Women In and out of the Shadows
by Andrea de Lange
A
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrea de Lange is an HIV positive activist. She has been featured in interviews with publications such as Oprah magazine. She speaks openly about navigating dating with HIV and the importance of spirituality in her relationship with her illness.
W
WOMEN IN AN OUT OF THE SHADOWS
Read by Jaewon
Women in the shadows
Delivering messages to faces unseen
Secret identities conveying knowledge
Hopefully enlightening those
Who are fearful of the unknown
Life in a shadow can be a very lonely existence
But we are not the only ones
The ignorant flee the light like cockroaches
Scurrying towards the nearest darkened cranny
But knowledge is light
And they needn't be afraid
For the brighter the light shines
The more the silhouetted females
Can scream their existence on this planet
And bare their faces
As they have their souls
For both are things of beauty
Which should never be eclipsed
Five long years have elapsed
And much has changed…
Out of the shadows and into the light
We tentatively step
Like butterflies emerging from a cocoon
After the long cold hiding
In our self-imposed prisons
Out of the darkness and into the sun
The lid has been lifted
From our silk-covered coffins
We unfold our wings
How we've longed for this day
So long we have waited
And crept in the shadows
Shackled by ignorance
Watching and waiting
For the time to arrive
And now we are dancing
The colors embrace us
The light helps restore us
Helps reclaim our power
Helps to soften the pain
T
THEMES
Advocacy and Activism
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Traditionally, those with HIV have been silenced and ignored. In some countries, those affected by HIV are even criminalized because of their homosexuality, drug use, or engagement in transactional sex [1]. Because of this, advocacy has been vital to the progress in preventing and treating of HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, advocacy and activism are vital to diminishing stigma and discrimination, which are major barriers to treatment. Strong leadership development is needed for the next generation of those in the HIV/AIDS public health field to push progress forward [2].
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[1] International HIV/AIDS Alliance, “Policy and Advocacy” N.d.
http://www.aidsalliance.org/about/policy-and-advocacy
[2] Szekeres, G., Coates, T., Ehrhardt, A., “Leadership Development and HIV/AIDS,” January 22, 2010.