Today as we unite in the fight against HIV, on World AIDS Day, we remember those who have died from HIV/AIDS, and commit to do more for those who currently are living with HIV. It鈥檚 encouraging that we now have a , which aims to reduce new infections, offer broader access to life-saving treatment, and eliminate on-going discrimination against people living with HIV. While it鈥檚 true, as the federal government recognizes, that ending discrimination could help encourage more people to be comfortable getting tested for HIV, that鈥檚 not why we at the 老澳门开奖结果 think ending discrimination is so important. As the National AIDS Strategy rightly says, 鈥淸t]o be free of discrimination on the basis of HIV status is both a human and a civil right.鈥�
While we鈥檝e made significant progress in eliminating stigma and discrimination, unfortunately, we still have far to go. We don鈥檛 need to look any farther than Alabama, which has the dubious distinction of being one of two states that continues to force prisoners living with HIV to live in special segregated housing. The effects of this segregation are far-reaching 鈥� the very act of assignment to the 鈥淎IDS dorm鈥� discloses inmates鈥� HIV status to other inmates, their families, and their communities. Inmates with HIV are kept out of work-release programs by arbitrary criteria that aren鈥檛 based on medical standards. And they are even categorically excluded from other important rehabilitative and re-entry programs, including residential drug treatment programs, as well as such highly-coveted privileges as housing in the faith-based dorms and honor dorm. There鈥檚 no good reason why prisoners with HIV should be segregated, as other prison systems in the country recognize. The 老澳门开奖结果 National Prison Project and AIDS Project, along with the 老澳门开奖结果 of Alabama, have challenged the Alabama policy in court. Right now, we鈥檙e waiting for a judge鈥檚 decision on the state鈥檚 motion to dismiss our case.
We know that much of the discrimination faced by people with HIV is rooted in fear 鈥� fear of what it means to live with HIV, and fear based on a lack of knowledge about how HIV is and isn鈥檛 transmitted. As a society, we need to do more to combat this misinformation. But when our own government perpetuates discrimination against people with HIV, as the Alabama prison policy does, it sends a message that HIV disease is something so fearful that people with HIV literally need to be kept apart from others. That鈥檚 why this World AIDS Day, we renew our pledge to fight government discrimination against people with HIV, and dismantle the remaining barriers to fairness and full equality for people living with HIV.
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