Women

This section of the online discussion paper "HIV/AIDS and Discrimination" introduces the subject of Canadian women and discrimination against them associated with HIV/AIDS. It discusses women's vulnerability to HIV infection, focusing on gender inequalities and violence against women. With respect to HIV testing and counselling, the author notes that women face difficulty as they are not viewed as a high-risk category, they are often discriminated against by race or ethnic origin, and physicians tend to restrict testing to pregnant women. Barriers to prevention and care for lesbian women are also discussed. The author ends by highlighting the psychosocial and socioeconomic needs of women with HIV/AIDS; specifically, the gender imbalances between men and women in terms of social stigma, financial need and access to treatment. [Descriptors: Reproductive Rights - HIV/AIDS, Canada]