Treatment GuideJust DiagnosedSex & DatingAfrican AmericanStigmaAsk the HIV DocPrEP En EspañolNewsVoicesPrint IssueVideoOut 100
CONTACTCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
New York-based reporter and photographer Julie Turkewitz jumps at the opportunity to talk to other people living with HIV and AIDS activists outside of the Big Apple. While HIV is a serious affliction wherever it exists, many HIV-positive New Yorkers have better access to care and support than those who are more isolated, without access to basic medication. So when she met members of AIDS Action in Mississippi, an organization working to break down stigma and get the state to do a better job at funding care programs, she was moved to capture the faces and stories of people she met there. What most inspires Turkewitz about her subjects in her photo series, Scarred By Stigma, is their tenacity in their work as activists and in their lives, despite the hurdles they face. 'They are really saying, 'This is a part of me, but it's not who I am,'' says Turkewitz, a staff writer for the AIDS and poverty advocacy group Housing Works. Mississippi is far from a paradise for well-being. For the past two decades, the state has been consistently ranked as one of the least healthiest states in the country by insurance company United Health. HIV-positive Mississippians face a high poverty rate, housing discrimination, and a lack of access to medical care spurred by institutionalized prejudices, according to an extensive report on people living with HIV/AIDS in Mississippi, released in March by Human Rights Watch. And these concerns don't even touch upon the rampant stigma and discrimination that HIVers feel on a day-to-day basis at home, at the office, or even among friends. In fact, Turkewitz says that speaking to the group of Mississippians harkened back to the early days of the mysterious AIDS virus, when many people acted out of fear rather than understanding. 'When people started telling me their stories, it felt like I was hearing all of these things that came about in the 1980s when no one knew anything about HIV/AIDS,' she says. With this series, Turkewitz hopes to put a real face on the epidemic by enlightening people who have HIV-positive co-workers, friends, and family members. The goal is to reduce stigma, to humanize the disease, and to make tangible the struggles of marginalized HIVers. Government decision-makers and community leaders are a target audience as well. 'The government is the leader,' Turkewitz says. 'They set the tone. If they treat people with HIV without respect, other people are going to treat them the same way.'
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Before AIDS, gay artist Rex drew hot men on the prowl — then he disappeared
April 11 2024 3:15 PM
Diets that mimic fasting reverse aging: study
March 07 2024 5:28 PM
PrEP without a prescription now a reality in California
February 06 2024 8:37 PM
Injectable HIV treatment, prevention: Everything you need to know
March 26 2024 3:28 PM
8 dating tips for gay men from a gay therapist
March 21 2024 2:50 PM
Happy national foreskin day!
April 04 2024 1:45 PM
The science behind U=U has been liberating people with HIV for years
June 04 2024 3:31 PM
Scarlet fever: exploring our fascination with blood
March 13 2024 1:47 PM
On Anal Sex Day, crack up with The Bottom's Digest
April 18 2024 10:22 AM
Plus: Featured Video
Latest Stories
Activist and philanthropist Bruce Bastian dies at 76
June 26 2024 1:28 PM
Yes, HIV-positive people can safely breastfeed
June 26 2024 12:59 PM
Exclusive: We kiki with Q from 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
June 24 2024 11:37 AM
Court rules to keep PrEP coverage under Obamacare
June 21 2024 5:42 PM
In honor of Juneteenth 2024, meet The Normal Anomaly
June 19 2024 1:39 PM
What is Juneteenth?
June 19 2024 11:30 AM
As Pride party season begins, the CDC urges mpox vaccinations
May 16 2024 6:52 PM
Advocacy in action with AIDSWatch
May 09 2024 12:30 PM
The Talk: Thriving with HIV
May 08 2024 10:45 AM
The Talk: What HIV isn’t
May 07 2024 10:48 AM
The Talk: Finding balance with HIV
May 06 2024 10:51 AM
Justice Dept plans to reschedule marijuana as a lower-risk drug
May 03 2024 2:40 PM
The Talk: Starting your journey with HIV
May 03 2024 2:00 PM
Why is a mother’s mental health so important? A doctor explains
May 01 2024 1:38 PM
Walmart to close all of its health care clinics
April 30 2024 12:30 PM
Vampire facial spa infected several women with HIV
April 29 2024 7:26 PM