As an African woman, having a white Dutch husband and mixed kids, I want to share my experience towards Black Lives Matter. In 13 years in the Netherlands, I have come across many facets of discrimination. I mostly talk about issues in relation to HIV stigma and discrimination, but today I choose to share this experience. Not so long ago, I used to take my youngest child to school by bicycle. Crossing a busy road for a young child is dangerous so I would put him in my transport bike and bring him to school myself. Like many other parents I would use a narrow path as a shortcut to school with...
HIVstigmafighter's blog
Before we even heard of COVID-19, people living with HIV or AIDS were already facing stigma and discrimination as I experienced and shared with you regularly with healthcare providers throughout the years. Many more people started facing stigma when COVID-19 came along in many ways, and this made things for people living with HIV or AIDS even worse. I would like to share my experience during this period and how I overcame the stigma and helped the healthcare provider to open up her eyes and take into account what her actions can mean for others. In January I needed to do a CT scan and they...
Today I was invited to celebrate International Women's Day in Culemborg. Foundation Intercultureel Vrouwen Culemborg (DIVC) organized a party with the theme "Freedom". The event started at 13h with a speech from the municipal councillor of culture. Then a poem read by a poet from Culemborg. Throughout the programme there were many different performances from different cultures, choirs, bellydancers and fashion shows. I was there to share my story: HIV and Freedom. This was a story of living through 17 challenging years with HIV. You know that I am always ready to take any opportunity to fight...
From my place of silence I choose the path of freedom By speaking out the hidden truth Regarding you, HIV virus! Why walk the endless journey? The fulfillment my life was missing Was to be free from the corner of darkness, Free from this silence, which continues to kill Many HIV positive people! Yes, medication can help, But living a secret causes more stress! Living a lie was putting me under depression, Wearing the mask to pretend nothing is going on It confused me till I almost lost my confidence! And there was no pride in hiding behind this mask. There was a day when I told the World my...
Today, together with councillor Tigelaar, I unveiled the crying woman here in Amersfoort.