VivirLatino

World AIDS Day

08:28 H | Topics: Health - Latin America

Today marks the 20th annual World AIDS Day as founded by the World Health Organization with the goal of raising awareness. This year's theme is "Lead, Empower & Deliver."

33 million people are still living with the virus and there are nearly 7,500 new infections each day.

Within the Latino community and in Latin America, HIV and AIDS continues to be an issue that is talked about and dealt with in hushed whispers while the virus screams through our communities. Machismo and internalized stereotypes lead many to believe that they can't contract HIV, that they don't need to be tested, that they don't need to take precautions. Those living with HIV and AIDS in our community struggle to survive in a system that doesn't value Latino lives as much as other lives anyway.

Today, all the posts will focus on an aspect of HIV and AIDS in the Latino and Latin American community, including statistics, stories, events, and the points of views of other Latino bloggers.

Pero as with all "days", it's important to note that these issues need to be discussed everyday without the need of a special day of recognition, especially since for those living with HIV and AIDS, they don't get to take a day off.

Via / Global Voices

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