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Gary Bell
September 10, 2009 Demonizing HIV  Subscribe to Gary's Blog or learn about blog subscriptions
AIDS activists have been buzzing lately about a new German HIV awareness advertisement depicting a woman having sex with Adolph Hitler. By now, I am sure you are wondering: what does the Fuhrer have to do with AIDS? Well, in the ad, which is available online, a heterosexual couple is seen having sex. The man's face becomes that of Adolph Hitler followed by a slogan describing AIDS as a "mass murderer. Print versions of the campaign also use Saddam Hussein as well as other despots. The company that created the campaign, Das Comitee, defended the advertisement stating that it was meant to show "the ugliness of the illness." I understand the philosophy of using 'shock value' to get people's attention. It's discomforting to realize that in 2009, we have to 'shock' people to make them aware of HIV/AIDS. However, the designers of this campaign are obviously missing something and it underscores the danger of developing public awareness campaigns in a vacuum -- without vetting them with a diverse audience, especially people living with HIV. Now, I don't know for sure if that was done. However, given the tremendous stigma associated with HIV, I would hope that someone would have realized that many people viewing the ad would associate the people living with HIV with these dictators. Despite good intentions, it's the wrong message! Warning: This video contains offensive imagery, graphic sex and nudity. AIDS Is A Mass Murderer from Laborarbeiter on Vimeo.
Comment by: Shawn Syms
(Toronto)
Thu., Oct. 22, 2009 at 2:18 pm EDT My understanding is that people with HIV were among those who reviewed and approved the video! I wrote more about this campaign myself here: http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/09/29/german-antiaids-campaign-employs-hitler-misguided-effort
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Transition to Hope This year marks Bell's 14th as the executive director of the Philadelphia-based BEBASHI (Blacks Educating Blacks About Sexual Health), founded in 1985 as the nation's first AIDS organization serving African Americans with HIV. Bell has been widely praised, not only for increasing funding and accountability at a time when HIV donations have plummeted, but also for launching such innovative programs as a women's initiative, prison-discharge planning, and, most recently, a diabetes intervention. More About Gary:Profile Subscribe to Gary's Blog: Recent Posts: September 10, 2009 - Demonizing HIV August 26, 2009 - HIV Testing August 5, 2009 - Zoonoses July 23, 2009 - Men Are Driving the HIV Epidemic July 15, 2009 - Adolescent Hopelessness and HIV July 7, 2009 - Obama and HIV July 1, 2009 - Transition to Hope |
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