For Journalists 

Miss Positive — A Title or a Position

Theatre and non-profit organisations join forces
in the fight against HIV/AIDS

On 1 December, World AIDS Day, the magazine for people living with HIV/AIDS ‘Shagi’ (‘Steps’), AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW), and the theatrical performance ‘The Vagina Monologues’ will present the winner of the Russian contest for ‘Miss Positive 2005’.

As of today, there are more than 318 thousand registered cases of HIV in Russia. More than 80% of people living with HIV/AIDS in Russia are under the age of 30. According to statistics from regional AIDS centres, young women face a particularly high risk of infection.

Eve Ensler’s play ‘The Vagina Monologues’ has become a social phenomena from its first performances in the United States and Europe, and later in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Through her plays and social involvement, Ensler constantly aims to draw attention to today’s societal problems, ranging from women’s rights to hunger and epidemics. ‘The Vagina Monologues’, which will be shown on 1 December in honour of World AIDS Day, will be one of Russia’s first attempts at addressing HIV/AIDS through theatre. It is also worth noting that it is under the framework of this play, which removes the taboo from the social vulnerability of women in today’s world, that the winner of the first ever beauty contest for HIV-positive women in Russia will be announced.

Joel Lehtonen, director of ‘The Vagina Monologues’, says that modern day artists and creative people don’t have the right to run away from existing problems. ‘It is not only important to show the contradictory and tragic nature of the world we live in, but also to instil the hope that we have the power to change it. That is why I am so pleased that we will have the great honour of presenting the winner of the ‘Miss Positive’ contest, a brave statement that puts hope in the hearts of thousands of people.’

This beauty contest calls not only for openness and an active lifestyle for HIV-positive women, but for tolerance in regards to the HIV infection. The only requirement for participation in this contest was HIV-positive status.         

Although the decision was not an easy one, Svetlana Izambaeva, the winner of the ‘Miss Positive’ contest, was alone among her fellow contestants in her willingness to come out to the public. ‘At first, it was difficult to take the step to participate in the contest. But then I realised that my willingness to speak openly with the world would help thousands of people deal with their own internal fears. I know for sure that the fight against HIV/AIDS should not be a fight against people living with HIV’, she said.

We invite journalists to a press conference, which will be held 1 December at 4:30 p.m. in the Meyerhold Theatre Centre, which is located on Novoslobodskaya Street, 23. Drinks will be served after the press conference.

You can receive accreditation by calling 250-6377 or emailing Ekaterina Militskaya from AIDS Foundation East-West before 5 p.m. on 30 November.