, so it's really new. So give this game a try and show me how good you are. Maybe someday I'll have my picture on it as well...
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Pos or Not?
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2 comments:
While it may be educational I cant say I like the idea of it in the scheme of things, a little derogitory in some sense. It is a very personal issue for people who are HIV+ ...This seems a little bit like 'pin the tail on the donkey'...I have more respect for people than that...*winks*
Precisely, I think this is meant to show people that it's not at all like pinning the tail on the donkey. That stereotypes do not exist. And right now, it is these stereotypes, and lack of understanding that scare people living with HIV back into their closets. In an ideal setting, there should be no real need to distinguish and judge between those who have it and those who don't. You're right, respect is the key word here.
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