One point the author makes is that AIDS related activities/endeavors must be linked to empowering poor women. This is not simply about self esteem, but more so about giving poor women the ability to take control of their lives.
Reading this point of view surprised me because I would have never connected AIDS related endeavors to feminism, or at least not in this way. Typically when hearing about AIDS related activities I think of either treatment and prevention itself or rallies. It never occurred to me that I typically don't hear about those affected, especially the women (I usually hear about middle class homosexual men and impoverished children). That being said, I always thought people were more focused on the bigger picture or the future of AIDS. Preventing its spread or lessening current pain. But now I find it foolish and wrong to not think about how, in this case, poor women feel about their lives. Having this disease may make them feel like they have even less control over their life and without access to medication or help due to their social status, there isn't much they can do. They’re overlooked and often voiceless in the rallies because they're seen as less important in ‘the big picture’ that is prevention.
Another thing this point of view made me realize is that I don't typically think of empowerment as anything beyond self esteem. When I hear ‘empowering women,’ I think of sexual liberation and building confidence. This is due to colonial/western feminism that typically does equate freedom with sexual liberation. By defining empowerment of women with terms like owning property and having control of their life, it became even more clear how feminism relates to all aspects of life, not simply social justice problems. Feminism becomes political and an asset in a fully functioning society. Sexual liberation and confidence, whatever that looks like from person to person, is important for the individual. But providing women with the authority to have control over their lives is important for the world.
The author’s argument that empowering women should be central to AIDS related endeavors has appeared many times to me outside of the classroom. The main thing it made me think of, thought not specifically AIDS related, is how significant of a positive impact on a country education of women has. It lessens infant mortality, can lower the population, better the economy, and many other things. The emphasis on the education of women and this form of empowerment, and not simply stating that they should ‘get more freedoms/liberation,’ is vital to making actual changes in countries that are suffering.
A question I have is why aren't more countries taking the steps Brazil took that made it possible to offer free AIDS medication?
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