The State Coordinator of HIV and AIDS (Cesida) has launched "Language as a Vehicle of Stigma," a sensitization campaign conceived and led by people with HIV that aims to curb the use of stigmatizing language and hate speech.
Through various videos disseminated on social media, the proposal highlights how words can fuel stigma, but also become a tool to dismantle prejudices, foster empathy, and confront discrimination.
As Cesida points out, the campaign arises in a context where messages of hate, serophobia, and ignorance of scientific evidence about HIV continue to circulate on social media and in the media. In the face of discourses that promote fear, rejection, or blame, the participating individuals formulate their own messages to challenge preconceived ideas and discriminatory attitudes.
"In Spain, we no longer say 'The early bird catches the worm'; we say 'The blood tests, from eight to ten'." This example illustrates the central creative resource of the videos, which use humor and the reformulation of common expressions to bring their experiences closer to the public and encourage reflection on the language used.
Filmed in various everyday settings, such as health centers, the pieces also incorporate real examples of hate messages and discriminatory comments collected on social media. These are expressions directed both at people with HIV and at others who are associated with the virus based on prejudices. Additionally, the videos provide information based on scientific evidence and include an invitation to get tested for HIV.
Cesida emphasizes that the direct involvement of people with HIV has been key since the conception of the campaign. After a first training session with a communication professional and a second practical session, a focus group made up of people with HIV has designed the content with the support of Cesida.
Throughout this process, it has been studied how language contributes to reproducing stigma and how it conditions the perception that a person has of themselves and those around them. Likewise, the potential of language as an instrument to transform realities and combat discriminatory contexts has been worked on. All this with the aim of raising awareness that, despite the persistence of stigmatizing language towards certain groups, anyone can be exposed to the transmission of the virus.
This methodology seeks to promote the empowerment of people with HIV, reinforcing their ability to create their own messages and participate in public debate. The people involved are authors and protagonists of a proposal that claims their right to decide how they wish to be represented and to actively intervene in the transformation of the discourses that condition their lives.
The campaign "Language as a Vehicle of Stigma," articulated through the common thread "In Spain, we no longer say," is integrated into the project "Action Against HIV-Associated Stigma," funded by the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption, and Agenda 2030 of the Government of Spain, through the call for grants for activities of general interest considered of social interest.