Blogging about HIV as an educational tool

The chapter “We Wanted Other People to Learn From Us: Girls Blogging in Rural South Africa in the Age of AIDS” gave me fresh insight into how I might conduct a workshop for young women about digital literacy. The girls in this case study were teenagers in South Africa, most of whom had never used a computer before. The fact that they could even learn to blog over the course of a few days is remarkable in itself and although their language was fairly simplistic they were still able to convey a message of hope. Through the use of blogs, the girls drew attention to the issues of HIV transmission, AIDS, and teenage pregnancy. I think the most poignant moment of the interview was when Lungile was asked what she thought about blogging for an audience. She said, “Because…um…I cannot start to-if I am HIV-positive, I cannot tell my friends in school like “Guys, I’m HIV-positive.” So if I go to a blog and write about those stuff, other people like…um…other children from school who, who hate people HIV-positive, maybe they can go to the blogs and learn about HIV-positive, HIV and AIDS and…learn that they should not discriminate people that are HIV-positive. They should love them, respect them, treat them as equal people, ja” (176). The girls expressed concern that some of their fellow students are HIV-positive but will not admit it, which creates a danger for the other students. Girls in Africa, especially between the ages of fifteen and twenty four, are put at a high risk because they’re not able to protect themselves from abuse. In addition to worrying about HIV transmission, there was concern expressed about teenage pregnancy.
This study took place in Africa but it just reminded me of the lack of sexual education we receive in this country. Sex ed usually takes course over the span of a couple weeks where we learn what a penis and vagina are and about some sexually transmitted diseases. Statistics are rarely given and teenage pregnancy is ignored in favor of “abstinence.” Abstinence education does not discourage young people from having sex, if anything it puts them at a disadvantage because when they do start having sex they’re ignorant about contraception and the risks they’re taking. I wish that when I had been in sex ed it would’ve been more involved and asked students to view sex and sexual health from a critical point of view. The education we actually received was nothing more than an overview, a chapter in a health book which also taught us the food pyramid and proper hygiene. I think sexual education is much, much more important than it is made out to be in school. I know part of the reason for the rushed course is teachers’ embarrassment over talking about sex. Schools should either train experts or contract knowledgeable people to come in and talk to students or even better offer sex ed as a half semester course like “Life Education.” Parents, as well, need to get over their hang-ups about educating their children. The kids who are at the greatest risk for early pregnancies tend to be the ones who were the most sheltered and knew the least about sex. The sex education I received did not prepare me for the experiences I faced as a young woman. The forum of blogging would be a great tool because it allows students to talk freely about sex. I think that we really need to open up the youth forum on sex because we do have problems with STDs, sexual assaults, teen pregnancy, and abortion. Teenagers and young adults take so many risks already. It is unfair to deny them the education to protect themselves from potentially life-threatening diseases and pregnancy.