THEGAYUK

Tag: HIV Stigma

Many people living with HIV suffer a stigma either consciously or unconsciously delivered by people who are not HIV positive. Much of the stigma relates to misinformation of survivability of HIV, transmission of HIV or a person’s general and mental health with the virus. HIV Stigma can come in many forms from simple wording like “only clean” in dating profiles, the refusal of jobs, or increased premiums in insurance.

  • This is why we should stop using “dirty” and “clean” on hook up apps

    This is why we should stop using “dirty” and “clean” on hook up apps

    A doctor has made the case for people to stop using the words “Dirty” and “Clean” when talking about people and their sexual health.

    Doctor Naomi Sutton who is a trustee for the sexual health charity, Saving Lives, uploaded a thought-provoking video in which she pleaded with viewers to stop using the words “clean” and “dirty” to describe people and their sexual health because of the stigma that those words carry.

    In the video, the doctor, who also stars in the E4 show The Sex Clinic holds up a number of placards with a simple message; let’s not use “dirty” and “clean” as words to describe sexual health and for us all to get tested for STIs more regularly.

    She also pointed out that STIs were not a matter of personal hygiene and that there was no way of telling who has an STI by just looking at them.

    You can read about our experience of getting a sexual health test here.

    Here’s the text from Dr Sutton’s video.

    This is a plea,

    Let’s stop using the words “clean” and “dirty” to describe people and their sexual health.

    It just promotes STIGMA and misunderstanding.

    Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are not a matter of personal hygiene, You cannot tell by looking at or talking to someone whether or not they have an STI.

    All STIs can be present without symptoms, including HIV, syphilis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Herpes Virus and the wart virus (HPV).

    Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea tests are easy to do,

    a) a wee in a pot for men

    b) a self-taken vaginal swab in women.

    HIV and syphilis tests are simple blood test…. book in today and get tested!

    Let’s talk about sex and STIs openly and honestly without stigma or shame.

    https://twitter.com/DrNaomiSutton/status/1234737812492234754

    It is recommended that sexually active people, who have a number of different sexual partners should go for an STI test at their local Sexual Health clinic every 3 to 6 months, or order a FREE at-home HIV test kit from Saving Lives. if you use the promo code: GAYUK20.

  • LGBT activism group ACT UP changes “traumatic” AIDs posters

    LGBT activism group ACT UP changes “traumatic” AIDs posters

    If you’ve been around Soho or South London recently you may have seen a  multi-colour poster which states “I’m Too Sexy To Have AIDs”, activist group, ACT UP LONDON have defaced the posters to read something different.

    (SUPPLIED BY ACT UP)

    Members of ACT UP LONDON have taken it upon themselves to change bill-posters designed by the late David McDiarmid and exhibited by Studio Voltaire because of the emotional trauma they may cause some people. The poster, is a multicoloured artwork which reads, I’m Too Sexy To Have AIDs”. According to Studio Voltaire, McDiarmid “produced these works in response to his own, and his community’s, experience of the AIDS crisis, and the multiple forms of devastations it manifests –political, emotional, intellectual and medical”.

    McDiarmid died in 1995 from complications brought on by AIDs.

    However some members of ACT UP LONDON have taken to defacing some of the posters because the message “isn’t helpful to the battles people living with HIV fight today”.

    Cé from ACT UP LONDON explained, “Firstly, I would like to say that the main thrust of the action was never intended to censor the artist or to silence queer voices. Expanding on this, it’s important to point out that although the artwork may have been targeted at those that understand where this it comes from and why it exists, in its current state it is used out of context and isn’t helpful to the battles PLHIV fight today. The use of this piece of art taken so out of context not only takes us backwards in a fight that we are already struggling to win, but it also contributes to the stigma surrounding HIV. On the back of this it has the potential to be traumatic for those living with HIV, particularly for those with new diagnoses and especially for those who don’t have sufficient support networks to speak through the emotions conjured by the text in the artwork.”

