Irene Montero points out that the institutions were not «at the height»Of those infected by HIV and ask for forgiveness
La Minister of Equality, Irene Montero, has asked forgiveness, on behalf of the Government, to the collective LGTBI for him "thunderous silence»Of the institutions against HIV and because of the stigma and prejudices they have had to face since 40 years ago the first diagnosis of this disease was registered in Spain.
He has done so during his intervention in the institutional act on the occasion of the World day against AIDS, which is celebrated on 1 from December, who are "Action = Life. 40 years of survival and activism LGTBI versus HIV«, Organized by the General Directorate of Sexual Diversity and LGTBI Rights and CESIDA.
«It is up to us as a Government to ask for forgiveness and to thank you for your resistance, struggle and mobilization to obtain those resources that they denied you, your courage to make it visible and tear apart that painful and implacable social stigma.«, Said the Minister of Equality.
Huntsman has remembered that they have just met 40 years since the first HIV diagnosis in Spain, in October 1981, a year in which the country had barely emerged from the decriminalization of homosexuality and at a time when the crime of public scandal «weighed on the visibility, bodies and life stories of LGTBI people«.
Tireless struggle of LGTBI activism
During her speech, the minister stressed the silence "thunderous»Maintained by the administrations during«too»Time, highlighting that it was thanks to the«tireless fight»From activists LGTBI that investment was achieved, for the first time, in research for these treatments. Along these lines, he reminded people that for a long time only «they had the coat»From this community«that he had to dedicate all his efforts to save his own and also to see them die and accompany them in that death«.
When the group began to enjoy sexual freedom, many of their lives were marked by an unknown virus that was surrounded by a lack of information and response from the institutions, something that threatened to destroy the few steps of freedom that they were possible, the minister lamented.
«Today, as a Government, I believe that we must ask for forgiveness to all those people, to the tens of thousands of fatalities for whom the medical solution did not arrive in time«, And their partners, who could not see their rights recognized.
40 years ago the first case of HIV was diagnosed in our country. Since then, such advances have been made that today, living with HIV is living normally, but it is still necessary to eradicate social stigma.
Thanks to the struggle and historical resistance of LGTBI people. pic.twitter.com/uPPX55q5Oq
- Irene Montero (@IreneMontero) November 29, 2021
Stigma and prejudice
The owner of Equality has regretted that the AIDS pandemic will go down in history as a clear example of how public health policies «They became so contaminated with prejudice that they did not measure up and did not know how to stop an avalanche that claimed more lives than they should have been.«. «If the administrations had been up to the task, if they had not stigmatized to so many people, surely we would have saved more lives", It has been recognized.
And has praised the movement LGTBI, which led to investment in research for the treatments that, to this day, have made life possible for people with HIV is marked by hope.
However, he has warned that social stigma, lack of awareness and prejudice «still weigh on your lives«, Which implies a«great battle»For society and institutions. «We are aware that for a long time you have had to shout that silence is the same as death because the silence of the institutions has been thunderous ... now it is up to the institutions and society to end the pointing and prejudice towards people with HIV«, Has pointed out the minister. The institutions «they will never look the other way again », has settled.
