World Aids Day 2007 - "Stop AIDS.  Keep the Promise"

LOCAL WORLD AIDS DAY ACTIVITIES

The Marquette County Health Department HIV/AIDS Program will be hosting the Traditional Christmas Tree event at the Peter White Public Library followed by a support group dinner. In addition, NMU is presenting several commemorative performances at the Black Box Theater and Sections of the AIDS Quilt will be on display in the atrium of Hedgecock. Information about all the events are listed below:

DATE: Saturday, December 1, 2007

TIME/LOCATIONS:

3:00-4:30 pm; Tree Decorating at Peter White Public
Library; 217 N. Front St., Marquette (front entry way)

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm; World AIDS Day Dinner
129 W. Baraga, Marquette (glass doors next to
Firestone)

7:00 pm; NMU Commemorative Performance
Black Box Theater NMU - McClintock

DATE: Monday, December 3, 2007

TIME/LOCATIONS:

10:00 am - 5:00 pm; Display of the AIDS Quilt.
Hedgecock Atrium, Campus of NMU

For more information on World AIDS Day please visit: www.worldaidscampaign.org

For information about HIV/AIDS in the Upper Peninsula, click here.

Stigmatizing a group of people or individuals is one way to control a group and make it socially acceptable to discriminate against said group. HIV from the beginning of the epidemic has been surrounded with misinformation which has led to "shaming" certain groups of people based on their perceived behavior.

Factors which contribute to HIV/AIDS - related stigma:

• HIV/AIDS is a life-threatening disease
• People are scared of contracting HIV
• The disease's association with behaviors (such as sex between men and injecting drug-use) that are already stigmatized in many societies
• People living with HIV/AIDS are often thought of as being responsible for becoming infected
• Religious or moral beliefs that lead some people to believe that having HIV/AIDS is the result of moral fault (such as promiscuity or 'deviant sex') that deserves to be punished.

Sexually transmitted diseases are well known for triggering strong responses and reactions. In the past, in some epidemics, for example TB, the real or supposed contagiousness of the disease has resulted in the isolation and exclusion of infected people. From Early in the AIDS epidemic a series of powerful images were used the reinforced and legitimized stigmatization.

• HIV/AIDS as punishment (e.g. for immoral behavior)
• HIV/AIDS as a crime (e.g. in relation to innocent and guilty victims)
• HIV/AIDS as war (e.g. in relation to a virus which need to be fought)
• HIV/AIDS as horror (e.g. in which infected people are demonized and feared)
• HIV/AIDS as otherness (in which the disease is an affliction of those set apart)

  For more information regarding discrimation again HIV/Aids infected individuals, check out: http://www.avert.org/aidsstigma.htm

Who to Contact
For local information contact Laura Fredrickson, (906) 475-7651, at the Marquette County Health Department.

Marquette County Health Department 184 US Highway 41 East Negaunee, Michigan  49866 (906) 475-7651 (phone) (906) 475-9312 (fax)