(no subject)

[conuly]

Performer fired for being HIV positive

"They said I was a hazard not just to other performers, but to the crew and possibly the audience"

Excuse me?

"We didn't have all the knowledge on what HIV is and how it's transmitted," Menard said.

What? AIDS has been well-known since, what, 1980? And all my life, we've known that it is a sexually transmitted disease. For the vast majority of my life, it's been public knowledge that the AIDS virus dies on contact with air, or very soon after. Not only did I learn this long before I knew what AIDS was, but it's been in the news at least once a year (on the anniversary of the first cases) since then, not to mention in public service announcements and "very special episodes". And they thought it was apparently an airborne disease.

Aside from which, if he's such a threat, why'd they let him train with everyone else for four months? Stupidity on top of ignorance.

Comments

[velvetchamber.livejournal.com]

I think that HIV became common knowledge in 1985. Which always reminds me of Orwell's 1984... that is a book that is a little too true.

[nightsea.livejournal.com]

Well, the article refuses to load for me, but based on what you've already posted.. he could potentially be a 'hazard' to other performers. It all depends on what he's doing. If he's out on the floor interacting with other performers in a strenuous and possibly dangerous way, and both himself and another get injured and comingle blood (it's not as outlandish as it seems), he could infect others. The amount of risk depends a lot on what his job includes (which I can't find out).

But as for the 'We didn't have all the knowledge on what HIV is and how it's transmitted' comment, that sounds more like a lame attempt to justify their decision afterwards. There's no excuse for not knowing how this disease spreads, especially not since all of the media attention it consistently gets.

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

I read an article yesterday about a performer of another sort who got HIV, so I sort of thought that was what you'd found, too. Apparently a porn star came back from Brazil and didn't get tested so he gave HIV to his female co-star. I bet that was a worthwhile way to make money.

[conuly]

... Yes, he'd be a threat to his co-workers. Probably not to the audience, though, unless STDs can be spread through masturbation and videos nowadays.

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

Maybe if you rent an already sticky tape? Hee. Really, I don't know who to scold in that situation. Mostly him, because she was told she'd be safe. But I can't really fathom why someone would go into that business in the first place.

[velvetchamber.livejournal.com]

I think that HIV became common knowledge in 1985. Which always reminds me of Orwell's 1984... that is a book that is a little too true.

[nightsea.livejournal.com]

Well, the article refuses to load for me, but based on what you've already posted.. he could potentially be a 'hazard' to other performers. It all depends on what he's doing. If he's out on the floor interacting with other performers in a strenuous and possibly dangerous way, and both himself and another get injured and comingle blood (it's not as outlandish as it seems), he could infect others. The amount of risk depends a lot on what his job includes (which I can't find out).

But as for the 'We didn't have all the knowledge on what HIV is and how it's transmitted' comment, that sounds more like a lame attempt to justify their decision afterwards. There's no excuse for not knowing how this disease spreads, especially not since all of the media attention it consistently gets.

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

I read an article yesterday about a performer of another sort who got HIV, so I sort of thought that was what you'd found, too. Apparently a porn star came back from Brazil and didn't get tested so he gave HIV to his female co-star. I bet that was a worthwhile way to make money.

[conuly]

... Yes, he'd be a threat to his co-workers. Probably not to the audience, though, unless STDs can be spread through masturbation and videos nowadays.

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

Maybe if you rent an already sticky tape? Hee. Really, I don't know who to scold in that situation. Mostly him, because she was told she'd be safe. But I can't really fathom why someone would go into that business in the first place.