(submitted by gekkogecko)

Reuters

By Peter Apps

GABORONE (Reuters) - There is a catwalk banquet,
hordes of journalists, traditional dancing and
time-consuming hair styling -- but at Botswana's
beauty pageant every competitor must be HIV (news -
web sites) positive.

At a palm tree-studded resort and conference center in
the capital Gaborone, 12 girls are competing this
weekend for the title "Miss HIV Stigma Free."

"We are saying here we are, we are HIV positive and it
doesn't mean it's the end of the line," 33 year old
reigning Miss HIV Kgalalelo Ntsepe told Reuters in her
cluttered one room cottage, where she displays
trophies of her win in 2003.

Largest global diamond producer Botswana has one of
the highest HIV rates in the world with an estimated
third of the population infected.

The government is using its mineral wealth to provide
life prolonging anti-retroviral drugs -- but many do
not know their HIV status or are unwilling to come
forward for treatment. Organizers say the pageant aims
to tackle that stigma.

"After I started the medicine, I became stronger and
stronger," said Ntsepe, who was diagnosed in 2001.

"We are trying to say there is life with this
medication. Some don't believe I'm HIV positive
because I'm so healthy," she said.

AIDS (news - web sites) groups welcome the pageant,
which is sponsored by British bank Barclays. "It may
just be a pageant, but it is important because it
brings together people with HIV who are open about
their status," said Brad Ryder, spokesman for the
African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Programme.

"They need support, they need to come out and get
acceptance for their condition."

__________________

The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there.~ Betty Grable

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