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The
Significance’ of AIDS for Women: Social Stigma and Illness Experiences
Portrayed through Art
Samia
Omar
Stony
Brook University
Nueva
York
(Estados
Unidos)
A review of literature, art and
representations in media of women looking at the experiences of women in
relation to HIV/AIDS was carried out in an attempt to show that
qualitative scientific research related to health and illness can be
relayed creatively through art. The narrative accounts and main results of
this research review are presented using art as the standard vehicle of
communication.
A literature review was first carried out
to obtain information on the various experiences of women and seek to
understand the specific differences in stigma compared to men. This paper
highlights findings on how women feel and live through HIV/AIDS and other
dynamics between how the general public acts and how they experience the
disease. In order to best be able to present the research findings using
art, further research was carried out to obtain information on how
HIV/AIDS experiences are constructed in the media and art. Additional
literature review on health representations was carried out to obtain
information on how meanings and can be portrayed through art.
Through rigorous research and review of
scholarly journals, the narratives of mothers with HIV/AIDS that makes
them unique from their male counterparts were gathered. The main idea that
was found was that women have a unique role as child bearers. When
infected with HIV/AIDS the women are held accountable not only for their
own life but for polluting their child. Men on the other hand are usually
thought of polluting only society through promiscuity. The main idea for
women as a source of pollution is also highly prevalent in the media as
well as the aspect of social deviance and promiscuity.
Following research, art used as an
innovative means by which to present the findings. The final art piece
highlights the experiences of women in addition to key aspects of social
stigma. The piece links metaphors that are significant to the
representation of HIV/AIDS in art and literature. It includes a
representation of how women are envisaged in the media as pollution, as
well as accompanying experiences of these women as mothers. The narratives
are highlighted to convey a message on uncovering what underlies the
stigma faced by mothers in relation to HIV/AIDS in an attempt to promote
dialogue concerning the unique social experiences of infected women.
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