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Stigma
first edition

Stigma

Key Message

zz How our attitudes and reactions towards HIV

and AIDS can lead to death.
zz SSDDIM is a human reaction to fear.
zz SSDDIM affects both individuals and
communities.
zz Face our fears of HIV and AIDS.

Time

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Materials needed

zz Introduction to SSDDIM
zz Modules on Shame, Denial, Discrimination,
Inaction, Misaction

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Toolkit References

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Expected Learning
Outcomes

Session Overview

zz Understanding how stigma contributes to

the transmission of HIV and AIDS related
death
zz Definition of Stigma
zz Stories of Stigma
zz Dealing with Stigma
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zz SSDDIM is the death sentence not HIV.
Fear spreads HIV and leads to AIDS related
illnesses.

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Session Objective

zz 45 minutes

zz Flipchart paper and pens

zz Scissors, glues, paper, paints, magazines
(these are for an optional exercise)

Definition: A social mark that singles individuals or groups out for

disgrace, humiliation, and rejection.

Story for reflection and discussion:

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The external manifestations of stigma are horrific enough. At

Christmas time 1998 a 36-year-old South African woman, Gugu
Dlamini, was stoned and stabbed to death. What is clear is
that shortly before her death Gugu told Zulu-language radio listeners that she was living with HIV. Three weeks later, members of
her own neighbourhood rounded on her. Her attackers accused her
of shaming her community by announcing her HIV status. She died
in hospital her body broken not by the HIV she faced with such
conspicuous courage, but by the injuries her neighbours inflicted on
her. She left a thirteen-year -old daughter3.

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Ask people the question - if you were part of Gugu Dlaminis community, what
would you have done? They do not need to give you an answer, simply ask them to
think about it then break down the story of Gugu Dlamini as follows:

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At the end of discussing Gugu Dlaminis story ask the following questions:
zzWhat impact has this story had on you?
zzWhat forms of discrimination and stigma have you seen in your community and
what have been the relating issues?

Stigma a little deeper

Questions:

zzHow

have we experienced stigma in our lives? Have we been stigmatised due to

our race, gender, religion, caste, sexual orientation. Remember that stigma often
uses visual symbols to differentiate between what group is acceptable and what
group is not. These symbols are only surface and we deny ourselves the joy of really getting to know people because we have created barriers.
zzHow do we feel when we have been stigmatised?
Fear underlies stigma:
zzOf what are we afraid when we stigmatise people living with HIV?

If you have access to creative materials: scissors, paper, glue, paints, magazines
try the following exercise:
zzAsk questions 1 & 2 above.
zzThen ask participants to use the creative materials to make a collage, a piece
of art work that expresses their fears about HIV. They can either present this
to the group or simply hang it on the wall without comment.
zzThe purpose of the exercise is to name their fear. If fear is not named it will not
be recognised and we cannot work with it.

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Use flipchart paper to record peoples fears. Throughout the toolkit there are exercises to deal with these fears so simply recording them at this stage is good.

Gugu Dlamini is a HIV positive mother

She speaks out publicly about her status on the radio

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Members of the community hear this public declaration

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The community comes together and discusses what

they have just heard on the radio

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A mob attacks Gugu Dlamini for disclosing her status

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Gugu Dlamini

Other HIV positive people with in the

community chose not to disclose their
statue because they fear the same will
happen to them.

Her daughter is orphaned

A young woman is left to find her

place within the community that
killed her mother

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Reflection and Notes

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Reflection and Notes

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SAVE
TOOLKIT

A Practical Guide to the SAVE Prevention Methodology