Week 2- Gay Plauge

Western Immorality

The Global North’s belief in its own superiority over the Global South, often reflected through unethical and exploitative actions during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Governments, pharmaceutical industries, and NGOs have prioritized profit and control over care, reinforcing structural violence and stigmatization within affected communities.

Heteronormativity

 the assumption of heterosexuality as the default sexual orientation. Which shapes policies, healthcare, and attitudes increasing homophobia and risk of HIV/AIDS for LGBTQ+ individuals. 

Homonormativity

the ways LGBTQ+ communities are pressured to conform to mainstream, often Western, ideals of respectability, family, and behavior, especially in global health and development programs.

Stigmatization

the social process of devaluing, shaming, or marginalizing people who are HIV-positive or perceived as at risk.

Actup!

• Aids Coholition to unleash power

• Advocated for faster drug approval, accessible treatment, and public awareness in the US.

• Founded in 1987 to demand action on HIV/AIDS

• legalization of needle extangle, access to preapproved meds

The Denver Principals

Manifesto written by people living with AIDS. Declaring that people with the disease are a “person with rights” not passive patients. 

• Statement of rights for people living with HIV. Not just then, but now

• 1983

Annita Bryant

• Reinforced heteronormativity and moral stigma around non-heterosexual identities.

• Organized a movement to prevent gay people from becoming teachers in her community

Scientific Homophobia

Refers to the use of science, medicine, or public health to justify discrimination against LGBTQ+ people

Transphobia

Refers to prejudice, discrimination, or hostility toward transgender and gender-diverse people

Homonationalism / Pinkwashing

Marketing or political strategy that highlights support for LGBTQ+ people while ignoring or harming marginalized groups elsewhere.

Sexual Agression

the abuse of power over another. Involving forced sexual compliance ranging from harassment to assault. While these interactions occur on a micro level, they are encouraged and produced by social, cultural, and institutional factors. Theres factors, Gender inequality, stigma, and silence around sexuality increase with vulnerability to HIV. 

Risky Behaviour

Actions or practices that increase the likelihood of negative health outcomes, Unprotected sex, multiple concurrent partners, or sharing needles—interact with structural violence and social inequalities, showing that vulnerability is not just individual choice but shaped by broader systems of power, stigma, and access to resources.