#aids stigma

[lgbtq-archives]

𝐀 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 | 𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 

[sbd-laytall]

The social commentary for this story arc is so magnificently done but also really heartbreaking because of the real stories that would've inspired the creation of this arc.

Action Comics (1938) #638 & 639

[babypenguinz]

observations from someone who went from invisibly to visibly disabled

around a year ago, i noticed i was having a lot of trouble standing in lines and walking for extended periods, i needed to sit down frequently and was experiencing lightheadedness, chest pain, and just generally feeling like shit after the lightest cardio. i suffer from a variety of diagnosed chronic health issues, as well as symptoms still under investigation, but i was nervous that if i started using a mobility aid, people would be more judgmental towards me while i was out and about in public, especially as someone in my early 20's. instead, my experience has been the opposite.

before i started using a cane, people would see me struggling in public, red-faced and exhausted, and look at me like i was nuisance or had done something wrong. cars would honk at me for not crossing the road fast enough, i'd regularly have to jump back from the road after a driver ignored me trying to cross. since i started using a mobility aid, this has turned to doors being held open for me, drivers signalling that i can cross when they have a green light, and being asked if need help by strangers.

while using a mobility aid has helped my stamina and made it easier to get about physically, the social impact has been far more noticeable to me. without a mobility aid, there was a lot of room for strangers to make their own assumptions about me. i could have been drunk, or high, or in withdrawal, things for which it's socially acceptable to judge someone negatively. with a mobility aid, it becomes clear why i'm struggling.

there's a conversation to be had about the perceived helplessness of being visibly disabled, sometimes people can be intrusive or overbearing, but at the same time it comes with an assumption of innocence and virtue that, while potentially patronising, makes it easier to navigate the world without being judged as anti-social.

for anyone who's been struggling with declining physical ability and considering using a mobility aid, i'd highly recommend taking the leap. not only because you deserve the freedom of being able to participate in society, but because people are far more accommodating of your struggles when there's a visual cue that alters how they perceive you. you can always stop using it if you find it doesn't work for you, but you don't know how beneficial it could be until you've tried it for yourself.

[ex-foster]

[cupcakes-n-rainbows]

Using mobility aids is not "setting myself up to fail in my own fantasy." I am not giving in or giving up.

When I say I don't ever see myself without my wheelchair, I'm not giving up. I'm looking up at the future with sparkles in my eyes, watching it all unfold on the movie screen in my mind. And in that future? I'm disabled. I use a wheelchair. I have paralysis. I need help. And in that future? It's beautiful and it's amazing and it's fun, and it isn't hampered or dampened or lessened in worth by four wheels instead of two feet. It's just my future. Yes, it's different than that of an able-bodied person, but everyone's future is different, wheels or not. The help I need and my form of mobility doesn't make my life or my future any less wonderful.

Please, hear me and know me and understand me. Please, listen and truly take it to heart when I tell you that this is my future and this is my life. Not the hope you had for me when I was seven or how I danced when I was ten. That naive child left years ago, locked somewhere within the depths of my mind. She won't be back. I'm not her anymore. I'm not the same as I was, and I never will be.

My story isn't a tragedy. I'm not "too young". I'm not "too smart". I'm not throwing away my "bright future". This is my bright future. This is me, through and through and up and down, forwards and backwards and right and wrong.

Please. Let me live on my wheels rather than die on my feet. It's all I ask.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Daniel Villarreal at LGBTQ Nation:

MAGA social media influencers are spreading a lie from a “parody” account on X claiming that gay Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is HIV-positive. While nothing substantiates this claim, right-wingers have begun recirculating it to make sexually explicit, homophobic attacks. In response, his husband, Chasten Buttigieg, urged his own social media followers to keep working to elect the Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. The lie originated from an October 1 post by the X account Breaking 911. The post simply read, “BREAKING: Pete Buttigieg reveals that he is HIV-positive.” The post didn’t link to or mention any sources. The account’s bio says, “The king of the gays. Parody artist. If you fell for my bait, you owe me eight dollars.” The post has since been reshared from the account at least 795 times and viewed over 1 million times as of Thursday evening. The account has since posted other false headlines, including ones that former President Donald Trump’s wife filed for divorce, the Pope resigned, and that Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz was accused of sexual assault. None of these claims are true.

