23/08/2024
How can we stop HIV stigma?
1️⃣ Educate yourself and others about HIV. Especially the ways HIV is passed on, and the easy things that everyone can do to prevent HIV from being transmitted. If you are well informed, you will be able to spot misinformation about HIV, and you will be able to educate other people too.
2️⃣ Recognise stigmatising attitudes within you. Think honestly about your own attitude to HIV. A lot of us hold stigmatising attitudes, and that’s because they are all around us. You may have heard them from family members, in church, at school, from friends, on social media, the radio or TV. The first step is to recognise any stigmatising views you may have, then you can challenge yourself to think differently.
3️⃣ Challenge others to think differently. You can do this by calling out HIV stigma and discrimination when you see it. Just make sure you assess the situation for any risks before you do so. If someone is being treated badly, sometimes just letting them know you are on their side can be enough.
