Would You Treat Someone Differently If They Told You They Had AIDS?
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
September 23, 2011 8:21pm CST
The reason I mention this is that my Mum is due to work in yet another kitchen from next week..and she is working with someone who is a known AIDS sufferer.
Now, this poor woman has admitted she has AIDS but no-one in her old kitchen wants to work with her, hence her move into the kitchen she'll be working in with Mum.
I have no problem with this at all and neither does my Mum. Unfortunately, since Princess Diana died (she made a point of seeing AIDS victims and touching them in hospital) we've taken a step backwards in our understanding of HIV and AIDS and I really think the hard-hitting campaign that appeared on TV in the 80s should be brought back, as there are more sufferers now than they were then! Treatments have improved, of course but that shouldn't mean complacency should creep in...and ignorance is rife.
As for the women who refused to work with a lady who suffers from AIDS..well, shame on them.
What are your thoughts on this?
2 people like this
22 responses
@Masihi (4413)
• Canada
24 Sep 11
You can't get AIDS through even a romantic kiss, let a long a dry peck on the cheek.
@best2011 (210)
•
24 Sep 11
no, i will not treat them differently because afterall they are also human beign and they have commited mistake instead i wil hire them so that i can start a campaign in order to aware people of the dangerous diseases oof AIDS and HIV .. its better we should cooperate with them in order prevent more people from having it ..
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Sep 11
That's very compassionate of you and well thought-out.
@GardenGerty (157665)
• United States
24 Sep 11
I would work normally, just as I have with people who have other contagious things, things much more likely to spread with casual contact. I worked around a woman who had chronic MRSA that kept recurring. That is much more virulent than AIDS. We have had prejudice against people who have that as well. All people need to be careful of washing their hands, and being clean and using gloves when appropriate.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Sep 11
That's a shame about the lady with MRSA, that must be a horrible disease to contend with...for her I mean, dealing with it.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Sep 11
I feel the same way as you do, my friend.
1 person likes this
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
3 Oct 11
It is a shame that people have stepped back on how they view people who are HIV-positive.
I have a friend who's been touched by this disease. Unfortunately, he is half way around the world from me, so I could not personally show that my treatment of him hasn't changed (I still wouldn't lend him money, I still wouldn't let him drink too much, etc
).
Bless your Mum (and you too) for not letting other people's unfounded fears rule how to treat people.
).
Bless your Mum (and you too) for not letting other people's unfounded fears rule how to treat people.@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 Oct 11
Mum has been working with this lady (Marie) for a few days now. Understandably, due to her illness, she can be quite abrasive with people, so Mum lets a lot of it go over her head. However, today was a very good day as the boss has been round to the kitchen and sorted out their differences (which had nothing to do with the AIDS, I must stress) it was a work's matter. In actual fact, Mum now has fewer hours, doing the one job for the same pay as before. How lucky is that? I wish some of her luck would rub off onto me!
That'll teach 'em for trying to get rid of her earlier this year!
That'll teach 'em for trying to get rid of her earlier this year! @Masihi (4413)
• Canada
24 Sep 11
Since I grew up tolerant of the AIDS community, and being disabled myself (physical stuff, not AIDS) I just treat it as any other normal disablility, help the person when I can, be a friend, that sort of thing. I've been in contact with many people who had AIDS, and other disabled people, and so it's a normal thing for me.
I think it's horrible that people who doesn't have a disability or terminal illness sit and judge us people who are sick and disabled. We didn't ask to be in our respective conditions. It just happened to us.
I also think we should continue to educate the public that we also have feelings, and we also can do things just like the majority of public can do. And in the workplace of the woman with AIDS, perhaps the people she works with don't understand and are afraid of catching it. I could go on forever on this, but ya, I think there should be more tolerance and understanding on these types of issues.
