Human Rights Watch Labels People With AIDS "Victims"
Ever since the HIV/AIDS epidemic began, people living with the disease have vigorously fought being labeled "victims" and generally prefer terms such as PWA, person with AIDS, or PLWHA, people living with HIV/AIDS.
One group that didn't get the memo about this is the Human Rights Watch. Today on HRW's blog from the Toronto AIDS conference, the group asks bloggers to show solidarity "with the victims" of the disease.
Needless to say, I was shocked to see the normally hyper politically correct HRW refer to people with AIDS as victims and I've contacted the leaders at HRW to request that they remove the reference to victims from their blog. While it would be nice if HRW also apologized to persons with HIV/AIDS for calling us victims, right now, I'll be happy if they just delete the word victims.
From HRW's AIDS blog:
If you are a blogger, you can use your bully pulpit to stand with the victims and activists to end human rights abuses for those with HIV/AIDS, strengthen the political will necessary to win the fight against AIDS, and expand access to HIV prevention information, condoms, clean needles, methadone and anti-retroviral drugs.
What has HRW ever done for people with AIDS?
ReplyDeleteTheir demeaning banner campaign asks bloggers to link back to HRW. For what? Their campaign to provide universal health care in the US?