So what
can be done to lesson stigma and discrimination around HIV?
“The general public is still woefully misinformed, and the
tabloids and some politicians still peddle myths and lies about
the disease. There’s a fear about open discussion of sex education
while we have the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe and
increasing sexually-transmitted infections.
“Long-term, the answer is decent sex education and not condemning
Africans or the young. I think there should be more support for
young gays to help them cope outside the shallow commercial gay
scene.
“It’s really hard for us to separate stigma about HIV
from stigma about being gay. There’s no real community response
at the moment to being gay. So when we ask about stigma around HIV,
maybe that’s putting the cart before the horse.”
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