Obstacles to the 'cleanliness of our race': HIV, reproductive risk, stratified reproduction, and population quality in Hanoi, Vietnam.
This paper focuses on the interactions between medical professionals in Hanoi, Vietnam and their HIV-positive patients who desire children. Drawing on ethnographic research, we argue that despite ongoing state and civil society efforts to reduce discrimination against people living with HIV (PLHIV), doctors do stigmatize patients who choose to reproduce, even if the patients are found to have carefully considered all associated risks. While the effects of the Social Evils Campaign linger, the doctors' prejudicial stance towards PLHIV's reproductive desires and risks also reflects the messages communicated by the more recent governmental campaign on Population Quality. The result of this stigmatization is a stratification of reproduction among the Vietnamese citizenry whereby PLHIV are considered obstacles to 'the cleanliness of the race'.
Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Work, Seattle University, Seattle, WA USA, phinneyh@seattleu.edu , 206.370.2132.
Harriet M
HM
Phinney
Institute for Social Development Studies, Address: Suite 225; Entry 11; Block CT5; Song Da - My Dinh area; Pham Hung road; Ha Noi, Vietnam, hongisds@gmail.com , 84-4-3782-0058.
Khuat Thu
KT
Hong
Resource Center for Gender, Sexuality and Reproductive Health, Institute for Social Development Studies, Ha Noi, Vietnam, thanhnhan@isds.org.vn , 84-4-3782-0058.
Vu Thi Thanh
VT
Nhan
Head of Data Management Department, Research and Training Department, Institute for Social Development Studies, Ha Noi, Vietnam, nguyenthao@isds.org.vn , 84-4-3782-0058.
Nguyen Thi Phuong
NT
Thao
Deputy Chair for Doctoral Studies, Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY USA, jsh2124@columbia.edu , 212-305-1185.
Jennifer S
JS
Hirsch
HIV; Vietnam; population quality; reproduction; risk; stigma