Beware AIDS buzzwords : they misinform, insult, and promote ignorance

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Beware AIDS Buzzwords: They misinform, insult, and promote ignorance. Jody Powell, former White House press secretary, has identified the following terms as "buzzwords"
that either should not be used by reporters or that require explanation. His comments are taken from You Can Do Something About AIDS, published by The Stop AIDS Project, Boston, Mass., 1988.

Term
Bodily fluids

Problem
".. .should never be used without an explanation of which bodily fluids actually contain the HIV virus in concentrations sufficient to transmit the disease... Sweat, saliva, and tears are all bodily fluids, but do not carry a threat of HIV infection. Reports on AIDS should make it clear that semen, vaginal fluids, and blood are the concern here."

General population

".. .artificially divides the American people into those who have the disease and those who do not. Everyone who has AIDS—regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender, or how they were exposed to the virus—is part of the 'general population.'"

High risk groups

".. .implies that some kind of demographic trait, rather than behavioral practice, is reponsible for AIDS exposure."
APPROPRIATE TERM: High risk behavior

AIDS victims

"People with AIDS are not victims; they are people struggling to live normal lives in the face of a fatal disease. We don't refer to people with other diseases as victims..."
MOST PREFERABLE PHRASE: People with AIDS

HIV virus vs. "AIDS"

"Many people still confuse exposure to the HIV virus with the disease itself. More than one million people are believed to have been exposed to the virus; some fifty thousand actual cases have been reported*
Coverage should always explain the difference."

Condoms

"Reports recommending condom use to reduce the risk of HIV exposure should clearly state that latex condoms with a spermicide are preferable (natural lamb condoms may not provide the necessary protection)."

Intimate sexual contact

"...a polite phrase that doesn't tell the reader anything useful (many people regard kissing and fondling as intimate). Certain sexual practices—especially unprotected anal intercourse—are known to pose a much greater chance of HIV transmission than others. News articles should make this clear."

The AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power (ACT UP) feels that the following terms also pose problems.


Innocent victims

A term sometimes applied to children with AIDS or those who contracted AIDS through blood transfusions; a value judgment that implies that some people with AIDS may be guilty of something. "Victims" is also a problem (see above).

AIDS carrier

The term "carrier" is reminiscent of the typhoid hysteria of the 1920s, and can incite similar reactions.
APPROPRIATE TERMS: HIV (antibody)-positive person or person with AIDS (depending on condition).

AIDS activism vs. gay rights

AIDS activist groups are sometimes incorrectly called gay rights groups. While some AIDS activists also campaign for gay rights, and some issues may overlap, the two subjects should not be confused.

Having sex

Also vague; see "Intimate sexual contact" (above).

If you have questions about terms on this list or any others, call the ACT UP Media Committee at 212- 989-1114
*Outdated figures

The AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power ACT UP