NEELIN VIEWS: Film helps break stigma around HIV

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This article was published 28/03/2022 (1380 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s no secret that the subject of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) has been labelled as taboo since its emergence in 1983. With its early reputation as a virus most commonly transmitted through same-sex intercourse, HIV is one of the most heavily stigmatized viruses, making it one of the hardest to talk about.

Although HIV is transmitted in various ways, some stigma remains. The recent coming-of-age film “Three Months” urges viewers to break free from the stigma and to allow themselves to understand the struggles and truths of the HIV virus.

The new film follows teenager Caleb Khan’s story, as he anxiously waits for his HIV test results through his last summer before college. On the night of his high school graduation, Caleb learns he was exposed to HIV. With the support of his best friend, Dara, and newfound love interest, Estha, who is also awaiting his test results, Caleb learns to find strength in those around him when he needs it most.

This movie skillfully presents a non-judgmental and non-traditional view of HIV, steering away from the depressing stance that so often takes over our screens. In a comedy-drama, director Jared Frieder relieves his most heartbreaking scenes with jokes in an attempt to keep the movie more light-hearted. Making an HIV test a background for humour makes it easier for people to talk about — something that would have been more difficult to do in the earlier years of HIV when a diagnosis was a death sentence.

But why do we need to talk about HIV and its successor illness, AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)? Although Caleb is fictional, his story is not unique and is happening to people all over Canada: according to Manitoba Health, more than 90,000 people tested for HIV in Manitoba in 2020, with 306 of them testing positive.

Even though HIV has a different medical meaning now than it did in the 1980s and 1990s, it is still a life-altering illness. With infinite knowledge at our fingertips through the internet, now more than ever is the time to ask questions and take it upon ourselves to learn about this virus and the impact it has upon the people diagnosed with it.

Teenagers know how important it is to learn about issues that come up when leaving childhood. They also know how awkward it is to have these conversations with their parents. That’s why it’s so important to have movies like “Three Months,” because although teenagers may not be comfortable talking to their parents about things like this, they will watch a movie, and that can start the conversation.

» Arden Hebert is a Grade 9 student at École secondaire Neelin High School.