    (SUPPLIED BY ACT UP)

    Dani Singer from ACT UP LONDON said “We are incredibly supportive of Studio Voltaire and their decision to curate an exhibition of David McDiarmid’s work – as the second silence of HIV rages on, the more voices speaking out representing those affected by HIV and AIDS, the better. We see this action as a collaboration between ACT UP London and McDiarmid, in keeping with the strong tradition of ACT UP working with radical Queer artists throughout its existence to widen its message of ending the HIV pandemic, stigma, and pharmaceutical greed.

    In a statement to THEGAYUK.com ACT UP London said, that the exhibition was counterproductive, with no supporting literature or context.

    Explaining the works, Studio Voltaire explains on their website that they are displaying, “series of public works” which will be shown intermittently across sites in Clapham and Brixton, in partnership with This is Clapham and Art on the Underground. Studio Voltaire say that they will over the course of a year, publish artworks at various locations including neighbouring LGBTQ+ venue Two Brewers, the façade of Studio Voltaire, Brixton Underground station, and other temporary locations.

    David McDiarmid (1952–1995) was an Australian artist, designer and activist, recognised for his prominent and sustained artistic engagement in issues relating to LGBT+ identity and history. Rainbow Aphorisms are a series of printed multiples, produced from 1993 until the artist’s death in 1995 of AIDS–related illnesses. McDiarmid produced these works in response to his own, and his community’s, experience of the AIDS crisis, and the multiple forms of devastations it manifests –political, emotional, intellectual and medical.

    Siobhan Fahey from Rebel Dykes Film said, “The poster I’m Too Sexy to Have AIDS worried me, and I took my concerns to the gallery. When David was making art, in the 1990s, ironic art was much in vogue. It was powerful. But in today’s climate, with Trump and Brexit, we are almost post-irony. Statements like this need careful contextualisation. I support the aim of ACT-UP in repurposing these posters in a way I am sure that David McDiarmid would approve.”

  • Grindr is banning racism but users point out there’s still a lot of other discrimination

    Grindr is banning racism but users point out there’s still a lot of other discrimination

    What about Ageism, HIV stigma and effeminism, users ask…

    CREDIT: Ryazan / BIGSTOCK

    Banning racism is on the agenda at Grindr and many of the gay hook up apps, but users are keen to point out that Grindr is failing on other discriminatory language including ageism, HIV stigma and anti-effeminate sentiments.

    Recently Grindr announced a new policy, dubbed Kindr, which looks to rid the platform of all types of discrimination, however, users point out that aside from racism there is a whole heap of discrimination that goes seemingly unchecked via people’s profiles.

    Grindr says it will now moderate language on users’ profiles, saying they’d rather “hear about what you’re into, not what you aren’t”. Some, however, are concerned that the announcement seemingly only touches on racism. However, the editor of Into, Grindr’s online magazine, has said that the new policy will take into consideration any discriminatory language.

    Zach Stafford said, “So, I am seeing some confusion around and wanted to clear one big thing up: Discriminatory language like ‘no fats, no femmes, no Asians’ is officially considered discriminatory and will now be banned on Grindr”.

    Have you suffered discrimination on a dating app?

  • This ABC news reporter just opened up about being HIV positive

    ‘For ten years the stigma and industry professionals have said, “don’t! It’ll ruin you”

    ABC reporter, Karl Schmid has revealed that he is HIV positive and has been living with HIV for ten years. In an emotional post on social media, the 37-year-old admitted that he had been told by co-workers that coming out about his status could “ruin” him in the entertainment industry.

    He said, “For 10 years I’ve struggled with ‘do I or don’t I’? For ten years the stigma and industry professionals have said, ‘don’t! It’ll ruin you’. But here’s the thing. I’m me. I’m just like you. I have a big heart and I want to be loved and accepted. I may be on TV from time to time, but at the end of the day I’m just an average guy who wants want we all want. To be accepted and loved by our friends and family and to be encouraged by our peers,”

    He spoke out saying that he was standing “tall” and “proud” saying the decision to talk about HIV wasn’t to make people happy, but himself happier. He went on to say,

    ” Labels are things that come and go but your dignity and who you are is what defines you. I know who I am, I know what I stand for and while in the past I may not have always had clarity, I do now. Love me or hate me, that’s up to you.

