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HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Stigma is big business
Though ignorance, fear, and stigma have come to define the HIV and AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, HIV today is recognised as a chronic health condition that can be successfully treated and managed. However, those living with HIV continue to face stigma and discrimination; rejection from friends, family, and sex partners. It has become a toxic trait among some gay men on apps.
Stigma and discrimination affect the emotional well-being and mental health of HIV+ people, who often fear judgment if their status is revealed. This can lead to a reluctance to disclose and feelings of shame, isolation, and despair. Slogans and sound bites have value, but we can all help end stigma through our words and actions in everyday life.
- Get the facts and be informed
- Share positive messages, like HIV test and treat and ‘undetectable = untransmittable’ (or U=U)
- Call out stigma if you see or experience it
However, stigma is not exclusive to HIV. It extends to:
- LGBT+ people face discrimination, rejection, and legal inequalities in the UK and around the world
- Sex workers are morally judged and criminalised
- People who use drugs are often seen as criminals and “dirty”. (Even nice people use drugs)
- People on benefits, or those without work, are labelled "lazy" or undeserving, even in tough economic times
- Ex-offenders often struggle to reintegrate due to bias from employers and society
- Students are labelled as "stupid" or "lazy"
- People with different gender identities, appearances, or interests face prejudice and judgment
- People of faith or religious views are often stereotyped, discriminated against, or assumed to hold extreme beliefs