Discussion ranged from social stigma to prison culture on Monday during the third “Pizza and Policy” lunchtime gathering sponsored by the African American Studies department. Algernon Austin, Former Professor of Sociology and founder of the Thora Institute, Social Science Serving Black America, moderated the discussion titled, “The AIDS Crisis in Black America.”
Attendees attempted to isolate social, cultural, economic, and institutional practices to account for the daunting AIDS and HIV infection rates among African Americans.
“The AIDS rate among black Americans is ten times that of white Americans,” Austin said in his opening.
He went on to explain that African Americans are the only minority for which AIDS is one of the top ten leading causes of death, and lamented the silence that usually surrounds the issue.
“It should be one of the top news stories about blacks,” he said. “[…] The good news is that AIDS is preventable […] Consistent use of condoms and other prophylactics will do the trick.”
Anne duCille, Professor of English and African American Studies, cited the dangers of this cultural silence. In duCille’s view, often those in the best position to enact change are ignorant or silent on the topic. She specifically referred to the 2004 vice presidential debate when moderator Gwen Eiffel raised the issue of high infection rates among African American women. Dick Cheney claimed that it was the first he had heard of the issue.
Austin’s call for greater AIDS activism, including testing, education, and increased condom use lead to a questioning of the effectiveness of current sexual education, which proved a lodestone for the discussion.
“[Schools] give you all the education, but it doesn’t seem like anyone really pays attention,” said Zack Alexander ’07. Alexander attributed the ineffectiveness of contraceptive training to the repetitiveness of the subject matter.
Dana Raviv ’06 agreed, and likened sexual education to the D.A.R.E. program about drugs that was proven a greater impetus to the use of drugs than a deterrent. Maggie Starr ’06 and Evan Barton ’08 echoed her suggestions when Starr likened AIDS education to the anti-smoking campaign, and Barton claimed that some people take the risk anyway. Raviv suggested breaking up the regularity and monotony of the message by making it more personal and personally threatening.
“What exactly is the method taken to educate people?” she said.
Associate Professor of History, African American Studies, American Studies and Chair of the African American Studies department Renée Romano warned against radically dire tactics due to their ability to water-down the message.
“It’s so alarmist that you think it’s counterproductive,” she said.
Several cited cultural stigmas as the largest hurdle that education must overcome. Starr suggested that AIDS and HIV are often associated with social dissidence, thus leading many to consider themselves “safe” if they avoid such groups. Similarly, Romano referred to recent newspaper articles detailing the behaviors of black men living “on the down low”—men who consider themselves heterosexual but engage in sex with men. Both she and Austin claimed that, in addition to its inflammatory connotations, using these men as scapegoats deflected and isolated the issue.
Moreover, Austin explained that the “down low” group is probably small and only a part of the problem. In determining how someone contacted the virus, The Center for Disease Control can only rely on the information given to interviewers.
The point proved resonant when Austin noted that infection rates in prisons are nine times that of the civilian population. Even these numbers remain illusive since many prisoners are not contacted upon release and condoms are contraband in prison despite the institutionalization of rape.
Barton wondered if the problem was indigenous to the black community or socioeconomic class in general. Romano also thought these patterns deserved attention in order to tailor solutions to the communities most heavily affected.
“Clearly there’s been a shift in the demographic [from the 1980s to now],” she said.
Throughout the meeting, Austin stressed the importance of early testing for better treatment and for prevention.
“Blacks need to make sure they get the kind of medical care whites get,” he said.
Community involvement is another key, he claimed. Austin readily agreed with Barton’s suggestion that black churches get more involved in preventative measures, and proposed testing entire congregations to try to diffuse stigma and foster a climate of awareness.
“I’m sorry to have lost Algernon Austin as a Wesleyan colleague, but I’m grateful for and applaud the important work he has undertaken in public policy,” duCille said.
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