Pride and prejudice: gay men who are HIV-positive fear 'double discrimination'

Abstract

South Africa's Constitutional protections against discrimination for sexual orientation afford countless opportunities to bring men who have sex with men (MSM) out of the shadows and into the reach of public health interventions. Fear of disclosing sexual orientation remains commonplace, with MSM experiencing a sense of vulnerability that they could fall victim to stigmatisation and discrimination. The pressing concealment of sexual orientation also creates barriers to seeking healthcare, and AIDS stigmas add a layer of concealment that ultimately propagates the spread of HIV. This study by ALLANISE CLOETE and co-authors, examined the stigma and discrimination experiences of MSM living with HIV/AIDS .