This article was supported by Owen Mumford Ltd.
If you are heterosexual, you might be tempted to scroll past this. Please don’t, as one day your health may depend on it. It’s 2022, and HIV should not be seen as a ‘gay disease’; it can affect all of us. The LGBTQ+ community has suffered unimaginable amounts of trauma from the devastating effects of this diseases, and of course, are pretty clued up about how to protect themselves. Yet, HIV still persists, and it is heterosexual people who need to follow in taking control of their sexual heath.
During the AIDS crisis of the ‘80s, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) emerged onto the world stage. Since then, there has been huge progress in HIV treatments, allowing HIV positive people to live long, happy and fulfilling lives without further risk of spread. Yet, the medication that serves this essential purpose can only be administered when you are diagnosed with HIV in the first place, and 1 in 16 people with HIV in the UK today do not know they have the virus, living undiagnosed and untreated. This is where testing comes in.
If you’re sexually active outside of a monogamous relationship, it might seem obvious to get tested for HIV regularly, just as people do for other STIs. Yet, when we talk about HIV and getting tested for it, many people can be resistant. The term HIV, and especially its progressive condition, AIDS, carries a lot of stigma. There are numerous myths surrounding HIV and AIDS which stem largely from the homophobic misrepresentation and propaganda around the disease from politicians and the media throughout the ‘80s and up to the early 2000s. Originally labelled a ‘gay disease’, fearmongering and blatant homophobia has created a culture of shame. Particularly in the USA, it was quickly painted as a threat to ‘well-to-do’ heterosexual families, providing weaponry to marginalise queer individuals. This attitude lingers today in the dangerous illusion that heterosexuals cannot get HIV. In fact, in 2019, it was found that 46% of HIV transmission comes from heterosexual contact.
Clearly some things have changed – HIV is no longer called a ‘gay disease’ outright in national media, but it’s remnant effects are still hugely damaging. Stigma and shame is still very much attached to an HIV diagnosis, and by association, an HIV test, which means that people are unwilling to get tested as much as they should. The importance of HIV testing for gay and bisexual men has been widely acknowledged, but the lingering homophobia that labels the disease means that heterosexual people are disincentivised from getting tested. For straight men in particular, who are one of the more vulnerable groups, it’s often perceived as a threat to masculinity and social standing. Taking an HIV test is seen as something a heterosexual man shouldn’t and wouldn’t do, and might prompt a fear of insults and questions about their sexuality. Some would rather just avoid getting a test because of this fear; others believe that, as heterosexual people, they aren’t at risk. This attitude needs to change if we are going to continue to lower the number of transmissions and help and free those from the stigma.
The lack of testing amongst heterosexual men and women means that they are much more likely to receive a late diagnosis. The highest proportion of late diagnoses was found in heterosexual men, with52% receiving a diagnosis in a late stage. As with many other diseases, getting an early diagnosis means that you can access the proper help quickly, leading to better treatment outcomes. Importantly, in the case of HIV, it can prevent you from passing the virus onto anybody else by lowering the viral load to a point where it becomes undetectable. With the new treatments available, those with HIV can live a long, fulfilling life, and are prevented from spreading it to anyone else. This can only happen with that all important early-stage diagnosis, and following the resulting treatment.
This is why it is essential that we change attitudes towards HIV. By sharing factually accurate information, and speaking openly about HIV, we fight the misinformation and stigma that discourages testing. For the UK Government to reach its target of zero HIV transmissions by 2030, this cultural change needs to happen quickly.
The development of the at-home test has been particularly impactful, allowing allows people to test discreetly, safely and accurately in the privacy of their own homes, avoiding the need to visit a clinic. A simple blood-test can be delivered at home, administered in a matter of minutes, and results are typically available in just 15 minutes. Charities such as the Terrence Higgins Trust have been partnering with providers of self-tests to roll out these quick tests widely and make them as accessible as possible.
To eradicate HIV as a whole, at-home tests are the perfect stepping stone to further conversations and awareness. If you are sexually active, getting an HIV test alongside other STI tests is hugely important, to protect yourself and others. These things need to be spoken about, and they need to be spoken about widely. Removing shame allows freedom to test, be safe and to eradicate HIV from existence. There is nothing shameful about taking control of your sexual health.
So, if you are sexually active and have had unprotected sex, whether straight or gay, order a test! There are lots of test options that you can access, and get delivered directly to you. Knowing your status enables you take control of your life and your sexual health. It’s time to get talking about HIV. Talk about the facts, talk about taking control, talk about testing at home and talk about how this can improve people’s lives.
Find your free test here: https://test.tht.org.uk/finder