5.2 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
5.2.4 THEME FOUR: USING THE ARCHIVE FOR CHANGE IN THE
5.2.4.2 Revisiting cultural norms
Participants felt it was important to use the visual data in the digital archive as it had potential to remind them of other issues some of which are culturally embedded and obstruct HIV prevention. Culture, the development of HIV prevention, and treatment programmes should go hand in hand to address HIV-related stigma (Resnicow, Dilorio,
& Davis, 2008). The idea of wearing gloves when working with your family could be constructed as negative unless hygiene and infection is clearly understood as below:
…Mr XXX told me that they were talking about an experience where a member of the family (caregiver) used gloves [when caring for an HIV positive family member]… it was interpreted as a negative thing [by the sick person]… so that further tells, that it depends on the way people are socialised…
The participant further elaborated that hygiene is relative depending on context:
…we can talk about simple things like go wash your hands before you eat, it‟s a hygiene thing like wash your hands after you have used the toilet …
…I think it will rest upon the socialisation and upbringing...the challenge therefore to us perhaps…is that we start talking about these hygienic things…
These findings concur with Pekarsky‟s (2009) suggestion that individuals and groups are represented in each culture structures and shape the attitudes of its members.
However, Vygotsky (1978) argues that culture can be challenged and can adapt to new things. Similarly, participants saw that the digital archive has the potential to challenge behaviours which impact on the understanding of HIV-related stigma. Therefore, the digital archive can be used as a tool to challenge cultural norms which exacerbate stigma.
Stigma
Participants noted the importance of understanding stigma, as educators, before they can design lessons using the archive to address the problem. One participant said:
Firstly I [educator] have to understand what is stigma and then show them the picture…then would make them look at the picture in their discussion they have to think of the people with HIV how did the community treat the people and then using the pictures they have to make their own opinions their ideas how they should treat people with HIV.
While others concurred that:
…we still have that challenge that we need to address but we need some deep means of how to address such questions of stigma to learners...
…As an educator do we have a challenge of making them [learners], or of making their families comforting maybe we should do a lot or do quite a lot of things…
Other studies aimed at addressing HIV-related stigma reveal that education influences stigma and discrimination. A study carried out by Phaswana-Mafuya and Peltzer (2006), shows that those who had at least grade 12 were less stigmatising. In rural areas where education levels are lower, educators will have to be creative in addressing the issue.
Gender
The participants suggested using the digital archive in educational campaigns to
encourage both females and males to talk about the disease. A photograph [Figure 5.7]
from the digital archive which shows a male „hanging‟ himself could be used to lead discussions about the gendered nature of the disease.
…On rare occasions it would be men and they would say I should not tell their wives...Everyone is still afraid to confide their status to many people but I can use it to show that female can go for testing and they are always willing to come out but men do not easily accept... That is why you see the rate of suicide in men is very high in men. Once a man finds out he is positive goes straight with a rope and hangs himself in a tree...
…May be to look at the picture and say why females are usually beaten by their boyfriends…I was just thinking of a campaign, educational campaign directed to males so that they are as accepting as females then the gospel spreads…
Figure 5.7: Ltph014 from the Learning Together digital archive
The participants also considered the possibility of using the digital archive to address the plight of females who are victimised when they reveal their status. Some participants thought of using photographs which show the extent of gender-based violence.
Figure 5.8: Ltph025 from the Learning Together digital archive
…About picture number 25 where by a girl is beaten by male student because of her HIV positive status. The male is claiming that it is the female student that has brought the disease…
…The second one, umh, is a pregnant, young pregnant female learner with the boy who is refusing paternity…
And another participant thought:
…it‟s a question of just disclosing your status to someone you trust. In this situation, you find this guy in picture number 14 where you just hang himself or committing suicide because there was no one to talk to…
A female participant suggested:
…I can advise [learners] that anyone can be HIV positive and transmit to other sexual partners. It does not have to be a male or a female…
Often, females are the ones who bring HIV issues to the attention of their partners; they are the ones who get information about their HIV status, for example, in pre-natal cases (c.f. 2.2.3). They are also often blamed for bringing the disease into the relationship, or protect their partners (by carrying the blame) because they are dependent on them (Nyblade et al., 2003). Moreover, behaviour change strategies that are likely to be most effective in reducing the spread of HIV and AIDS, namely condom use and faithfulness to a single partner, are strategies which women do not have control over. This further exacerbates the stigma attached to women in that even if they would have condoms for protection they are labeled as sex seekers (Campbell, 2003). This highlights the importance, even more so in rural communities, of addressing gender issues which hinder effective prevention and treatment.