Kissing this guy could help to fight HIV stigma
Sometimes we have to make tough sacrifices for charity… like snogging this guy to help fight HIV stigma.
To mark World AIDS Day next Tuesday (December 1), the National AIDS Trust is holding a ‘pop-up Kissing Booth’ in Soho Square.
The booth, which is supported by Sink The Pink and Attitude Magazine, will give punters the chance to get a kiss from drag artists or model Alex Mountain – as featured in the ‘Red Hot’ campaign.
(Alex Mountain – RED HOT)
The charity says the booth is a response to NAT research which shows 16% of people wrongly think you can get HIV from kissing, up from 4% ten years ago.
NAT chief executive Deborah Gold said: “The booth is going to be great fun but it also highlights an important message.
“That too many people in this country believe myths and scaremongering about HIV.
“This leads to stigma against people living with HIV and increases the number of people getting the disease. Its time it ends.”
Attitude Editor Matthew Todd said: “The numbers of people who don’t know the basic facts about HIV and how it is transmitted is completely shocking and should be cause for the government to bring in mandatory sex and relationships education in schools.
“The kissing booth is a fun way to make a really important point – that HIV is still here and more needs to be done to educate people about it.”
