AIDS Role Play
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I have AIDS role play
Objective

To sensitize the group that persons with AIDS ( PWAs ) should not be ostracized but supported.

Target Group

Primary and secondary students and adults groups.

Materials

Sign that says " I have AIDS ", 4 cards

Preparation

On the 4 cards write the following, one reaction per card:

Reaction 1
You start shaking the PWA's hand and when you read the sign he / she is wearing, you pull your hand away. Then you run to the restroom and wash your hands. ( Pretend you are doing this. )

Reaction 2
You read the sign and say " You're kidding, right ? " Then you ask the PWA how he / she could be admitted to school with this deadly, contagious disease. Also say that you are going to contact the school administration and have the PWA dismissed from school. Then leave the room.

Reaction 3
You read the sign and say " Oh you must be one to those homosexual perverts. You should be locked up somewhere where you can't hurt the rest of us normal people. " Then leave the room.

Reaction 4

You read the sign, shake the PWA's hand and say, " It's nice to meet you. " Then sit down in the chair next to the PWA's seat.
Distribute the sign and the cards to 5 students in the class that you think are " good actors ". Allow a few minutes for them to read the cards before actually doing the role play. Try to pick a student who is self confident to be the PWA since he / she may be ribbed for having AIDS by fellow classmates.

Directions

One participant wears the sign " I have AIDS " . The participant with the PWA sign is a high school senior and is sitting at a desk in a classroom.
Other students ( 1 - 4 ) come into the classroom and the PWA introduces himself / herself to them.
The four have the reactions described above.
At the conclusion of each situation, ask the group if the person's reactions are based on fact or fear.
Discuss each situation individually. Ask the PWA how he / she felt in each situation.

Variation

With adult groups, have the situation be a village, a mothers group, a factory etc. Adjust the reactions according to the situation ( e.g. if the situation is a factory, in reaction 2, the reacting participant would threaten to speak to the boss to have the PWA fired. )