"Black Leaders Fear Backlash Over New AIDS Statistics"

"Black Leaders Fear Backlash Over New AIDS Statistics"

This article reacts to the previously mentioned statistics that were released on AIDS cases according to race in Toronto. It highlights the dilemma that releasing such figures implied for all of the Black groups that made up Toronto’s population. On one hand, it greatly helped educate that demographic on the disease and demonstrated that nobody was immune to it, prompting many to get tested and be more careful in risky situations. However, this information was a double edged sword as it introduced more reasons for racism to be spread across the city, with some being more fearful that Black people would “infect them” as the president of the National Council of Jamaicans remarked. It even pushed away some groups as their strict beliefs against homosexuality and the denial of its presence in their community was revealed to be untrue. This sparked a major debate concerning if the education about AIDS was more important or spreading more hate towards the Black Canadian population which was already very marginalized.

Maureen Murray

Murray, Maureen. “Black Leaders Fear Backlash Over New AIDS Statistics.” The Toronto Star, July 27, 1989, A9.

The Toronto Star

27 July 1989

The Toronto Star

Newspaper