Sophie Mei

More people die of HIV/Aids everyday than they did in the Tsunami. HIV/Aids may be off the radar to many but it is far from a ‘Once upon a time ago’ disease. Let’s take a look at the recent stories surrounding HIV/Aids as December 1^st 2010 marks World Aids Day.

Pope does condoms the Archbishop way schism in the church.

The Pope has recently changed his stance on condoms, well shuffled. The Archbishop of Canterbury is infamous for sitting on the fence and now the Pope has joined him:

“The pope maintains that condom use to lessen the danger of infection is a ‘first assumption of responsibility,’” said Fr Federico Lombardi, quoting from the book.

OK not quite the turning point that will provide a clear direction but for him, at least, it may help to lessen the schism in the Church. I think we’re a few years off having the Pope’s face on a Condom packet.

Porn industry comes to a close

San Fernando valley, California has been catapulted into shutdown mode, once more; as yet another HIV case has been discovered in the Porn industry through lack of Condom use.

Darren James, the HIV-sufferer the man at the centre of the ‘shut down’ in 2004, as he tested positive, said:

“The actors … they’re not getting the protection that they need. There should have been mandatory condoms,” James said. “I knew it was going to happen. And how many years has it been? Again. They went right back to the same habits. Good grief, it’s like my deal, all over again. I hate that.”

Sexy or not – James displays the importance of contraception. Condoms can save lives and protect against horrendous illnesses – so even if it takes a boy band such as, JLS (who currently endorse a range of condoms) to make them sexy – please wrap it up.

Spreading the Stigma

A young singer has received a two-year suspended sentence after infecting a partner with HIV. She has been found guilty of causing dangerous bodily harm.

Nadja Benaissa, 28, has been at the centre of media frenzy after having unprotected sex with three men whilst knowing that she had the HIV virus – she infected one of them.

Under German law, a person can be sued if they are HIV positive and have (unprotected) sex with a partner without telling them about their HIV status.

Consequently, German’s version of Cheryl Cole has been characterized as a heartless criminal after contracting the virus at the age of 17 and spreading it onto one ‘victim.’

After all, she is an attractive vixen…

It surprises me that in this day and age we are still criminalizing sufferers of HIV and passing the blame. After all, it takes two to tango, it takes one of the two to be mindful and it is both of whom who are to blame.

OK, it was careless behaviour on her part, but at the age of 17 years old or even older, do you really think you would disclose your HIV status to this world full of stigma and hate?

There are so many charities out there that work endlessly to help support people with HIV and Aids, to live as normal a life as possible. Yet, their hard work is jeopardized when we scaremonger people out of getting tested.

Let’s just hope that the mass coverage of this case promotes more awareness and education surrounding HIV and sexual health…

Don’t forget World Aid’s Day is on 1^st December 2010. Support the University of Manchester Aids Society

http://www.umsu.manchester.ac.uk/societies/

http://www.tht.org.uk/informationresources/hivandaids/

ACT AWARE

Wear a red ribbon

Uni can make you a princess…

Once upon a time, a young brunette embarked on her journey to study for a degree in Art History at University of St Andrews.

One day, she took part in the University’s Fashion Show where she modelled a see-through mesh skirt. She decided that one item was enough and wore it down the catwalk as a boob tube dress.

It was this walk that led her to Buckingham Palace…

As Prince William, heir to the throne after his Father Charles, watched on, the slender beauty caught his eye as she strode down the catwalk in her revealing outfit.

He had met his princess. Together, they courted; they briefly separated and then started courting again. In this time they went travelling and prince William took his late Mother’s engagement ring with him.

As he travelled with his ‘moderate’ backpack with the Sapphire and diamond ring inside, he proposed to his long-term girlfriend and student buddy Kate Middleton.

The pair celebrated and quickly announced their engagement to the British media. The soon-to-be princess donned a Sapphire blue dress matching her ring as she revelled in her newly found royalty.

She is the envy of many wannabe royalty WAG’s. Since the proposal the couple have assertively decided to marry on 29^th April at Westminster Abbey (where Prince William sadly buried his mother, Princess Diana) ‘the royal church.’

The government have even announced that it will be a national holiday.

In the after-math of proposed cuts student’s placards read ‘I can’t meet my Prince at Uni now’ referring to the fairytale that Kate Middleton will finish happily ever after.

The End.

World Aids Day Vigil electronic flyer

Please share the news not the stigma

ACT AWARE – RED PARTY

Please join us for a Red Party – dress in red, free entry, red cocktails and lots of chat next Wednesday

World AIDS Day is a chance to raise public awareness, and hopefully breakdown some of the unwarranted stigma that surrounds HIV. There are many ways in which you can do something to make a difference.

