Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews) - Mislabeling - more or less consciously - an HIV awareness program as a “gay party” risks fueling stigma, sparking moral panic, and discouraging people from seeking treatment.
The alarm is being raised by a Malaysian women's rights group, the SIS Forum (Malaysia), formerly known as “Sisters in Islam,” which says that ‘criminalizing’ these health initiatives “could set a dangerous precedent.”
The group also warned that those who participate in medical events to raise awareness about the disease and its transmission risk “arrest or public shaming” despite participating in authorized and scientifically rigorous medical events.
The group's communications officer, Ameena Siddiqi, explained to AsiaNews that HIV awareness programs that include screening, education, and counseling are essential tools for public health.
A policy of prevention and protection of public health is also “in line with Islamic principles of preservation of life.” “Hindering or criminalizing such initiatives,” continued the SIS spokesperson, “means knowingly perpetuating harm and goes against the ethics” promoted by the Muslim religion.
Furthermore, misrepresenting such initiatives risks undermining years of collaboration between humanitarian organizations and government health agencies.
The SIS statement follows a police raid in June on a private bungalow in Kota Bharu, where 20 men were arrested on charges of participating in a “gay party.”
Several NGOs and medical professionals have contested this charge, saying the event was focused on sexual health education and raising awareness about HIV and AIDS. The organizers said the event included lectures by qualified doctors and did not involve any illegal or commercial sexual activity.
Ahmad Farouk Musa, of the Islamic Renaissance Front, explained that Islamic ethics clearly support harm reduction and public health efforts, including those aimed at high-risk groups, which include sex workers, drug addicts, and homosexuals.
“These initiatives,” the Muslim expert stressed, “are not only ethical, but also fulfill the Islamic obligation to prevent harm and protect life.” He added that the Perlis Fatwa Council had also ruled that efforts to prevent the spread of HIV should take precedence over concerns about the behavior of the target groups.
The case has raised concerns among human rights movements about the treatment of HIV awareness initiatives and marginalized communities in Malaysia. Adrian Pereira, executive director of the North-South Initiative, told AsiaNews that the issue highlights deeper problems within Malaysian society, which he describes as "very conservative and closed.
We can attribute this to our pathetic education system and the narrow worldview instilled by the political landscape," he added. Pereira went on to say that issues involving vulnerable and minority groups, particularly people living with HIV (PLHIV) and the LGBTQ community, must be handled with greater responsibility.
“These issues require more discernment, guarantees, and due diligence. The authorities,” concludes the leader of the North-South Initiative, “must be careful not to send mixed messages that could be distorted or misunderstood by the ‘court of public opinion,’ which could deprive people of their dignity.”
