Lord Mayor of Belfast, Kate Nicholl has opened this month’s Belfast City Council meeting by reading a letter penned by a 19-year-old service user of HIV Charity, Positive Life.
Addressing council colleagues and the wider public on World AIDS Day, the Lord Mayor spoke of the experience of a university student growing up as HIV+ in Northern Ireland and the devastating stigma she has faced at each stage of her life.
‘Mary’ (real name anonymised) opens up about the form of continuous bullying she endured throughout school, being told she couldn’t attend sleepovers due to the risk that other children could ‘catch’ HIV from her, to being convinced by prevailing societal attitudes that her condition meant certain early death.
The Lord Mayor read the letter on World AIDS Day in recognition of the discrimination and marginalistion experienced by those living with HIV, particularly young people coming through our education system without access to adequate Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE).
Chief Executive of Positive Life, Jacquie Richardson said:
“To open this evening’s Belfast City Council meeting by reading Mary’s story is a hugely significant gesture for all those impacted by HIV in Northern Ireland. On World AIDS Day we heard the Lord Mayor draw attention towards an issue which goes largely unmentioned – HIV associated stigma. Visibility is absolutely vital to progress and I’m hugely grateful to Kate for taking the lead once again on this issue.
“Unfortunately, this letter is but one example of the kind of stigma those impacted by HIV continue to endure each day in Northern Ireland. At Positive Life, among our service users we see declining mental health, the breakdown of relationships, and discrimination whether in education, the workplace, accessing health services and even in social settings.
“Mary’s story shows that bullying, stigma, and ignorance continue to be associated with HIV for many, including our young people. This World AIDS Day I’d encourage everyone to reflect on Mary’s story and show people living with HIV that their experience matters.”
Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Kate Nicholl said:
“Reading Mary’s letter for the first time, I was absolutely moved by her experience. She speaks for so many people across Northern Ireland who have had to endure outdated and harmful attitudes for far too long. I commend her courage and stand with her this World AIDS Day.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CW8_vJJoQWi/?utm_medium=copy_link
Discover more from LoveBelfast
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