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
24 Sep 11
there has been ONE - count it - ONE case transmitted by kissing and both parties had REALLY BAD dental health and I can't even imagine kissing anyone like that and they were... engaged (probably more but that was the story)... I think... its been like 30 years ago I heard that
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Sep 11
Hi Masihi. I like to think I'm not judgmental and it would be the worsed thing ever if someone told me I was. We just don't know - at the end of the day, how compassionate or tolerant we really are until we get to know someone REALLY WELL that has a disability or bad disease.
If anyone ever said anything bad to you I'd beat them up lol.
1 person likes this
@Masihi (4413)
• Canada
24 Sep 11
Aww you're so sweet!!! But I guess it's what we're exposed to, that sort of thing, sometimes people with a little-understood disability or terminal illness just don't know how to react or they have preconceived ideas.
At Elixbn - wow, bad dental health might have some infection or something in order to transmit the AIDS virus, I don't know much about dental health, though, unless there were some open sores as well, one never knows, I suppose.
But I guess it's what we're exposed to, that sort of thing, sometimes people with a little-understood disability or terminal illness just don't know how to react or they have preconceived ideas.
At Elixbn - wow, bad dental health might have some infection or something in order to transmit the AIDS virus, I don't know much about dental health, though, unless there were some open sores as well, one never knows, I suppose.
@tash01 (2030)
• Jamaica
14 Oct 11
I have known people with HIV,and i treat them the same way that i use to treat them.Touching a person can't make you get the virus,are holding hands.A lot of people are scared to talk to people who is HIV positive.
some people have treat Aids Victims bad and different,which is wrong.In-spite of their illness,they are all human been.
Some HIV person take their treatment,and some know what to do and not what to do.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
15 Oct 11
It's terrible when there is so much ignorance of this in the 21st Century..but at least people like your good self knows what's what.
@marguicha (215808)
• Chile
24 Sep 11
I think I would read about the subject if I had to work with them. I would like to know if some health and safety measures should be taken. For instance, since I am with chemo, all my visitors have to leave their shoes at the door because my defenses are low. I have clean house slippers for them to wear. Besides that, I have no problem at all.
@marguicha (215808)
• Chile
24 Sep 11
As I told you, it is no more and no less than what I would do with any kind of illness. Take care!
@TrvlArrngr (4045)
• United States
24 Sep 11
That is very sad. That is why people keep their illnesses to themselves. Then no one knows what people are suffering from.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Sep 11
Unfortunately the lady had to own up to the disease as you're supposed to in the workplace, I believe. Obviously, once her workmates found out they thought the worsed instead of actually sitting down and realising that rejecting this woman was DEFINITELY NOT the way to go.
They really need educating don't they?
@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
28 Sep 11
I don't see s problem with that at all. I can understand someones apprehension about it, but it's not like you're going to catch it working with someone. I believe someone with HIV is no different then someone with cancer. No one is afraid of a person with cancer, right? Well, I agree with you all the way. And yes they should bring back AIDS awareness.
@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
29 Sep 11
I don't think even having all the information at their finger tips will change anything with teenagers. I remember when I was a teenager, I also had raging hormones. So, teens will be teen no matter what. I do agree that, unlike when I was a teen, they do have every kind of information anyone could ever want. Although I do believe that the teens today are way ahead of us back then. But, they still need parental guidance.
@Nubein (20)
• United States
24 Sep 11
I think that people with AIDS shouldn't be treated different at all. I believe that people should go about each day as though every person they come into contact with has AIDS. In effect taking care to make sure and use proper protection and caution against all bodily fluids of others. As far as not wanting to work with someone with AIDS, there should be no problem since everyone is aware of it. I prefer knowing to not knowing.
@changjiangzhibin89 (16543)
• China
24 Sep 11
I admire deceased Princess Diana who was kind-hearted.I think that has to do with that she came from a populace family.Today it shouldn't be the time when one turned pale at the mere mention of AIDS.Our hearts must go out to AIDS sufferers rather than giving a wide berth to them .I have never run across them but I think I won't be upset once I meet them.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Sep 11
You may have met them without realising it my friend as they don't actually look any different..not until "near the end" like Freddie Mercury, bless 'im.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16543)
• China
25 Sep 11
It is hard to say.what I am frightened of most is blood transfusion among its three transmitting ways.
