Taiwan has been celebrated for being at the forefront of LBGT rights in Asia, but an underlying current of discrimination against HIV/AIDS is still prevalent across much of society.
The News Lens
Date: 2016/12/29
By: Edward White
Taiwan is not the worst country in the world to have HIV/AIDS. Almost of all of the more than 30,000
Photo Credit: torange.biz @ CC BY 4.0
HIV-positive patients’ medical bills are covered by the country’s public health insurance system and anti-discrimination laws are in place to protect their rights across society. However, there are signs the day-to-day experience of people living with HIV remains marred by fears that prejudice can emerge at any juncture.
Meet Chris, a 36-year-old diagnosed HIV-positive in 1999 after contracting the disease from unprotected sex. Seven years on and his barrel chest, square shoulders and the thick veins protruding from muscular forearms mask the fact he has a life-threatening illness.
Chris, while a little shy at first, is comfortable in his own skin. His friends and family have not treated him any differently since he contracted the disease, he told The News Lens. Being HIV-positive does not have a bearing on his job at a technology company, so he has not seen the need to tell his colleagues about the illness. For the same reason, in his dealings with health professionals for routine medical issues unrelated to the illness, he does not disclose that he has HIV. [FULL STORY]
