Science & Technology

How to Tackle the Stigma of Living with HIV | Gareth Thomas | TED

After his HIV diagnosis, former pro rugby player Gareth Thomas set out on a mission to tackle the stigma and shame that prevent people from getting the testing and care they need. In this empowering talk, Thomas shares his mission to demystify and redefine what it means to live with HIV — and shares how…

Published

on

After his HIV diagnosis, former pro rugby player Gareth Thomas set out on a mission to tackle the stigma and shame that prevent people from getting the testing and care they need. In this empowering talk, Thomas shares his mission to demystify and redefine what it means to live with HIV — and shares how each of us can normalize conversations around all vilified conditions.

If you love watching TED Talks like this one, become a TED Member to support our mission of spreading ideas:

Follow TED!
Twitter:
Instagram:
Facebook:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:

The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world’s leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.

Watch more:

TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (). For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at

#TED #TEDTalks #WorldAIDSDay

43 Comments

  1. ANA LUZ URBINA ESPINOZA

    December 1, 2022 at 4:27 pm

    Primero

  2. Hala Al-Zubaidi

    December 1, 2022 at 4:29 pm

    secondly

  3. Paul Martin III

    December 1, 2022 at 4:33 pm

    How about don’t get HIV and I won’t judge you this idea we need to stop judging people’s complete nonsense everybody’s just lying to themselves we all judge everybody get used to it

    • MostlyLoveOfMusic

      December 1, 2022 at 5:36 pm

      Well that’s dumb

    • caroline bjerkelund

      December 1, 2022 at 5:47 pm

      How should I judge your grammar?

    • Aaron Rosenberg

      December 1, 2022 at 6:26 pm

      Humans have the opportunity and ability to develop a faculty of empathy. You’re simply admitting here that you prefer not to do this work,.

      Pat fixes like “How about don’t get HIV?” allow you to think you have a point. We all _do_ use our judgement, but to use it like an evolved human is different from your fallacious appeal to majority with the vague, insistent “we all judge.”

    • The ???

      December 1, 2022 at 6:51 pm

      What about children born with HIV from HIV infected mothers? Did these children choose to get HIV? Or what about people that were raped?

    • Kenny Pittard

      December 1, 2022 at 7:46 pm

      Don’t worry about what people think.