@sanofer (525)
• India
6 Oct 11
due to lack of awareness,people are thinking they will get hiv virus,if they touch the affected person.i will never do that wrong to the affected person.government must be responsible to teach how a person will get aids and it should conduct awareness camp to teach the reason and causes for aids.people should not be so rude towards the hiv people.
@jayvee089 (1)
• Philippines
24 Sep 11
For me if i will know if some of my close friend for example..I will really treat them differently..But i will treat him as the same but i will just be careful
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Sep 11
Careful..in what way? I don't really know what you mean.
@SViswan (12051)
• India
24 Sep 11
It's a universal problem and I know many people who would not like to work with a person suffering from AIDS. Personally, I wouldn't mind because I know AIDS is not going to be transmitted through touch or by being in the vicinity of a person suffering from the disease.
It's a shame that educated people still do not know much about AIDS and avoid people suffering from it.
I've heard of cases in India's most educated state where children were sent out of school because they had AIDS. They had already lost their parents to AIDS and the extended family did not support them either.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Sep 11
What a sad state of affairs. It seems we still have a long way to go. It's such a shame Princess Di isn't still with us. Knowing her she'd take all the children back into school again!
@blink182m (182)
• Philippines
24 Sep 11
We can really help it to act differently when someone who as AIDS. As we all know AIDS has still no cure. We try to treat them normal but then again its still a disease.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Sep 11
Cancer has no cure but if someone came in that had suddenly lost their hair no-one would bat an eyelid.
@allknowing (130102)
• India
24 Sep 11
It would be extremely difficult for me to ignore this fact as it will be there on my mind whenever that person would have something to do with me. Despite all the education one receives on the Net and elsewhere mixing and mingling with someone with AIDS is bound to make me behave differently. 
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Sep 11
But why should it? Even hugging someone with AIDS is fine. Princess Diana showed us this when she made a point of hugging and touching AIDS sufferers in hospital. If she could do it I'm sure everyone else could too, including you.
@ronadelle (1547)
• Philippines
24 Sep 11
Oh my! Is that true? A woman refused to work with her? Well, really, shame on her. That's not a good attitude! For me, yes, only ignorant people will have that kind of attitude upon knowing that somebody at work suffers from AIDS. They thought that they will be infected, but come on! It's not an airborne disease! I just hope that the woman is just okay above all this. I pray that she move on with life and make people realize how it is to live normally even having this illness. May God see her through.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Sep 11
It wasn't just one woman, it was a few, apparently..her workmates! Instead of them being told to move kitchens she was instead! This doesn't seem fair to me but I suppose it was easier moving one person on than a few.
One thing's for sure. She'll get along famously with my Mum as she is the least judgmental person you could meet. She is due to work in her kitchen from next week.
I shall let you all know how they get on.
@cowgirl03051979 (918)
• United States
24 Sep 11
well it depends on what my relationship with that person is i mean if it were a man i was interested in dating then yes i would treat him differently (not trying to sound shallow but i mean come on...can you blame me even if yall dont admit it i know yall would do the same thing wrether or not yall have the guts to admit it or not) but if they are just a friend then no i would not treat them differently there would be no reason to just because they have aids that does not change their personality that made me want to be their friend in the first place i would be there for them and help them as much as i could
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Sep 11
It would make no difference to me whether I had a relationship with the person or not. I'm not that shallow.
@THINKANDDONE28 (33)
• China
24 Sep 11
Hi,Janey1966.i haven't meet that kinds of issue .But i think i will treat him as well as others.It is really sad for him to had AIDS.In my opinion,we should try our best to give help,love and sympathy to him.
