Lately, I have been pondering on the many athletes that have came out with HIV. Among these athletes, there are some among that population that are homosexual. While doing an assignment for my HIV class, I had to research athletes who were living with HIV and what they had to go through. This assignment inspired me to post a blog on this open topic. While researching about each athlete given, I discovered several things that many people at that time, and sadly even now, have failed to realize. These people did not let HIV hinder them from living their life, or being successful. Even though they were publicly criticized and lost a lot of things, they also gained one of the most important things....RESPECT!
Athletes such as Tom Waddell, for example experienced life in a different aspect. Not only was he living with the HIV virus, but he was also openly gay. He, among the many, went through many hard times just as much as good times. Being the founder of "gay olympics" was one of his accomplishments, which nearly cost him because of his status. What people failed to realize at that time is that HIV is a disease, that does not change anything about a person but its health. People were so ignorant to this fact that they would do things to degrade a person who was infected instead of lending out a helping hand and becoming a mentor. Just like Waddell, there have been many athletes that have suffered the brutality that came with having HIV, but they did not let that be the death of them, because they continued to strive and become advocates in educating the youth and public.
DID YOU KNOW???
"HIV/AIDS affects men and women, gay and straight, San Franciscans and Africans, adults and children, drug users and athletes. HIV positive athletes today strengthen immune systems by staying active. They also help tear down stigma on and off the court by showing that AIDS is no longer a disease for “those people”; it is our disease. Those with HIV, especially athletes, face increased discrimination, raising questions about disclosure".
Kajimura, Hana. "Playing Positive: HIV-Positive Athletes Then and Now | The Paly Voice." Home | The Paly Voice. N.p., 12 June 2010. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. <http://voice.paly.net/node/23189>
"The brief history of gay athletes." ESPN: The Worldwide Leader In Sports. N.p., 18 Dec. 1998. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. <http://espn.go.com/otl/world/timeline.html>
Alicia,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your comment on the respect these athletes have earned. I believe that the public views these celebrities, and sometimes treat them, like "God's" for a lack of a better term. The public sees them as super humans. I believe this only puts a very small dent in their armor because athletes like Magic Johnson can live a normal life with the disease (mostly because he can afford to).
Now I know this is what I "believe" like I said a few times in the comment, but this is because I might not know enough facts to back those statements up. I am strictly giving my opinion off of what I see, which may present a problem when dealing with science.
The one issue I have is that, yes, these athletes were advocates and brought a face to a disease that has taken the lives of many, but why aren't more athletes doing these things. They have the ability to make a difference. Why is it when they contract the virus that they being these efforts. I'd like to see a better effort out of our athletes today. They do "enough" so they can say they have made a difference, but I don't get a genuine, philanthropic feeling with most of them.
Thanks for the insight.
-Dominick Iannelli
My daughter lives like Magic when it come to HIV. She gets the same antiretrovirals, the same medical care as he does. As long as a person is compliant, and Magic is very compliant, they can have the same outcome. Even a person living in Africa, in a mud hut can have the same outcome for HIV. There may be other problems they have to deal with, but reducing viral loads and improving CD4 counts can happen to anyone willing to work at it.
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