  4. Jay L

    December 1, 2022 at 4:41 pm

    Awesome talk from an awesome dude. Best use of 10 minutes all day

  5. ام الأيتام ٩٦٧٧٣٤٧٤٦٢١١ +

    December 1, 2022 at 4:44 pm

    نسِالُكِ بّالُلُُه الُجْلُيَلُ الُجْبّارَ انَ تْنَقًذَنَا قًبّلُ انَ نَمٌوَتْ مٌنَ شِدِتْ الُجْوَْع انَيَ انَتٌْخيَكِ انَيَ دٌِخلُةِ ْعلُى الُلُُه  تْمٌ ْعلُيَكِ انَيَ فَيَ وَجُْهك انَـيَ اخـتْكِ انَـيَ اتْرَجْـاكِ اتْـوَسِـلُ الُـيَـكِ انَـقًـذَنَا لُـوَجُْـه الُـلُُـه. يَــشِــُهدِ الُــلُــُه يَاٌخـيَ انَ مٌنَ الُــصّــبّاحُ حُـتْا الُـانَ يَــحُــرَمٌ ْعـــلُيَـنَـا الاكل غير الماء ( (آنيِ آتٍرجُآك وآتٍوسلّ آلّيِك يِآآخيِ آن تٍقرآ رسآلّتٍيِ هًذٍآ گٍآمٌلّهً وولّآتٍتٍرگٍهًآ بدون ماتقراها اخي اول گٍلّآمٌيِ آنآآقسمٌ ببآآلّلّهً علّى گٍتٍآب آلّلّهً آنيِ لّآآگٍذٍب علّيِگٍ ولّآآنصِب ولّآآحًتٍآلّ آنيِ بنتٍ يِمٌنيِهً نآدحًيِن مٌن تٍعزُ آنآوآسرتٍيِ وعلّيِنآآجُآربيِتٍ آلّشهًرب13آلّفُ يِمٌنيِ وآلّآن علّيِنآ52آلّفُ حًق4شهًور وصِآحًب البيتٍ مٌن آلّنآس آلّيِ مٌآتٍرحًمٌ والله يااخي انه يجي كل يوم يبهدلناويتكلم عليناويريد ان يطردنا من البيت للشارع لانناماقدرناندفعله الاجارومايروح إلئ بعدمانبكي ورجعوتكلموعليه الناس ومهلنالاخرهذا الاسبوع وإذامادفعناله حلف يمين بالله انه بيخرجناإلئ الشارع بدون رحمه واحنااسره ايتام فقراء مشردين من بلادنا بسبب هذا الحرب ولانجدقوت يومنا وعايشين اناوامي واخوتي سغار والدنا متوفي الله يرحمه ومامعنااحدفي هذاالدنيا يقف بجنبنا في هذا الضروف القاسيه ومامعي اخوان كبار اناالكبيره في اخوتي ولكن انابنت لااستطيع مثلك ان اروح اشتغل بين الرجال واصرف علئ اسرتي والله ثم والله يااخي انناقدلنايومين محرومين من لقمت العيش ومعي اخوان سغار انظركيف حالتهم اقسم بالله يااخي انهم خرجومن البيت للشارع وشافو الجيران ياكلو راحووقفوعندبابهم لجل يعطوهم ولوخبزه يابسه يسدوبها جوعهم والله الذي له ملك السموات والارض انهم غلقو الباب وطردوهم ورجعويبكوايموتومن الجوع مااحدرحمهم وعطانهم لقمت عيش والان لومااحد ساعدنا بحق كيلو دقيق اقسم بالله اننا انموت من الجوع فيااخي انادخيله علئ الله ثم عليك واريدمنك المساعده لوجه الله انشدك بالله وبمحمد رسول الله يامن تحب الخير واتساعدني ولو ب500ريال يمني ان تراسلي واتساب علئ هذا الرقم00967734746211 وتطلب اسم بطاقتي وترسلي ولاتتاخر وايعوضك الله بكل خير فيااخي انت رجال إذاشفت اسرتك جاوعين تعمل المستحيل من اجل تامن لهم الاكل ولكن انابنت عيني بصيره ويدي قصيره ليس لي اب مثلك يمسح دمعتي ويحميني من الذل والأهانات وأخواني سغار شوف كيف حالتهم وساعدناوأنقذناقبل ان يطردونا في ألشارع نتبهدل او نموت من الجوع انااقسم بالله الذي رفع سبع سموات بلاعمدوبسط الأرض ومهداني لاأكذب عليك بحرف من هذا ألرساله واني ماطلبتك إلئ من ضيق ومن قسوت الضروف والحال الذي احنافيه واناوسرتي نسالك بالله لولك مقدره علئ مساعدتنا لاتتاخر عليناالله يحفضكم ويرزقكم،،،،،،،،،،،،،،،،،،،…..

  6. celestialcircledance

    December 1, 2022 at 5:02 pm

    I understand the importance of people with Aids breaking the stigma but how is it that every TED talker thinks that we have the time energy and resources to take up there individual cause ?

    • SawZaag

      December 1, 2022 at 5:22 pm

      Nobody’s asking any such thing. Do as you like. It’s about dispelling ignorance…. especially the WILFUL type.

    • Lemme think for a second

      December 1, 2022 at 9:28 pm

      We are 8 billion people out there. There’s plenty of time, energy and resources

  7. Umesh Shirsat

    December 1, 2022 at 5:10 pm

    👏👏

  8. MostlyLoveOfMusic

    December 1, 2022 at 5:39 pm

    Well done mate, we can all get diseases, we should help each other and never be such a thing as a stigma

    • text Ross 𝟑𝟖𝟔𝟕𝟎𝟏𝟔𝟖𝟎𝟐𝟒

      December 1, 2022 at 8:21 pm

      Message me for your gift 👆

  9. rehan lovers

    December 1, 2022 at 6:21 pm

    What a great saying,

    • text Ross 𝟑𝟖𝟔𝟕𝟎𝟏𝟔𝟖𝟎𝟐𝟒

      December 1, 2022 at 8:23 pm

      Thanks for watching my video, text me for your package 👆

  10. Twitch- xjuiceboxtwitch

    December 1, 2022 at 9:01 pm

    just in time with all those experiments starting to crack :))))

  11. text Ross 𝟑𝟖𝟔𝟕𝟎𝟏𝟔𝟖𝟎𝟐𝟒

    December 1, 2022 at 9:13 pm

    Thanks for watching my video, dm for your package 📦 👆

  12. Austin Denotter

    December 1, 2022 at 9:54 pm

    People with HIV live longer than Covid vax people. Prove me wrong.

