For this week blog, I want to introduce you all to Miss HIV. Throughout my research this week, I stumble upon a movie about the Miss HIV beauty pageant. I haven’t watched the movie yet but I am planning on it as soon as my order is in. I wanted to share it with the class because I thought it was pretty interesting and it was worth knowing.
“Miss HIV, a documentary from Ethnographic Media, is a film of an unexpected beauty on a subject that is anything but beautiful - HIV/AIDS and the international struggle of competing HIV/AIDS policies” (Jalsevac, 2008). The movie focuses on unexplained and unanswered question such as ‘"Why, after countless billions of dollars have been spent on HIV/AIDS prevention and cures, is there still no end in sight? Why are millions still dying of a preventable disease? And who is to blame?" (Jalsevac, 2008). The documentary was inspired by the Miss HIV beauty pageant contest Botswana’s capital city, Gaborone.
The HIV beauty pageant was created out of anger by Basha Mupeli who was fired from her job and humiliated after she was declared HIV positive in 2003(Benjamin, 2009). From an interview made by Benjamin with a 29 years old HIV positive woman name Tshebetso Thobolo, she stated that “The attitude here is that it’s OK to be a man and have this virus but women who are infected are worthless” (2009). “It’s the men we need to reach. If we have to get them here with the promise of beautiful women, then that’s fine. At least they come, and then, while they sit and watch the ladies, they are being educated. I hope they will one day get the message that wearing a condom doesn’t make them less macho” stated Basha (Benjamin, 2009). Every woman who are openly living with HIV in Botswana are invited to audition for the beauty pageant and the goal is to educated the public especially men (Benjamin, 2009). “The final competition includes a catwalk fashion show, dance displays and inspirational speeches by the twelve contestants” (Benjamin, 2009).
The documentary was created to “showcase attractive, healthy-looking women who are also HIV-positive in an effort to eradicate "stigma" and raise awareness” (Jalsevac, 2008). “The movie follows two of the Miss HIV contestant on their journey to the Miss HIV catwalk, and places us in the midst of their lives and their families” (Jalsevac, 2008).
"Winner of the Miss HIV Stigma free 2007 contest, Maria Motse (centre) on stage at the end of the competition. Photo by David White" (Benjamin, 2009).
References
Jalsevac, J. (2008, Sep. 5). Miss HIV: A Film To Change How The World Sees HIV/AIDS. Retrieved from http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/archive/ldn/2008/sep/08090201
Benjamin. (2009, Sep. 5). miss HIV Contest in Botswana. Retrieved from http://www.adevelopingstory.org/2009/miss-hiv-botswana
DID YOU KNOW
A common myth about HIV and AIDS is that those who are still virgins are safe from the disease and that it is not necessary to get tested. Well According to The Well Project, "virgin is only a label" and that if one "had oral or anal sex but never genital sex", he or she is at risk (The Well Project, 2010). And besides, sex is not the only way a person can contract HIV, someone can get infected through sharing needdles like tatoos, body piercing, or IV drug use (The Well Project, 2010). And it can be past from mother to child through breast feeding or during delivery (The Well Project, 2010).
The Well Project. (2010, July). Myths about HIV. Retrieved from http://www.thebody.com/content/whatis/art58887.html
I have actually read that if an HIV+ pregnant mother can deliver an HIV- baby, more commonly preventable on a cocktail of meds and sometimes through luck. I was also reading some of the stories on the class website and there were like 10 people and their stories about their HIV and a few found out while they were pregnant. So its possible to actually deliver an HIV+ but most chances a baby becomes infected is via transmission of mom's breast milk, maybe because the mother might not have known she herself was HIV+
ReplyDeleteMilinda Degnon
It is beautiful to see that there is a pageant for women with HIV. As the saying goes "looks are deceiving." Many people believe that you have to look sick just because you are HIV positive, when in fact some of the healthiest looking people are walking around with this disease. To have a pageant such as "MISS HIV" seems to be very inspiring to those infected or not with HIV. I feel that this is more than just a pageant but a lesson to young women who may be infected that you can still live life normally even if you have something life threatening. Acts like these should be encouraged more and there should be more programs or contest that will not look down on the disease and the people living with it, but inspire and encourage!
ReplyDeleteAlicia, please use your full name so I don't have to go back and forth in my grade book to find you.
ReplyDeleteGreat videos. I thought that was a wonderful way to educate. A group of very brave women to let those around them know their status, but if change is to be made, that is sometimes the only way.
Even before the antiretroviral cocktail, infected women were having HIV negative babies. No one can tell you why that happened. My first daughter was one lucky young baby because her mother wasn't compliant at all.