The gay community is more likely to offer both emotional support and tangible assistance to members of their own group. Thus gay men with HIV may experience more liking and acceptance, as well as more aid with every day needs, to the extent that the gay community is part of their identities and lives (Derlega 32). In a study interviewing ninety-two symptomatic gay men, there were two main issues of focus. The first issue was the positive consequence of gay identity and the second issue was the negative consequence of that association. The positive consequences of gay identity consist of community support, access to others with HIV, expecting the diagnosis, and the effect of a life long prejudice. “Ironically, given the resilience result just noted, all of these men felt that coping with HIV was more difficult because they were doubly stigmatized, first by being HIV and second by being gay (Derlega 41). More typically references made to the stigmas were made in general terms “because I’m gay…it’s harder. If I were straight I could be the poor innocent victim of a blood transfusion or the poor mixed up junkie…I got what I deserved as far as the straight community is concerned. People say AIDS is the gay plague and, you know, God damnation type thing…instead of saying it’s just a disease doing what diseases do—affecting everybody” (Derlega 41). This particular group additionally has the largest group of supporters financially and publicly. The most prominent people within the gay community appear to provide deeply rooted links to the cultural aspects of our society. Notably, alternative life styles and family units discourage help by the “average” community member (Altman). AIDS is the fourth leading cause of death for women aged 25 to 44 in the United States. It is the primary cause of death in women of this same age group in nine major U.S. cities and ...
