December 1st is World AIDS Day

Approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV today. About 14 percent of them (1 in 7) don’t know it and need testing (HIV.GOV, 2020). Advances in medicine mean that people on effective HIV treatment cannot pass the virus on, but late diagnoses remain high and worryingly. Getting tested is the only way to find out if you have HIV. If you are living with HIV, starting treatment early means you can live a full, healthy and productive life. Talk to your Health Care Practitioner today to learn more about screening for HIV.

HIV continues to have a disproportionate impact on certain populations, particularly racial and ethnic minorities and gay and bisexual men. Stigma and discrimination can be a daily issue for people living with HIV. A recent stigma survey showed that 13% report avoiding visiting their general practitioner because they feared being treated differently and 21% of gay men living with HIV report they have been discriminated against in work. Troublingly, 18% of those surveyed reported that they had suicidal thoughts in the past year.

Help End the Stigma!

We’ve come a long way – but there’s still much work to do! Join us on World AIDS Day so we can continue to fight discrimination, raise awareness and improve the lives of people living with HIV. If each of us commits to making positive changes in our families and communities, we can help end HIV stigma and work to stop HIV together. Here are some resources to get you started:

• Stigma Language Guide. The words we use matter. Learn how to talk openly about HIV and stigma in a way that can help empower those living with HIV.
• Stigma Scenarios: Support in Action. Read through examples of situations that show how HIV stigma can happen in any setting and learn ways to take action.
• Pledge Cards: A Commitment to Action. Make a pledge to help stop HIV stigma. Download our pledge cards to customize and post on your website, blog, social media channels, and other digital outlets.