One of the unintended side effects of medication that’s allowed HIV to become a manageable condition has been that many people in the gay community are less likely to heed safe sex messages or check their HIV status.
Simultaneously there’s still a huge amount of misinformation about the disease, not least who you’re most likely to catch it from. For example, you’re less likely to become infected from taking sensible precautions with someone who is HIV+ and has a undectable load, than from unsafe hook-ups with someone whose status you don’t know (and they may not know either).
To help increase ‘knowledge, communication and compassion’, The Impulse Group has come up with a very sexy and well-made short film, called Knowing, which ‘highlights the journey from a break-up to knowing one’s HIV status to communicating that status. And of course, love and compassion prevail.’
HIV PSAs have a tendency to be rather clinical and have a lingering sense of doom hanging over them, which is both unhelpful and doesn’t really reflect the modern sense of living with the disease. Knowing takes a more realistic and positive attitude, while not minimising the importance of knowing your status and being sensible. Plus it manages to be incredibly sexy while doing it!
Take a look below.
Leave a Reply (if comment does not appear immediately, it may have been held for moderation)