MP reveals that he is HIV-positive in order to fight stigma | Society



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Labor MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle became the second parliamentarian to announce his HIV status. He said in a speech before World AIDS Day that he wanted to combat the stigma that is still associated with the disease.

Russell-Moyle, MP for Brighton Kemptown since the 2017 election, told the House of Commons that he had been HIV-positive for 10 years, since the age of 22.

In remarks made public before the announcement, he said: "Since then, I have been receiving top-notch treatment from the NHS, so I have not only survived, I have prospered and my partner is safe and secure. protected."

He continued, "I lead this debate today because we are in many ways in the fight against HIV and AIDS. We could be more active, more ambitious and more determined to eradicate the disease in the UK. Or we could go in the direction of the government, which jeopardizes our hard-fought progress. "

Russell-Moyle, former Brighton City Councilor, said, "The disease is still deeply misunderstood. Death of the public, HIV evokes images of tombstones and a life marked by tragedy.

"The reality is that today, the prognosis is extremely different from what it was when it was purchased for public attention. If she is treated, an HIV-positive person, like me, can expect to live a long and busy life with little or no side effects of the addiction regime.

"I hope that my coming will serve to overcome the stigma attached to the disease. I hope that more people will understand that effective treatment keeps HIV-positive people healthy and protects their partners. Let my story encourage other people to get tested and start their treatment sooner. "

Chris Smith, Labor Minister of Blair's time, who was the first openly homosexual British MP when he entered the Commons in 1983, announced that he was HIV-positive a few months before leaving the Parliament. 2005.

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