While the rest of the population views HIV as a burden, there are people out there who consider the disease as a gift. These individuals call themselves as "Bug Chasers" and "Gift Givers". The question that probably jumps off your mind right away is: Why? Why would anyone WANT to be HIV positive?
Bug chasers are usually gay men with HIV negative trying to have unprotected sex with HIV positive men. Gift givers are men with HIV positive. Bug chasers and gift givers often meet at a bug party, which is like an "orgy". You can read more about definitions here:
http://gaylife.about.com/cs/gay101/a/bugparties.htm
Now, I had no idea that bug chasers and gift givers existed until recently when one of my classmate brought the subject up. I find it disturbing to a certain degree. Yet, I understand why someone would want to be HIV positive despite the fact that their life span would be shorten. Instead of being paranoid whenever they have sex with someone, bug chasers take control of the situation. Once they become HIV positive, they do not have to worry or fear the disease anymore. HIV positive community is very warm and supportive as well, which can be another reason why someone would want to join the group. Perhaps peer pressure can play a role on this too. Some bug chasers engage themselves in this sexual acts because it is exciting and adventurous.
Many psychologists believe bug chasers have mental disorders, but I disagree. Sure, some of them may have anxiety disorder of fear for HIV, but bug chasers are people like me and you...with different fetish. I have seen other people engage in other activities that seem even more outrageous than this, yet no one labels those people "crazy". Perhaps this seems like people are holding guns to their heads for infecting themselves with HIV. At least these people already chose how they want to die.
I would never support any of my family or friends to become HIV positive. Nonetheless, I realize that when it comes down to the very last moment, they have to be the ones who make the decisions. By that time, I definitely would have tried everything I could do to stop their attempts to contaminate themselves with any type of STDs. As for gift givers, they get some advantages too of course. After all, how many HIV negative people do you know that would be willing to have sex with men with HIV positive?
Here are some articles if you're interested:
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939950/bug_chasers
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/1/28/210144.shtml
I'd like to make one thing clear. Although the term "Bug Chasers" are associated with gay men, there are bug chasers who are straight men and women. I do not want readers to have a misconception and think that only gay people do these sexual activities. In reality, whether you're homosexual or heterosexual, there is always a chance of you getting sexual transmitted diseases. As a matter of fact, African American women are the majority of people how have HIV.
It seems almost disrespectful to me that people would be attempting to contract a disease that so many people have fought to find a cure for. I have an uncle who died of AIDS when I was young and the idea that an individual would be willing to put themselves in that situation for any of the reasons you pointed out seems childish. It's not an easy way to die and there are people all over the world dedicating their time, money and efforts to finding a cure to that disease, and there are people out there trying to catch it?
I can see how some people think they have nothing to lose and maybe they don't have family and friends that support them and make them believe that they don't have to do that to be accepted. However if the only person that was affected by this was the individual who contracted the disease than it is their choice and I'm in no position to tell them how to live. But that's probably not going to be the case, there will be doctors visits there will be hospital stays, and there will be medication. Yes they will be paying for this themselves but probably through their insurance, which is most likely through the company they are employed with. Also taxes are used to help non-profits that support HIV research and providing medication to those who cannot afford it themselves, the money that I donate along with my family and friends who also donate does that very same thing. I'm no position to provide care for or even pass judgement on a person I've never met and admittadly don't understand but I would rather my money go towards somebody who wasn't attempting to become infected or thought it would merely be an erotic experience and not a life altering event for not only that individual but for that family as well.
That man from the rolling stones article thinks so idealistically about the whole thing that he thinks he'll just take a few pills and be done with it....that's not usually what happens. Maybe I don't understand exactly how much the research and medications have progressed but I'd be willing to bet that he will die much younger than he would have (unless they find the cure in his lifetime) and he's going to suffer.
I obviously don't understand it, I can't empathize with it, but right now I don't support it. I'm open to argument and criticism but as somebody who was directly affected by a person dying from AIDS I find the whole idea of attempting to get it completely disrespectful to my uncle and all others who have died or are still fighting the virus and their families.
I used he a lot there but the same applies to any women who attempt to and successfully contract the virus, I was just responding to the articles I read.
"Love is not enough. It must be the foundation, the cornerstone - but not the complete structure. It is much too pliable, too yielding."
~Bette Davis