    “But, for anyone who has ever doubted themselves because of those scary three letters and one symbol, let me tell you this, you are somebody who matters. Your feelings, your thoughts, your emotions count. And don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. I’m Karl Schmid, and I’m an HIV-positive man!”

    The post attracted thousands of positive likes and comments.

  • This gay dating app is banning guys with HIV

    Yes, you read that right, according to sources a dating app aimed at connecting sugar daddies to younger men was screening out people living with HIV.

    The app, DaddyBear, aimed at connecting richer older guys to younger guys has come under intense criticism after it was revealed that it was banning men who are HIV+ from joining the service.

    A statement on the website, at one point, claimed,

    “Most mature gay daddies grew up under the macro environment of AIDS epidemic and scare, so they know how to protect themselves and you, and enjoy safe sex with you.”

    That message has now been removed and has been changed to:

    “Gay Daddies have greater life experiences which allows them to have more opinions of different things to help younger men to have a better life.

    “Usually, they pay more attention to their health, making it safer to develop a relationship with them.

    “Moreover, gay sugar daddies are way more mature than most younger men, which is one of the biggest advantage for them because they can help gay bears to explore more and become a more responsible man. They tend to be more caring, generous and sensitive than most of the guys younger men have dated before.”

    “Healthy and Without HIV”

    A spokesperson from the App commented in Queerty’s comment section,

    “With the fact that most gay men care more about health than sex when seeking gay relationship, we create this gay dating app to meet their needs.

    “If you are worried about meeting gay men who are living with HIV, then you can feel relieved with our App because we are trying our best to make sure that all users you meet will be healthy and without HIV, starting from adding a feature to allow users to verify their health condition.”

    “Unwanted Souvenirs”

    In an interview with INTO’s Mathew Rodriquez, DaddyBear’s CEO said,

    “No one would like to date people living with HIV unless he is living with it. Most gay sugar daddies are not living with HIV, so they don’t want to bring home any unwanted souvenirs. However, we support that gay men living with HIV have the right to date with other gays with HIV. But many rich and successful gay sugar daddies do not want to date with gay men living with HIV, which is the reason why we launched this app to meet their needs.

    Clearly, these people have never heard of #UEqualsU

     

  • This porn star just revealed something and the fans have nothing but love

    Kayden Gray has just come out as HIV positive

    “Why would a porn actor and an escort shoot his career in the face?” is what Kayden Gray said in an 11 minute YouTube video. A video which fans have hailed as brave, amazing and helping to shed light on HIV stigma.

    The actor, who has performed for studios such as Naked Sword said that he had been keeping his status “secret for years” after contracting HIV when he was just 9 months into his porn career. He says he’s now been living with HIV for 3 and a half years.

    He revealed that after he learnt of his status that he took three months off sex – because he felt “disgusting” and “unlovable”. He told fans that he thought his life was going to end.

    Soon after he was diagnosed he told viewers that he found out about anti-viral treatment, which helped lower his viral load, which was around 2 million to just a few 1000, then a few hundred HIV virus particles in per millilitre of blood. He now has an undetectable viral load.

    Fans were quick to send their love and best wishes to the actor.

    Listen to Kayden’s story below.

     

     

     

     

  • COMMENT | HIV: It’s time to embrace undetectable means untransmittable

    The year was 1981, sexual liberation was in full swing with destinations like Key West being a bimonthly pilgrimage for many gay men who, no doubt drank, joked and dare I say frolicked among the sand dunes of Higgs Beach.

    What does UEqualsU mean?

    It was an era that can merely be reminisced of, impossible to recapture. Anybody reading the LA Times on June 5th could easily be excused for their oversight in failing to notice one small paragraph telling the public of a new “gay cancer” that had been documented among some doctors mainly in the New York and San Francisco areas.

    Over the years, many more articles were published about what we now know as HIV & AIDS. The most recent of them, hailing milestones such as PrEP, a preventative treatment for the condition that society wished for decades ago. There have been amazing advancements in treatment, meaning people living with HIV who have undetectable viral loads, who are consistent with their medication, are unable to pass on the virus but, the fight is in no way over.

