A Woman's Story: Overcoming the Shame of HIV

By Ida W. Byther-Smith, Annette Y. Fields and Angel D. Jones

Overcoming the shame of HIV.  This book originally published in early 2004 represents a gritty look at the lives of three amazing ladies. Though medical science has come quite a ways in the intervening years, there remains stigma and challenge associated with the HIV disease. In this hard hitting text, we are left to ponder what about us. How would we endure such challenging circumstances. There is teaching here. Take time to read and reflect. Share with your friends and family. Living in trial demands much.  From the original cover, HIV/AIDS is on the increase among Black women, yet there is a silence that speaks volumes in the community, the nation and the church about this epidemic. Have we forsaken our mothers, daughters and sisters in order to hide the shame of our own lack of involvement? What price will we pay for our detachment to the most indiscriminate health crisis of our time? Perhaps there is still hope, if we begin to look at HIV/AIDS through the eyes of those who have been there. . . In their own words, three women living with HIV share their journeys, from childhood, through discovery, to victory. From beginning to end, you will see the human spirit can overcome any obstacle: abuse, unworthiness, and even the shame associated with HIV/AIDS, through the healing love of God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Urban Ideas Publishing Company
• Release date: Dec 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781625173287

Book preview

I Wonder

I wonder what would have happened if that woman,

You know, the one with the issue of blood,

Had been too ashamed to press through people and get to Jesus.

I wonder what it was like, what did they say about her?

Twelve years with an issue meant she had problems with:

The man in her life,

The priests at the church,

And anybody else who didn’t want to deal with Issues.

After all, Who wants to deal with somebody’s issue for 12 years?

I wonder, did she just shout it out:

I HAVE AN ISSUE!

Or did she look away in shame from the inquiring glances of others?

Hoping they would not see her issue, but praying they would still see her:

The woman, the daughter, the mother, the friend.

I wonder which was worse …

The Issue or the Shame?

Author Unknown

Annette’s Story

Chapter 1

December, 2004

Precious Netty:

How are you today, sweetheart? Loved? Happy? Sad? Tell me which one, and keep it real. Let me say to you, my love, before you answer this question, you are God’s precious jewel, and you do shine brightly! Today, Netty, is your time not to reflect on the bad times, but to know that right now it is ALL GOOD! You’ve come through many situations and wouldn’t have imagined that you are a Mighty Woman of God!

I see you, Little Netty, in school: straight A student, being teased about your clothes, your hair, your funny glasses, and any and everything the other kids could find to tease you about. You felt ugly, and you never told anybody but yourself how you felt about you. Netty, you used to (and still do) talk to yourself about people who talked about you. You wished for designer jeans and shoes, but Momma went to Zayre and other discount stores. The kids made fun of you from kindergarten to eighth grade. In spite of that, at worst, you were an average student, but mostly you were way above average. You were and still are smart.

But you always tried to be someone other than yourself. Do you remember how you looked in the mirror, pretending to be someone you admired? Man, life was a trip! You didn’t have long hair and was called a skinny-minnie. Why did you always show out to get people to like you? Was it because you felt like an outcast and you had nobody to talk to? Remember the arguments and fights with your sister? She was just as feisty as you, and she made a good sparring partner. She’s dead now, Netty, and you’ll miss her for a long time. After she died, you really felt lonely, and there was NOBODY that you could tell how you felt. But today, Netty, you are at