MAGA influencers such as Stew Peters are spreading the homophobic lie that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is “HIV-positive.”

See Also:

The Advocate: Conservatives push harmful lie that Pete Buttigieg is HIV-positive​

[its-been-rose]

Might need to write a George Lives AU Henry x Eugene childhood friends to lovers fic just to feel something

[spicebutchmansion]

beginner guide to autistic stim toys

I too was once scouring the internet just after realizing I was autistic, but turning up what was mainly the blogs of "autism moms". Not exactly was I was looking for since they're weird and actually autistic adults and teens are not their target audience. So if you are finding yourself unsure where to look or what's actually good, I hope you enjoy this list!

funkyfidgetsshop.co.uk - this site has a lot of very reasonably priced and high quality fidgets and sweets. my favorites are their moon & stars stress ball, Needoh nice cube, and textured sensory ring. items listed include ones that are silent & classroom/workplace friendly, and ones that make noise.

tanglecreations.com - a well loved classic, the variety of tangles is very good! I am obsessed with the textured series, hairy tangle, and infinity pearl aqua. visually stunning options as well as lots of different textures and feels for different sensory needs. pretty silent and safe for school or work as well.

harkla.co - the sensory sock they make is widely well reviewed, as well as coming in child and adult sizes. a great addition to a reading nook, as you can cocoon yourself inside if so desired.

us.loopearplugs.com - I definitely recommend these and love the pair I own. with a wide range of noise cancelling/muting ranges and colors to pick from, these are great. I have the quiet loops and appreciate the soft silicone material, this makes it so I can sleep with them in.

[queerism1969]

[blueboldandbright]

I’m procrastinating by making patches again

[100gayicons]

In 1989, Albert Delègue was ski instructor in Mérilheu, France, when he was spotted by a modeling talent agent. Delègue was intrigued and soon switching careers. He quickly became successful, working for such brands as Versace, Valentino, Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani. His contract with Armani was rumored to be worth 5 million francs (nearly $1 million Euros).

His family reported that Albert suffered a serious ski accident in August 1994 that left him paralyzed. In March 1995 he was admitted to the hospital. His family announced he had died on April 14, 1995, as a result of complications due to his accident.

But within a week, the truth had been revealed. Media outlets reported that Delègue’s cause of death was AIDS-related encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). But his family denied it, sticking to their ski accident story.

Delègue’s friend Alain Gossuin, a fellow fashion model, attempted to set the record straight in a television interview:

“His own family wanted to silence the real reason for his death. I had discussed it in a TV show, believing that my intervention would put a spotlight on the magnitude (of the AIDS) scourge.”

Delègue’s family complained to the broadcasting company and Gossuin’s comments about AIDS were edited out.

HIV and AIDS diagnosis come with a stigma, causing some sufferers and their families to hide it or deny it. Regarding the family, homophobia often plays a part.

When my partner of 13 years was diagnosed with AIDS, one of the first things he insisted on was that none of our friends could know. And when he died, he did not want me to tell his family.

I told him I would honor his wishes while he was alive, but after his death, I would need to tell the truth. He died 7 months later. I won’t lie, keeping it a secret was an incredible burden.

On the day he passed away, I wrote a letter to all of our friends and to my partner’s brothers explaining what had happened and why I waited to tell them.

It was such a shame because so many of his friends and members of his family expressed how much they would have wanted to spend him with him in his moment of need.

The Truth should alway take precedence.

[demonized-infodumps]

I’ve recently gotten told about what could be wrong with me, and one of the things requires using a mobility aid.

My partner is wanting to go ahead and get a mobility aid for me but I’m afraid of how much stigma there is about those already paired on top of us being a system with demonized pds (npd, hpd, & bpd).

I’m afraid that we’ll be going out one day and I’ve already promised to ease their worries that I’ll use it or have it with me as a just in case and someone will see the opportunity to take it from me as a means of “joking.”

And I’m afraid that our chronic pain will flare and will make it to where we can’t walk for minutes to hours on end and be stranded. Or have to be carried through the entire park.

I’m trying to prepare myself for the dirty looks I’ll get or people coming up to me or mocking me while we’re trying to have a fun day, but I know it’ll still be harmful to see in person.