    To begin we must break down the stigma surrounding PrEP and the naïve insinuation that if someone is using PrEP, they are having an orgy every night of the week, or failing to protect themselves in other ways such as using a condom.

    We also need more organisations, government departments and influential voices to get behind the undetectable equals untransmittable campaign, it is a scientific fact backed up by The Swiss Statement (2008) as well as the PARTNER study.

    Of course, some people are reluctant to embrace science on this occasion and question the viability of the UequalsU message, however, they do so while failing to question science from the 80s and 90s which led to such heightened fear of HIV and by effect those of us living with it.

    Put aside people living with HIV who desperately deserve this message to be endorsed, society deserves it too. For more than 30 years grown men and women have lived in fear of this invisible killer. Generations of children have been raised with a background of AIDS fear, leading in some cases to a severe negative impact on their sex life.

    I clearly remember the day being diagnosed, November 27th, 2013. Sitting in that chair I knew death was not coming for me just yet and my biggest obstacle in life from that day forward would be the opinion and perception of others, not necessarily, family or friends, I knew they would be willing to stand by me and if not then they would have been the wrong friends to have chosen.

    It was society’s opinion and perception I knew would be the obstacle and one I would have to change. After several weeks of wondering what I should do, I set a goal which was to reach an undetectable viral load, this happened in September of 2014, a day that will remain among the most special of my life. I knew the very thing that had prevented me from doing anything more than kiss a guy for the previous 9 months, was no longer an issue.

    People say the day a cure for HIV is found will be like a battle or war ending. My battle ended that day when I became undetectable and untransmittable but my war is still going because nearly ten years after the Swiss Statement was released too few organisations who accept public funding in the name of representing me and people like me have promoted this statement of fact.

    On a recent trip to Key West I paid a visit to Higgs Beach where once all that laughter and fun took place, there now lays a memorial as a tribute to those who died from AIDS. This seemingly endless list of names, to me, was a testament to my commitment to promoting the UequalsU message.

    So I make this a call to action, by asking the 100,000 of us living with HIV in the UK to embrace the fact that being undetectable means we are untransmittable and ask you to lobby your local organisation, politician or influence maker to embrace it with us, they have nothing to lose in doing so and don’t forget to

    #UequalsU.

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, it’s management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • Prince Harry takes HIV test live on social media

    Prince Harry takes HIV test live on social media

    Prince Harry has made history by becoming the first member of the Royal family to take a HIV test on Facebook live.

    Credit: Masha Maltsava, Milk Studios / Via Flickr

    Prince Harry has become the first Royal to publicly take a HIV test live on Facebook, using the platform’s “live” service.

    The popular Prince visited London’s Guys and St. Thomas’ hospital to have the pin-prick HIV test, which reveals a person’s HIV status within minutes.

    The video has already clocked up 41,000 views.

    Leading HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust praised the Prince’s openness and awareness campaign.

    Ian Green, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said,

    “Prince Harry’s decision to take an HIV test, live on social media, is a groundbreaking moment in the fight against HIV.

    “Not only does it show His Royal Highness’s genuine and personal commitment to tackling the HIV epidemic, it will amplify a message to millions all over the world: testing for HIV is easy, quick and nothing to be feared.

    “We have a real opportunity to end HIV transmissions in the UK, but it starts with each person knowing their HIV status. Too many people are either put off testing by the stigma that still surrounds HIV, or simply do not think HIV is an issue anymore. Today, Prince Harry has got people talking about HIV again and has normalised HIV testing to a global audience. In doing so, he could inspire a generation to take control of their sexual health.

    “Thanks to treatment, testing for HIV could stop you from getting seriously ill, enable you to live a normal lifespan and prevent you from passing the virus on to anyone else. That’s why it’s so invaluable to have Prince Harry’s support  as we aim to bust stigma and end the HIV epidemic.”

  • 8 Reasons To Test For HIV

    As National HIV Testing week draws close, the reasons to test for HIV have never been clearer.

    Sponsored by

    biosure

     

     

     

     

    HIV is 3 letters, not a sentence. Especially for those who are able to treat the virus, and early detection means better results and a longer, healthier life. Here are eight reasons to test for HIV.

