Black Entertainment's special on AIDS showed profiles of four people that are called 'average' Americans. The show then asks the audience which two of the four age HIV positive? They talk about their lives, what they currently do, and they are shown on the television....at the end they say who is positive. The point of the show is that there is no way to tell who has HIV/AIDS.
The show attempts to address the myth and stereotype that HIV/AIDS is a "gay disease." In reality, this is not accurate as heterosexual women are currently the highest group of new infectees.
A stereotype is an unjustifiable negative feeling or emotional response toward a group and its individual members. In this sense the stereotype that only HIV is a "gay disease" can be extremely unhealthy and detrimental to Americans, especially now heterosexual women. Why are people not concerned enough with HIV/AIDS which in America should be considered entirely preventable accept in the case of rape as condoms and birth control are relatively accessible? People just do not think it will happen to them. When presented with risk information (for example, as in, having sex without condoms with multiple partners or even one you do not know health information of is extremely risky!), people often engage in defensive processing (as in I won't get HIV! I know my boyfriend doesn't lie!) People are skeptical of information that is not consistent with their attitudes or preferences. Why are heterosexual women not taking better care of themselves? I speculate they just don't think it will happen to them. Also, people often let social aspects of their behavior influence their health decisions. For example, telling themselves 'I trust my partner, he doesn't need to wear a condom! He only sleeps with me, besides, condoms aren't cool, and I don't think he'll like me as much if I make him wear a condom' People often engage in risky behaviors in the name of impression management (keeping up their self-presentation)....not thinking about how much this can affect their HEALTH. HIV is a life long disease with no cure. No social aspect should outweigh the scary realities of HIV/AIDS.....afterall....it is certainly a disease that does not discriminate.
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