Blogging Positively: A Citizen Media 101 on HIV/AIDS

categories: HIV/AIDS, International Gay Rights, LGBT Health Care, LGBT Tech News

Published August 27, 2009 @ 03:09PM PT

HIV/AIDS

What do you get when you combine a network of bloggers seeking to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic in a meaningful way online? The answer is Blogging Positively, a collection of case studies, interviews, and tips about citizen media related to HIV/AIDS.

Blogging Positively links together over 200 different bloggers from around the world - from India to Argentina to Burma, the United States, Australia and Canada - blogging about the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and the role that online writers and netroots activists can play in mobilizing around public health efforts to combat the disease.

Brian Finch from Canada's "Acid Reflux" blog/blog reality show sums up the significance of Blogging Positively pretty concisely.

"The Internet facilitates technological activism. It gives control and voice to the individual, to express onself in the way he or she deems fit. It is taking back power, creating a voice that is not defined by others. Personally, it is a way to define myself outside of the small box of HIV, to exist outside of the disease paradigm," writes Finch. "The more people are writing openly about their status, the more other people will see that they too can take risks. An online, 'open' presence serves as a role model for others."

Blogging Positively is a role model. It's a unique capacity building resource that draws together blogs, podcasts, and online photo and video sites to create new powerful opportunities for activists aiming to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS, and end the social stigma all too often associated with the disease.

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Comments (1)

Blogging Postively is doing the correct thing to raise the seriousness of HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS can be effectively tackled on a global basis if it's treated that, thus Blogging Postively will spread the truth on HIV/AIDS to countries where myths on it still somewhat have of a hold. "Acid Reflux" has a correct model for peope telling their stories with living on HIV/AIDS, which is a good way to prevent increases in those diseases.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 08/27/2009 @ 07:48PM PT
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Author

Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.