Ontarion
So I need to rant about how stupid our campus paper is. They wrote this article on a guy that is HIV positive, which is cool, it's good to get issues like that out there. But then they put the picture of this guy I know with the article (a picture that had been taken for an article on aggie jackets). The blacked out his body but not his jacket at all, which is absolutely ridiculous. They didn't even really smear out his name on his sleave, like if you look closely you can read it. How freaking stupid does someone have to be to be putting a random picture of someone with such a personal article, and then not even try very hard to hide who the person is. I think it is ridiculous, not to mention completely weird, why the hell would you put an aggie coat in an article that has nothing to do with aggies??? It really bothers me that someone would do that, especially given the fact that they did it to a really nice guy. GRRRRRR
posted by Hailey @ 9:52 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Hailey, thats really not fair of you. I dont really see the problem with what they did. They blur the face which will stop random idiots, but for people that know who he is, it should not be a big deal.
HIV is an illness, but people stigmatize it far too much, and I dont think its fair. The fact that his face needs to be blurred at all is a shame. Certainly the idiots of the world who might recognize and yell at him on campus or anything should be considered, but for those who konw who it is, and recognize the jacket, it should not be a big issue.
If the article was about someone fighting cancer, nobody would think about having to blur their face. I dont see why someone who is a decent person who happens to be HIV positive should have to face any stigma about that fact.
He shouldn't have to face any stigma in a perfect world - but this isn't such a world. Some people still do view HIV as dirty, immoral, 'gay' whatever, and that view is reinforced by our governments who do jack shit to help prevent the spread in Africa.
So, I totally think he should be upset about it. I would be. And as a journalist it is unethical to use a picture that has nothing to do with the article. (I just spent an entire semester studying journalism ethics.)
Further, he can sue for defamation of character - but I doubt he will make anything from your campus newspaper.
If nothing else, he can take it to your Dean or something, just on the principle that the Ontarian has unethical journalism practices.
RANT FINISHED
I agree that it shouldn't be stigmatized, in a perfect world it wouldn't be. But I completely agree with Steph, it still is an issue, and it is unethical. He is not the one that the article was about, it had nothing to do with him, and he was placed with it. The fact that his coat is clearly recognizable is not fair, and the person who the article was about called in to complain about it. So everyone was upset. Also they should have made more of an effort to blur out his name, anyone will know who he is on campus if they see his jacket! I just think that it was needless and stupid. And I think the fact that the person who the article was actually about called in to complain says something too. Regardless of what the article was about he shouldn't have had his picture used for something that doesn't relate to him. There is a trust issue there, they can't just take a picture of anyone and put it with anything they please!
I sorta misunderstood that the article was not about him at all. I can understand how somone would be annoyed that their picture would be put beside an article not about them.
However, IF the article WAS about him, then I think my point still stands. Basically, its not a perfect world issue. By blurring someone's image out, you're perpetuating a stigma. It may stop random idiots, but does nothing to affect the acceptance of an HIV positive person.
What I don't understand is why the hell was there a picture in the first place? Personally I would not be attracted to an article by a blurred out picture. That's lame.
If anything there should have been no picture/a picture of some AIDS something else.
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