HIV-AIDS as a moral concern

Tomorrow is World AIDS Day. So far in 2018, as many as 32 Filipinos have been diagnosed with HIV-AIDS not throughout the year but every single day. This alarming rate has given the Philippines one of the “fastest-growing” HIV epidemics in the Asia-Pacific region, as the Department of Health itself has described. And that’s only based on individuals who were tested; there could be plenty more cases that remain undiscovered or unreported.

It’s hardly a wonder how our nation, which traditionally shies away from sensitive topics like AIDS and sexuality, has come to this disturbing point. While sexual health is not the sole factor in HIV-AIDS, it is a major facet of this infection—a facet that we are too reluctant to understand. We are brought up to associate anything remotely related to sex with the immoral, the indecent, the improper. Thus, we avoid directly and pragmatically talking about sexual health, obscuring it instead in vague superstitions and rusty jokes.

It’s tough to debate about morality itself, but if it boils down to our principles of what is right and wrong, then perhaps this epidemic should make us reconsider something about what is “moral” or “decent” or “proper.” Now that thousands of Filipinos are HIV-infected, what doesn’t seem moral anymore is our refusal to rationally address it. Our unwillingness to learn and talk about sexual health is no longer a decent choice. On the contrary, it is harmful, because it keeps us ignorant and vulnerable to misconceptions about HIV and health at large.

The Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) cites lack of knowledge as a factor in the upsurge of infections. The National Demographic and Health Survey illustrates this year after year, showing dismal figures in AIDS awareness. In fact, between 2007 and 2017, young women’s comprehensive knowledge about HIV prevention decreased by a point, despite the plethora of information that’s readily available about the infection.

At this point, wouldn’t it be more morally compelling to open ourselves up to an informed, rational conversation on HIV-AIDS? For one, doing so would help us understand the condition and make smart decisions around it. This not only enables us to protect our own individual health, but also prevents the further spread of the infection.

In addition, the more educated and broadminded we are about AIDS, the better access we have to preventive measures and healthcare options. Take condoms, for instance. PNAC director Dr. Joselito Feliciano described how some Filipinos feel too ashamed to buy condoms because Pinoy culture still considers it disgraceful. Likewise, there persists a stigma in getting HIV testing or treatment. This misplaced shame will continue to hinder Filipinos unless we turn sensible about the issue.

And, equally as important, the more educated and broadminded we are about AIDS, the sooner we can get rid of our prejudice against those who are battling it. It’s easier to be a good neighbor when we’re not, for example, wrongly afraid of contracting a virus through a simple handshake or a shared meal.

To be educated and broadminded about AIDS is not to condone promiscuity and depravity. It’s not even to promote sexual activity per se. We can talk about AIDS while staying abstinent. We can talk about AIDS while staying true to our religious convictions. The HIV-AIDS conversation is not about abandoning these.

It’s about science-based information, and about rational, judgment-free treatment of the subject. It’s about age-appropriate but clear-cut discussions. It’s about parents guiding their teens, and about young adults making informed decisions.

Here’s a time when the “proper” thing to do is not to remain tight-lipped but to ask, read, learn and discuss. When we finally overcome our traditional reservations, when we finally take logical steps to protect our bodies, help others protect theirs, and keep caring for those who have contracted the infection—that’s when we’re doing what’s right.

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