Today is World AIDS Day (symbolised by the red ribbon). With the amazing tools and medication at our disposal nowadays, we have the possibility to *end* the spread of HIV in our lifetimes. Education, awareness, testing, and fighting HIV stigma worldwide, as well as providing free and unrestricted access to protection (condoms and PrEP) and treatment (TasP ‘treatment as prevention’) are paramount in achieving this. No-one should be shamed for having the virus, as treatment means they can’t pass it on and the virus is no longer an STI, but a chronic and manageable condition. #UequalsU (Undetectable = Untransmittable)
Dear friends and other people living with HIV: I know that often the stigma of having HIV is worse than the virus itself; I support you and I stand by you. Shoutout to all the amazing people all over the world who have dedicated their lives to the amazing and achievable goal of eradicating AIDS and the spread of HIV. And I honour the memories of those who have lost their lives to what used to be a deadly disease, but who did not live in vain. Many more can be saved if they have access to treatment. Let’s mourn the dead and fight like hell for the living.
Oh, and by the way: PrEP works. See this post for more on that.
Educate yourself | Protect yourself | Protect your partners | Test regularly | Fight stigma
END IGNORANCE — END STIGMA — END HIV
