Rural African men make macho AIDS claim

Some rural African men claim to have AIDS, believing it is an indicator of their masculinity and sexual prowess, found University of Alberta researchers.

Some rural African men claim to have AIDS, believing it is an indicator of their masculinity and sexual prowess, found University of Alberta researchers.Dr. Amy Kaler found a high number of sexually active Malawian young men say they are HIV-positive, without having any medical evaluation or signs of AIDS.”They assume, first, that it is everywhere and will eventually kill everyone and second, that AIDS is extremely infective and that if one has been exposed to the virus, one’s days are numbered,” said Kaler.Boys in school argue with their teachers that there’s no point in studying because no one will be alive in five years, according to Kaler.The study, published in Social Science and Medicine and Demographic Research, said not only did men associate manliness with HIV, but a particular idea of masculinity is used to justify continuing risky sexual behavior, such as having multiple partners or not using condoms, because the man believes he has already contracted the virus. (Source: University of Alberta, United Health, July 2004)