SURNAME 1

AIDS research

Institution

Student’s name

Instructor

Course title

Date

AIDS research

Introduction

Research conducted in all the seven continents of the world reveal that AIDS is the

leading cause of death globally. Most researches on AIDS are funded by the national health

insurance funds in liaison with other non-governmental organizations. Scientists occasionally

investigate the scope of infection, ways of preventing attack and spread, and outline their

causative agents. It is believed that HIV originated in central Africa, initially simian

immunodeficiency virus, an infection that affected chimpanzees and was passed to human beings

when they hunted the wild animal for meat.

According to Lawrence Gostin, majority of the people suffering from AIDS globally are

women who are more susceptible and vulnerable to attack due to poor living conditions, poorly

equipped healthcare centers, and gender discrimination. Lawrence argues that the infection

causes severe pains and death but also influences social values and norms to great depths. He

states that the virus has widely exposed the unethical practices of hatred, fear and discrimination.

Gostin states that AIDS was initially referred to as the gay cancer since people associated it with
 SURNAME 2

homosexuality (Gostin, 87). As a result, the animosity and hatred for gays increased as they were

openly segregated and rebuked. Lawrence Gostin argues that the virus has fueled racial

discrimination as the virus was believed to attack the black populations especially Africans.

Blacks living in white man lands were subjected to unnecessary stigmatization and

discrimination as they were believed to be socially and economically inactive unlike their

counterparts.

Prostitution

Sex work, commonly known as prostitution has currently became a global issue despite

being illegal in many nations. Most sex workers are women but there are men and transgender

individuals who operate underground. Sex workers have significantly higher probabilities of

contracting HIV infection compared to the general population. Research reveals that sex workers

respond positively to AIDS control and prevention programmes than the general population.

Some people indulge themselves into prostitution out of will while others are compelled by

economic and social circumstances. Violence and human trafficking are linked to sex work as

victims are coerced to start prostitution. Sex workers are more vulnerable to contracting aids

since racial segregation may make them to undermine their effectiveness of pursuing legal

remedies against gender based violence.

Gayism and lesbianism

Gays and lesbians have a greater risk of contracting HIV than people who have sex with

people of different orientations. Most people under this category hide their sexual orientation due

to societal segregation and fear of being despised in the community. As a result, such people
 SURNAME 3

rarely seek medical attention when sick and are most likely able to ignore AIDS prevention

measures due to the discrimination of their sexual orientation.

Women

Women are more vulnerable to contracting AIDS than men due to gender discrimination

and limited chances of accessing medical treatments. Economic status of women influences their

healthcare lifestyles as most of them lack the financial requirement needed to access medical

care unlike men who can solely provide for themselves. Traditionally, women were assigned

domestic responsibilities, an aspect that minimizes their chances of seeking medical attention in

case they contract HIV.

Sexual Harassment and gender based Violence

The issue of Gender based violence and sexual harassment in the society [redispose

women to attack by AIDS. These acts cause women physiological, economic, social, and mental

trauma as most are forced to tolerate forced sex. Research shows that women who are dominated

by their spouses are most likely vulnerable to contracting AIDS than those who live freely with

their partners.

Fauci is a renowned scientist whose career has been built upon conducting AIDS

research. In 2020, Fauci and his team of scientists began looking for a vaccine to cure AIDS but

they encountered several obstacles that limited the effectiveness and success of the research. Due

to his remarks concerning the LGBT community, Fauci was attacked relentlessly by AIDS

activists like Larry Kramer, who called him a “pill-pushing” person for using medical terms to

gain recognition. Azidothymidine (AZT) was developed in the 1960s by an American scientist as

a medication to thwart cancer. The medicine was designed in a way that it could enter the DNA
 SURNAME 4

of an individual and mess with the ability of cancerous cells to duplicate. However, it was tested

in mice and failed, an act that led to its abandonment by the government.

The adoption of the class privilege and white privilege in the process of compacting the

contracting and spread of AIDS had a negative implication on the society. The white privilege

was castigated and undermined for silencing other people’s cultural practices and beliefs for it

focused on dealing with the whites only (Bridges, 449). White counselors often silenced and

segregated others openly, an aspect that undermined intercultural relations and strengthened

racial discrimination in America.

 SURNAME 5

Works cited

Bridges, Khiara M. "White privilege and white disadvantage." Va. L. Rev. 105 (2019): 449.

Gostin, Lawrence O. The AIDS pandemic: Complacency, injustice, and unfulfilled expectations.

Univ of North Carolina Press, 2005.