Shakedowns. Witchhunts. Shocking Diagnosis. Debauchery. Devastating. Ex-lovers' horror. Hysteria. Each of these powerful words screamed from the headlines when Charlie Sheen disclosed his HIV status. They unfortunately prove that, for many Americans, an understanding of HIV and AIDS has not progressed beyond the days when a dying Rock Hudson was dogged by reporters. HIV is still portrayed as a terrifying epidemic and people living with the virus are viewed as a threat to public health. This story is, in many ways, an opportunity to correct mistaken beliefs about the virus. For a person living with HIV, however, these hyperbolic headlines trigger old, familiar feelings that have so often...
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