"Temptation," Tyler Perry, and the Law: Perpetuating Negative Stigmas of HIV

Tyler Perry's newest film, "Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor" opened recently, and is being highly criticized for its alleged use of HIV as a "punishment" for the adulterous characters. A  now viral open letter to Perry penned by a minister living with HIV calls the film a "moral play" and alleges that in the end of the film, the people with HIV are alone, ugly, and being punished for their "sins," while the people who have not cheated on their spouses are healthy, beautiful and happy. Whether or not you agree with the minister's opinion of the film, this recent upheaval begs another, deeper question: Does the media, or even the law, often perpetuate negative HIV stigmas?

Having worked as an HIV tester and counselor for several years, I have seen many lives affected by this virus. Obviously, not very person who contracts HIV leads a reckless lifestyle, and even if they do, they certainly do not "deserve" any sort of "punishment" for their alleged sins. It is true that there are certain lifestyle risk factors that are taken into account to determine if someone is high-risk or low-risk of contracting HIV, but the HIV community encompasses all races, genders, sexual orientations, classes, and education levels. Many positive strides in education and medical advancement have been made in the U.S. as well as abroad since the 90's, when HIV was viewed as an epidemic of sorts, to ensure that this virus is no longer is "death sentence."

Shereen El-Feki's "TED Talk" eloquently explains how it is not only the media, but international laws from many different countries that are perpetuating a negative stigma in association with HIV. There are countries that will arrest, detain, and even extradite citizens and visitors who have contracted the virus as part of a "public health concern" initiative. Laws like this not only cause more pain to those living openly with HIV, but push HIV underground. People could be more afraid to get tested. They may also not want to be treated, for fear of backlash. El-Feki's speech inspired me to develop a deeper understanding of international laws and how they affect those living with the virus on a global scale. In law school, I wrote my thesis on the pros and cons of criminalization of HIV transmission here in the state of Florida, and how some our own local laws do more than harm than good. I agree with Ms. El-Feki that a new method that focuses on education and prevention would likely be more effective than this rather outdated method of "punishment."

With films like "Temptation" and laws similar to those described by Ms. El-Feki, it clear that there is still much work to be done in order to combat not only the actual HIV virus, but the misinformation and negative stigmas that come along with it.