    1) Be In The Know. According to Public Health England there are 103,700 people in the UK living with HIV. Over 18,000 of them don’t know they have it – and could be spreading the virus even further. There are an estimated 6,500 gay or bisexual men who don’t know that they are living with HIV.

    2) Early Bird. Early detection means better results from the treatment for HIV, resulting in a longer, healthier life.

    3) You’re Not Alone. If you’re afraid that you might not cope with a HIV diagnosis, there are loads and loads of support groups, charities and healthcare professionals to help you. All you have to do is ask for help. You won’t have to face HIV alone.

    4) Stigma Exists. One of the most difficult things many people living with HIV find is the stigma that still exists around the status. Medicine has come a long way; society has yet to follow on as quickly. Getting tested often means that you could be more mindful about your health.

    5) Knowledge Is Power. Sleeping with someone who knows that they are HIV positive could be safer than having sex with someone who doesn’t know their status and may take more risks.

    6) Restart The Clock. Without being glib, many people who have learnt that they are HIV positive have talked about feeling the opportunity to restart the clock. Changes to lifestyle and diet become a priority and general interest in your health can only be a good thing.

    7) Engaged With Your Sex. Getting tested means you’re taking responsibility for your general health and your sexual health – good for you and great for the people you sleep with.

    8) No Longer Need To Go The Clinic. You can now get a self-test kit that can be performed wherever and whenever is convenient for you. Best of all with the BioSure kit you only need half a drop of blood and not a vial full that some other kits require. Testing yourself just takes seconds with easy to read results in only 15 minutes, without you having to send them off to a lab. No waiting in the sexual health clinic. No waiting a week for results to be texted to you.

    Promoted Content by BioSure (what does this mean?)

  • COMMENT: Charlie Sheen, HIV and The Press

    I recently wrote an article for THEGAYUK about reports in the Sun newspaper regarding a Hollywood actor that was alleged to have HIV.

    I was quite firm in my opinion of the Sun and their showbiz journalist Dan Wootton, as I believed that the sensationalism was taking us back to the 1980s.

    The reports by the Sun and other outlets left little to the imagination when trying to work out who it could be. Pretty soon Charlie Sheen’s name began appearing all over my Twitter feed as people gossiped about the speculation that he could have HIV. It’s something that genuinely angered me and I am still incredibly uncomfortable with how this whole story has played out.
    On Tuesday 17th October 2015, Charlie Sheen appeared on American television to confirm that he has HIV. It’s a move that I view as being incredibly brave. I can only applaud Sheen for his honesty and the way he is handling the furore. It is my hope that he can now find peace and indeed be free from the prison he’s been living in, as he says.
    Of course it is massively concerning that he has had to announce something so personal in such a public way. Every person on this planet should have a right to confidentiality, particularly when it concerns their medical records. That extends to famous people and celebrities too. Just because somebody is in the public eye, it does not mean that every part of them and their lives belong to the public
    I cannot admit to being much of a Charlie Sheen fan previously, but I now have a new found admiration for him. The way in which he has been treated, and continues to be treated, is simply atrocious. Nobody deserves to have their medical conditions made public and the way in which some of the press have been reporting on this is nothing short of appalling.
    Along with the Sun’s sensationalised headline of “Hollywood HIV Panic”, the Mirror also published an article by Fleet Street Fox, which had “The Hollywood actor with HIV deserves everything he gets – and worse” as a headline. It is the kind of judgemental gutter press reporting that belongs in the dark ages of the 1980s, not in 2015 when we’re apparently more educated and open minded.

    There are two things to come out of all of this. On one hand it is encouraging that there is now somebody so well-known who has HIV. It has got conversations going around what HIV is and what undetectable means. That can only be a good thing which leads to increased education and awareness of HIV.
    However on the other hand there is the sheer scale and sensationalism of the story. I genuinely thought we had progressed beyond the kind of reports that were seen twenty or thirty years ago. The fact that Charlie Sheen having HIV is such a huge worldwide news story shows that we have a very long way to go in terms of destigmatising HIV. It shouldn’t be a headline news story. It shouldn’t be the topic of tabloid gossip. It shouldn’t be the case that a human being has had to go on television to disclose medical information to the world.
    Whilst there are encouraging aspects to take from Charlie Sheen’s story, it also shows just how much more progress, education and awareness there needs to be.

