21st Century HIV is a photo exhibition which challenges the stigma still facing people living with HIV in Wales. Created by Fast Track Cardiff & Vale, it features 10 people talking about their diagnosis and how they feel about making it public. Available both online and in A1 poster format, it aims to raise awareness that while you can now live with HIV and not pass it on, stigma hasn’t disappeared and needs challenging.
Many of the people involved in creating the exhibition are themselves living with HIV. “We needed to challenge how the public sees HIV and show that we are just people getting on with our lives," said Gian Molinu, chair of Fast Track Cardiff & Vale and Pride Cymru. “Stigma and fear stop people getting tested and hiding part of yourself in fear of how people will respond is bad for your mental health. HIV is nothing to be ashamed of and we need to start saying that louder in Wales.”
The exhibition consists of panels that show people living with HIV in Wales and discussing stigma and disclosure, as well as a resource list of helpful organisations. In no particular order, here are the 10 people featured in the new project.
Read more: The story behind the stunning mural of a woman born with HIV in Cardiff
Ellie
Ellie is a young woman born with the virus. “I was around ten when a doctor and my parents explained. I knew my mum took meds like I did and I wanted to be like her, so it was fine. I already knew something was up.” Ellie is partially open about her health status; she is part of CHIVA, a network of young people born with HIV.
Gavin Sheppard
Gavin, 36, is a well-known figure on the Cardiff gay scene of many years' standing. He said: “When I was diagnosed in 2007 I was told I’d got 10 years, but now we know the meds will keep me alive to a ripe old age. I had a mysterious rash and my GP was reluctant to test for HIV. Luckily, I insisted and of course the one thing he didn’t want to test me for turned out to be what I had." You can read more about Gavin's story here.
Gian Molinu
Gian has always been open about his HIV with his immediate family and close friends, but he spoke publicly about stigma in the Senedd last year. “It feels weird saying to you, I have HIV, but if I have difficulty, in a secure job with a loving family, how much harder is it for others? Those of us who can, need to challenge ignorance and stigma and break the taboo. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, but people are poorly educated," he said.
Marlon Van Der Mark
Marlon wasn’t diagnosed with HIV until he was hospitalised. “I was too scared to test, it was frightening. Nobody was talking about how you can lead an ordinary life with it," he said. Covid gave him time to think. “I wanted to take the power back so I made a video about it – my TikTok exploded from 900 to 25k followers. There are so many frightened young people out there – too scared to test, like I was."
Mercy Shibemba
HIV became a big secret and only talked about in clinic. Not all her family knew “so it was hard to use the (shared) computer to find out stuff, I had to keep deleting the history," Mercy explained. She realised a double life wasn’t helping – “I like to keep things simple, that’s not how I wanted to live". At 16 she started to meet other teens with HIV. She added: “We all just wanted to talk about it and not be ashamed.” Mercy has gone on to regularly speak out about HIV all over the world.
Ian Green
Ian, 56, is a relative newcomer to Powys. Diagnosed 26 years ago in London, he’s held down top jobs with the YMCA and been a councillor and chair of social services for a large local authority. He’s currently CEO of the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), the UK’s largest HIV charity. “I was told I’d have eight years by my GP but I went straight on early treatment. It’s a life saver," he said.
Rahim El Habachi
Rahim has always been open about his HIV status and was shocked to discover many people in Wales were not. “Through HIV I’ve met amazing people who helped me – HIV has given me more than it’s taken away. There’s a lot of self-stigma here, people still have the mind set of the 80s and are amazed that someone would be open. But I’m proud of everything I’ve done, I’m driven. HIV woke me up," he said.
Steve Craftman
Steve is retired and lives in Neath. He was diagnosed with HIV in 1987 but later information showed that he contracted the virus very early in 1980.“I was living in London and volunteering on Switchboard, the lesbian and gay helpline, and I already knew what the answer would likely be when I tested," he said.
Tyler George
Born across the border in Somerset, Tyler has lived in south Wales since he was a child. Tyler was diagnosed with HIV in 2016. “It was a bit of a shock, but I knew someone on treatment and knew that taking treatment keeps you well and stops you passing it on, so I didn’t panic. Education is key," Tyler explained.
Anonymous
“I’d love to take part, but I haven’t told my parents and I don’t want to worry them," an anonymous source told Fast Track Cardiff & Vale. People don’t think that people like me get HIV – I feel like they’d judge me. I’d be afraid of gossip. It might damage my work prospects."
More information, and support, can be found via the Fast Track Cardiff & Vale website here. To get news from across Wales straight to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters here.
Read next:
- The Swansea bar that's re-opening as an LGBT+ venue
- Queer Emporium claims new cocktail bar will 'compromise safety of our customers'
- Drag queen storyteller targeted by far-right group says homophobic leaflet campaign is 'laughable'
-
Civil partnerships in Wales and England plummet as same-sex unions hit all time low
