Abstract
This study aims to understand how patriarchal discourse could influence the processes of stigmatization of Puerto Rican women living with HIV/AIDS (WHA) and how this could negatively affect adherence to treatment in this population. This study is a secondary analysis of data from a larger project addressing behavioral manifestations of HIV/AIDS stigma. Three focus groups of WHA (n = 32) were analyzed. Verbalizations were related to: a) blame towards WHA for not using protection during intercourse, b) HIV/AIDS as a punishment for WHA as a result of other «promiscuous» women that came in contact with their partners, and c) stigma associated to infection via unclean needle sharing for intravenous drugs use due to WHA «not being in their house». Stigma towards WHA was related to the mean of infection, being more relevant those linked to patriarchal discourses that prevail in Puerto Rican society. The verbalizations point to an HIV stigmatizing discourse towards the feminine body enmeshed in patriarchal notions of how women should behave. Social stigmatization of HIV/AIDS should be reassessed from a gender perspective in research as well as interventions with WHA.
Highlights
Grupos de la comunidad lésbica, gay, bisexual, transexual y transgénero (LGBTT), los transgresores de la ley y aquellos/as que sufren condiciones físicas y mentales han enfrentado retos impuestos por las nociones estigmatizantes socialmente construidas
This study aims to understand how patriarchal discourse could influence the processes of stigmatization of Puerto Rican women living with HIV/AIDS (WLHA) and how this could negatively affect adherence to treatment in this population
Finalmente, se hace imperativo que estudios abordando el VIH/SIDA consideren las tensiones entre los elementos culturales y sociales al interior de la propagación de la infección en la población de mujeres, con especial atención aquellos grupos culturalmente atados al discurso patriarcal, como lo son los grupos Latinos
Summary
Grupos de la comunidad lésbica, gay, bisexual, transexual y transgénero (LGBTT), los transgresores de la ley y aquellos/as que sufren condiciones físicas y mentales han enfrentado retos impuestos por las nociones estigmatizantes socialmente construidas. Este trabajo busca comprender cómo elementos del discurso patriarcal matizan los procesos de estigmatización en las mujeres que viven con VIH/SIDA y como ello pudiera incidir negativamente en el tratamiento de esta población.
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