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • COMMENT | What are the HIV positives?

    I’m a guy who has just celebrated living with HIV for a year now (yes, you heard right folks..celebrated) and I’ve taken a secondment recently from my @hivpozguy handle on Twitter as a result.

    Whilst twitter is an amazing source for a guy with HIV to speak with others that have this unfortunate virus, there too are its downsides when you see so much negativity on display. Article after blog after tweet of people moaning about having it; of the side effects associated with the cocktails of medication; the horrible dating experiences owing to HIV; and generally blaming anything going wrong in life on HIV – lack of sleep, colds, stomach problems, stigma issues.

    I’m probably going to open a can of worms here to those reading this from the HIV community, but please, hear me out.

    It made me wonder why don’t we have more voices out there telling us if there are any positives to living with HIV? If we are to battle the stigma of HIV, surely we’re discrediting ourselves, as well as those that came before us, when we dig that stigma hole even deeper with our cynical shovels by harping on about all the rubbish that having HIV brings?

    Here’s an idea – what if we all decided to flip this on its head? – blog about our own rejoices at the prospect of being here, being alive; write articles giving credit to those that came before us; tweet to people the optimism we now face in the advancement of science and medicine; or write about how you ‘came out’ to colleagues/friends and what positive effect this had. Just show everyone that being positive is NOT so negative all the time!

    I understand we live in a society that likes to moan and complain to each other – it’s a nice form of release, I get that – but amongst the HIV community on twitter, which is so public, this needs to stop or at the very least tone down a notch or few.

    We need good news stories out there for those that have just joined our HIV ranks. Have a look at my own blog and you will see amongst my babbling ways that it is peppered with hope and good news about me. I get emails on a regular basis telling me how useful it has been from all walks of life. I am particularly touched when I see friends and family members of newly diagnosed people getting in touch to thank me, it helps them understand what their loved ones are going through.

    So what are the positives I hear you ask? Well, here we go my intrigued one:-

    • For a start, I know my status.. do you? Finding out is the first step for us all being healthier individuals. Only by knowing our status and being tested regularly can we all help in the fight against HIV.
    • Life. Goes. On.
    HIV is not a death sentence; we’re living near-normal life spans now. This will no doubt improve even more given the advances in medicine we’ve experienced over the past 3 decades.

    • HIV is a kick up your backside to be the healthiest you can be alongside taking a few pills each day. I quit smoking, I quit drinking so much, and I got out there and I exercised, I entered cycling and running races for charities. None of this would’ve happened if it wasn’t for HIV. I’m now studying at University and my wedding is only just round the corner now. HIV has the power to transform you to try to become the best you can be.

    • Most of us are on 1-3 pill regimens a day. If anything, the pills introduce some organisation to the day. I never used to eat much in the evenings, but thanks to the pills, I do now and I eat healthier too (albeit for occasional takeaway or chocolate – sometimes it’s bad to be good and it’s good to be bad).

    • As for the side effects of the medication, like anything out there – even throat lozenges – these come with potential side effects. Not everyone gets them. Those that experience any bad effects will naturally moan about them. If things are going right in life, we don’t tend to announce it so why would anyone out there say everything is a-okay with their medication? Well, I’m happy to report – no side effects from me and I’ve been taking my pills for a year now.

    • Dating. Well I’m the kind of chap that is happy and content in or out of a relationship. It falls down to the individual, but love comes in many shapes and forms and it’s up to us to seek where we get that from – friends, family, a partner – these all have the ability to fill your cup up to the brim in different measures depending on the situation.

    Living with HIV isn’t as bleak as one may expect. I hope this piece has enlightened, and it’s not my intention to detract from the seriousness of living with HIV at all. HIV is no laughing matter, but given how much the virus has grown up and changed, along with the successful battle we are putting up against it to date, I think our attitudes towards HIV need to change and evolve as a result.

    This change can only start with those that live with it. I know that I will be refraining from moaning about it in future on my twitter account – I hope others follow suit.

    Follow HIVPozGuy

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.