In the last couple of weeks British tabloids have been criticised for articles that feel like they come from another age where, without specifically naming names, they’ve said an ‘a-list’ star in HIV+, and then reeled off similarly cryptic lists of people with no names who they say that he’s slept with, inviting people to play guess who they’re talking about.
Now reports suggest the man behind the blind items may have decided to take control of the story, after a US tabloid named him and said he’s known his HIV status for years, but has been keeping the diagnosis secret.
The Today Show in the US has confirmed that Charlie Sheen is set to sit down for an interview with them on Tuesday November 17th and make a ‘revealing personal announcement’. TMZ has said that the announcement will be that he his indeed HIV+.
Although it looks like his hand has slightly been forced, assuming that the reports are true it’s a significant development, as Sheen will become perhaps the highest profile figure ever to reveal they are HIV+. While several well-known stars have had the disease, from Rock Hudson to Freddie Mercury, their status was only revealed shortly before or after they died of AIDS, which tended to have the effect of further stigmatising those with HIV.
Although Sheen’s hard partying image is likely to have some unfairly blaming him for own disease, the fact he is still largely well-liked and his admission probably won’t have too much of an effect on his career could genuinely help people look at HIV in a different light.
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