News: The Misconceptions About Charlie Sheen's Diagnosis

This week, actor Charlie Sheen's revelation that he is HIV positive (albeit with an undetectable viral load) was a media event that showed there's still plenty of misinformation and prejudice regarding people with HIV. The National Enquirer's headline of "Charlie Sheen AIDS Cover-Up," for instance, is an outright lie: Sheen does not have AIDS to cover up. In more subtle ways, the Enquirer (and other outlets) also perpetuated shame and untrue perceptions of the disease, with lines like "Decades of debauchery have finally caught up to Charlie Sheen." The truth is that promiscuity does not transmit HIV (only one exposure is needed), and people with the disease are not and should not be made to feel that they are being punished for their sexual history. This was especially common when HIV was perceived to be confined to the gay community, and the myth that only deviants become HIV positive persists to this day.

Someone forward you this email? No Sweat! Sign up here to get your own If you're having trouble viewing this email, click here Follow Us News: The Misconceptions About Charlie Sheen's Diagnosis This week, actor Charlie Sheen's revelation that he is HIV positive (albeit with an undetectable viral load) was a media event that showed there's still plenty of misinformation and prejudice regarding people with HIV. The National Enquirer's headline of "Charlie Sheen AIDS Cover-Up," for instance, is an outright lie: Sheen does not have AIDS to cover up. In more subtle ways, the Enquirer (and other outlets) also perpetuated shame and untrue perceptions of the disease, with lines like "Decades of debauchery have finally caught up to Charlie Sheen."  The truth is that promiscuity does not transmit HIV (only one exposure is needed), and people with the disease are not and should not be made to feel that they are being punished for their sexual history. This was especially common when HIV was perceived to be confined to the gay community, and the myth that only deviants become HIV positive persists to this day. When Sheen spoke to Matt Lauer, the significance of his celebrity didn't escape him. "I have a responsibility now to better myself and to help a lot of other people."  He's right; Sheen has generated a lot of attention and interest in HIV, and that can be turned into something good. Here's how you can help right now.  Nicholas English Content Manager of About.com Health About.com's Top 20 HIV Charities of 2015 READ NOW 10 Tips for Donating to HIV Charities    READ NOW Can We Treat Our Way Out of the AIDS Epidemic?    READ NOW 5 Celebrities With HIV/AIDS READ NOW Trending Now • How to Stop Eating When You're Not Hungry • When Can I Stop Using Oxygen for My COPD? • The Best Fitness Gifts for Grown-Ups • Gut Check: The New App For People With IBD • You Can Add Years to Your Life With These Foods • 2 Of the Most Important Ways to Beat Depression • How Do You Know Your Child Had a Vaccine Injury? Advertisement About Health  |  Follow Us You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Health newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10036 © 2015 About.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.