  13. Marco

    December 1, 2022 at 11:38 pm

    Thank you, that was an inspiring talk!

  14. Luca Gheorghe

    December 1, 2022 at 11:49 pm

    I’ve been quite unsure about investing in this current market and at the same time I feel it’s the best time to get started on the market. i was at a seminar and the host spoke about making well over $3.5M within a short period of time investing in Cryptocurrency.

    • Luca Gheorghe

      December 1, 2022 at 11:51 pm

      @To people Be nice there’s a lot of money to be made in crypto. I been trying to stick with index funds. I feel this new interest rates hikes could crash this economy. I’m looking out for a better investing strategy, I have a lump sum that inflation is steady eating up. i need help.. How do I reach him?

    • To people Be nice

      December 1, 2022 at 11:51 pm

      @Luca Gheorghe check the web and you will find him, drop a msg

    • crypto Hulk

      December 1, 2022 at 11:52 pm

      I ran a quick check on Mr Korducki. he’s well regulated. His qualification seem solid with positive reviews, he seems checked out. Also his services are available outside of the US for foreign investors. Is he that good?

    • Luca Gheorghe

      December 1, 2022 at 11:52 pm

      @To people Be nice Ok, just found his website, impressive, Thank you.

    • To people Be nice

      December 1, 2022 at 11:52 pm

      @Luca Gheorghe It was my first time using the website and As an investor i have to admit this company is truly professional and give legit service that I recommend for anyone who wants to start investing in Bitcoin or stock.

  15. M P

    December 2, 2022 at 12:21 am

    Fantastic. Brave. Principled. So thankful for people like you.

    • text Ross 𝟑𝟖𝟔𝟕𝟎𝟏𝟔𝟖𝟎𝟐𝟒

      December 2, 2022 at 2:00 am

      Thanks for watching my video, text me for your package 📦

  16. nico

    December 2, 2022 at 3:16 am

    idk maybe just don’t share that you have aids with others unless it’s a sexual interaction??? tf

  17. Filitsa60 Korba

    December 2, 2022 at 3:36 am

    👍👍👍👍

  18. Stephanie lona

    December 2, 2022 at 5:38 am

    *Making money is an action. Keeping money is a behavior, but “Growing money is wisdom” I heard this from someone* 😏

    • Michael Jordan

      December 2, 2022 at 7:33 am

      THANKS A LOT I HAVE CONTACTED HIM NOW AND HE’S RESPONDED

    • Cassandra olive

      December 2, 2022 at 7:53 am

      I’m glad to see Mr Richard Dennis mentioned here, my spouse recommended him to Me after investing $4000 and he has really helped us financially in times of COVID -19 lockdown here in Australia 🇦🇺

    • Martha Lucid

      December 2, 2022 at 7:59 am

      I make $ 23,450 weekly trading profit with him, I only trust Mr Richard Dennis with my investments. am now able to send my kids to great schools in LA, all thanks to Mr Richard

    • faith Gilmour

      December 2, 2022 at 8:06 am

      I am from Denver Colorado USA I connected with him and he has helped me a lot, he makes so much profit for me .he made success earlier than we thought.

    • David Ellie

      December 2, 2022 at 8:16 am

      I’m so happy for taking the bold step in investing a little start up capital with after a week I received my profits to my bank

  19. aristochat3

    December 2, 2022 at 7:32 am

    It’s ok, we all have acquired immune deficiency now. Safe and effective!

  20. BearOnTheMoon

    December 2, 2022 at 2:46 pm

    Never thought I’d live to hear the words ‘HIV won’t be transmissible’.
    Well done, to those involved in creating the medicines.
    Sad that I only learned about this, from a TED talk Youtube vid…

  21. Andy Cordy

    December 2, 2022 at 11:33 pm

    Wow! Alfie! What a public speaker! Excellent.

  22. Aaron Austrie

    December 2, 2022 at 11:59 pm

    Awesome speech!

  23. Abhadi asernal

    December 4, 2022 at 8:55 am

    I am writing this comment with tears of joy, 2months ago i found out i was diagnosed with HIV but now I am HIV negative all Glory to Dr Abiola on YouTube …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending

Exit mobile version