I wish there was less stigmatization and demonization of people using a mobility aid to help them. I wish I didn’t have to have the worry of having it taken from me or being mocked/laughed at just for living. I want to be able to do things.

That and then being babied and told to rest constantly makes me feel completely useless and upset. I can still do things for myself. Just because I’m having to use an aid doesn’t mean I’m instantly just not able to fend for myself.

Though, I appreciate people opening doors for me. That’s a gesture I enjoy having.

.

[leighsartworks216]

There's something about knowing I'm going to need a cane/walker/other mobility aid someday. Both my knees have been hurting almost nonstop for over a week, and today I had to put both compression sleeves I own on just so they can stop hurting. And like, they're not gonna get any better. There's things I can do to make them hurt a little less, but it never lasts long. So I give it maybe a year before I need help getting around. And I'm not worried about that at all, honestly.

[confinesofmy]

weird debate going on rn regarding which is worse: someone indicating they would greatly enjoy participating in a genocide in the future or someone currently participating in a genocide and occasionally saying that 1.) they aren't doing that and 2.) they do not like the genocide :( if that is indeed what's happening :(

[panicinthestudio]

George Michael: Outed trailer, Channel 4, February 27, 2023

George Michael talks about his sexuality, April 10, 1998

George Michael opened up about his sexuality during a 1998 interview with CNN, just days after he was arrested in a Beverly Hills, California, public park where he engaged in a 'lewd act' with an undercover police officer.

CNN

Further reading:

The Independent: George Michael: Outed review – The lack of remorse from those who wrenched star out of the closet is staggering, March 6, 2023

PinkNews: George Michael documentary shows shocking, homophobic treatment of singer – and fans are furious, March 7, 2023

[kodoandsangha]

[alt id]

“I wear glasses. Can I manage without glasses? Well, yes, probably. I could squint a lot, constantly move up close to anything I want to see, take the bus or a taxi if I want to go anywhere. I could just accept that I’ll never be able to see eagles flying in the sky or whales jumping out of the ocean.

But why? Why try so hard to manage life when I could just put on a pair of glasses? No one would ever suggest a near-sighted person should just work harder. No one would say “maybe that’s just your normal” to someone who needs glasses. They would say “let’s go to the eye doctor and get you a prescription so you’re able to see again. You shouldn’t have to try so hard.”

- my doctor (paraphrased) when I expressed doubts about going back on an antidepressant via webreakthenwebuild

(via squidilydink)

This is such a good analogy because nobody thinks about it like this. If you wear glasses, you literally need constant use of a medical aid to experience the world like most people do. If it were anything besides glasses, it would be a disability. But needing glasses is an extremely common, visible, and accepted form of disability to the point that we don’t even consider it one, we just accept that some people need glasses and that’s perfectly normal and there’s nothing wrong with needing to rely on them.

That is how all disabilities and illnesses should be seen, and how we should look at treatment for them. You have a problem, and you need help dealing with it, and there’s nothing wrong with either of those things. That’s perfectly normal and that’s okay.

(Via ninjarobotclone)

Reblogging myself because ^^that^^ was such a beautiful addition ~JJ

(Via teachthemhowtothink)

This honestly made me feel better about taking anxiety meds

[end alt]

————————————-

There is such a stigma around illnesses and disabilities. Even taking Tylenol for a headache can be incorrectly seen as weakness.

When changing jobs, I have to do the work of calling insurance companies and asking them about whether my meds are in their formularies to ensure coverage. One of my meds is an anti-psychotic used as a mood stabilizer. The “oh” I actually heard through the phone when she looked it up. It doesn’t matter if I use it off label or not. People who deal with psychosis are just as valid and real, human beings with hopes, wishes, and dreams.

If we could champion our own stigmas about taking meds for ourselves, we can help normalize the conversation surrounding them in how we talk to people about them. My meds are medical aids. I am acutely aware of my manic spin outs and the meds keep those in check.

And, I know this post doesn’t blanket apply to everyone. I know there are people here struggling with treatment resistant illnesses where no medication is beneficial. I wish I could find you an aid that helps alleviate white knuckling, if and/or when that happens. Perhaps you have found a way to manage symptoms and processes that happen. If you haven’t yet, keep trying. I sincerely hope you are successful.