More people than ever are living with HIV in the UK and each year new infections occur.

People living with HIV in the UK

The number of people living with HIV in the UK has trebled in the last 10 years

More than 90,000 people are living with HIV in the UK

Over a quarter of people with HIV in the UK are undiagnosed

About two thirds of people living with HIV are men and a third are women

Over half of all people living with HIV are aged between 30 and 44, but there are significant numbers both of young people and older people now living with HIV

What people living with HIV have asked…

“I would like to see society’s attitudes change, so that I don’t feel that I have to hide the fact that I have HIV” Alan, London

“I would like people who are living with HIV whom are confident to do so, to share their own stories about how they have overcome the barriers and challenges of living their everyday lives” Danny

“I would like everyone to think seriously about HIV and what it means to live with HIV – and therefore be realistic, aware and practical when it comes to safer sex” Maurice, London

“I would like there to be a focus on education and stigma within younger groups of people, with attention paid to cultural differences and needs” Richard

“I would like to see more positive role models of people living with HIV” Danny

“I would like it to become possible for people to write they are HIV+ on job application forms without fear of being discriminated against” Michael, Somerset

“I would like people to realise that HIV and AIDS is a pandemic that can potentially affect everyone and is not confined to the gay community and drug users.  It’s unfair for people to categorise the huge problem in this way” Sean

“Within some high risk groups e.g. young gay men, lack of self worth and hope for the future can be a big demotivator for safer sex.  I’d like to see this understood more fully and see more action to help change this” Mike

“I know my status – do you know your status.  Be visible and stand out, stop the prejudice and discrimination in our society” Mark

“Having lived with HIV for nearly 27 years, have attitudes changed. No, so ask yourself why? Ignorance and fear, so changing attitudes and improving education at all ages and levels of our society may make that difference.  More awareness, better understanding and increased acceptance that HIV is here and not going away” Michael

#5: Nile festival day 2

We began the day with a bizarre breakfast of mashed carrot, salad and melon. This did fill us up however for an amazing workshop with Mona Mustafa and her shimmy queens (2 gorgeous girls who demonstrated her choreography. We did ‘Shaabi’ style (Egyptian street) dance. It was a fun-filled two hours of cheerful movements and lots of performing for each other.

We then did a quick Supermarket sweep as we were in desperate need of water and dates, for energy.

I then persuaded myself in the humidity to get to training in the Gym… what an experience.

The gym place was the only room without air-con in the hotel, it was empty besides a few men who decided to ogle whilst I attempted a workout overlooking downtown Cairo. It didn’t come to much as they pestered me until it was their prayer time but in exchange a sour-faced woman sat and watched  me.

Time for a quick change as we returned to Eman’s for a costume fitting. A lot of Lycra was stretched, some bellydancer bitching took place and finally, a large sum of money was spent for the most beautiful costume…

Watch this blog…

# 4: Nile Festival: day 1

To the festival we went and more shimmy belts to be bought… We registered onto our favourite Egyptin dancer workshops and made our way into a large royal hall to be taught Oum Khaltoum a song about how ‘true love is a winner’ taught by Mayodi (a male oriental dancer) who said:

“Egyptian people have to make the most of what they have got as we don’t have a lot. It’s same for women if they have a bottom – they make the most of it. Here’s how to be sexy…”

After 3 hours of various Egyptian rhythms from Taqsoums to Saiidi, we had completed our first masterclass in the art of dance, beauty and passion.

Opening party – wow what an incredible first night – the event kicked off with a live Arabic band along with a lovely Russian dancer called Noor. We were then treated to a large Arabic buffet as we took our ‘ringside’ seats.

There we witnessed th ebllydancing diva that is, Asmahan along with her tropue of good looking male dancers in Tarzan-esque outfits. She gave us a hip swirling array of scenes from the forest to a folkoric routine and finished off by a provocative number (in a revealing pink cabaret outfit). After, I discovered that his diva was in her 50s! She looked sensational – very over the top but immaculately dressed up (apparently she has come from Argentinia where she moved back, after her career in Cairo plummeted. She has now made a return onto the Egptian ‘scene.’)

We were then treated to an exotic extravagance – the young and beautiful Camillia. She is hot stuff in the bellydance world at the moment and you can see why. A natural Egyptian dancer with an obvious love of the artform and she blends this with an open mind to western-style cabaret costumes along with adding touches of diversity by her choice of prope from candles to sticks to veils and balloons.

Sara Farouk said on Camilla: “All you just do is sit, watch and smile.”.