As Harry said, discrimination still the biggest hurdle for HIV
IT was truly shocking to read Hugh McLoughlin’s letter (July 22), in which he claimed that representatives of groups particularly affected by HIV and Aids owe the public an apology for “introducing” it in this country.
I recall watching, in 1983, the first BBC Horizon programme about Aids. It noted that the four groups particularly affected at that time were haemophiliacs, Haitians, heroin users and homosexuals.
Does Mr McLoughlin want an apology from the Haemophilia Society? No?
From the Haitian ambassador to the UK perhaps? No?
Or is it only the people whom Mr McLoughlin morally disapproves of who he thinks should apologise?
The idea that some people with HIV are “innocent” and deserve sympathy, while others are “guilty” and not only deserve no sympathy, but, according to Mr McLoughlin, should apologise to him for becoming ill and, in most cases in the 1980s and early 90s, dying, is inhumane. Most of us hoped we had seen the last of that idea 20 years ago.
Mr McLoughlin should be thoroughly ashamed of reiterating it. I recommend he consider and take to heart the words of Prince Harry’s speech last week at the World HIV Conference: “It is time for us to step up and acknowledge that stigma and discrimination still act as the greatest barrier to us defeating this disease once and for all.” Tim Hopkins, Equality Network, 30 Bernard Street, Edinburgh. I WAS startled to read the comments of Hugh McLoughlin. He suggests that “logically, the right proposal would have been to ask homosexuals and bisexuals to refrain from sexual activities” to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids.
On which utopian heterosexual planet and during which time does Mr McLoughlin live?
Is he unaware that HIV infection is not limited to those who practise same-sex activities?
In fact, the people who are sexually active, and least likely to contract or contaminate others with HIV, are homosexual females.
The ignorance surrounding contraction of and contamination with HIV is the biggest cause of the successful spread of this disease, which in my mind was man-made.
It has been frighteningly successful in the populations of men who have sex with men, those religious groups which do not allow the use of condoms, and those who are not educated, which covers great swathes of the underdeveloped world. A thousand new cases are detected every day in South Africa.
In Scotland it is estimated that for every two people who have been diagnosed HIV positive, another one is living his or her life undiagnosed. Andy Ross, 16 Abrach Road, Inverlochy, Fort William.