From Heather, at A Minha Vida, I learned of an interesting compilation of HIV-related slang (originally from PlusNews). As they observe, the euphemisms we choose to say the unsayable often tell us quite a bit about our own cultures. In Angola, for example, getting HIV is like “pisar na min” –stepping on a landmine. But […]
When UNAIDS put out their new figures yesterday (in a stonking 357-page report), they accompanied it with a press release that began: “New HIV infections and HIV-related deaths declining — however AIDS epidemic not over in any part of the world”. If you made it to the second page of the press release, you’d find […]
Check out this Valentine’s day poem from Isabella Matambanadzo, who fights the good fight in Zimbabwe and understands the importance of good underwear. Here’s how it starts, just to give you a flavour. I dressed for the occasion. Put my cute fanny in lace nickers, Gave my breasts some serious gravity (EJ Win always says […]
In his “Open letter to epidemiologists and surveillance experts” Tim France looks at falling HIV prevalence rates in Zimbabwe and asks an important question: is lower HIV prevalence always a good thing? He points out several situations where HIV prevalence could be expected to rise, for “good” reasons. Obviously, the longer people survive with HIV, […]