Here's what not to say to someone with HIV: WATCH

HIV stigma is deadly. As Ian Howley, interim CEO of gay men’s health charity GMFA recently said, stigma stops people finding out their status because “they’d rather not know,” which can “lead to late diagnoses (meaning less effective treatment and more chance of passing HIV on to others).”

Ignorance, fear and prejudice all fuel stigma, which in turn fuels the spread of HIV. So to help combat it, the BBC have put together a new video called Things not to say to someone who’s HIV positive. Not only does the video shed light on common misconceptions about the virus, it also gives you a guide on how to approach the subject sensitively.

Throughout the five-minute clip, interviewees note the many ridiculous assumptions and questions that they’ve heard in response to disclosing their status, including the incredibly morbid “How long do you have left?” and the incredibly intrusive “How did you get it?”

Check out the video below.

"How did you get it?"
Things not to say to someone who’s HIV positive. pic.twitter.com/j9vlmIplzZ

— BBC Three (@bbcthree) September 15, 2016

Meanwhile, GMFA have launched their own anti-stigma campaign, Living With HIV. Check out some of their videos here

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Here’s what not to say to someone with HIV: WATCH

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