Member of British Parliament Comes Out as HIV-Positive in Passionate Speech

On the brink of tears, Labour Member of Parliament Lloyd Russell-Moyl delivered an impassioned speech earlier today revealing his HIV-positive status to the Commons with the intention of combating stigma, praising modern medical advancements, and encouraging HIV-testing.

"I wanted to be able to stand here in this place and say to those who are living with HIV that their status does not define them," said Russell-Moyle in his speech, two days before World AIDS day. "We can be whoever we want to be, and to those who have not been tested, maybe because of fear, I say to you: it is better to live in knowledge than to die in fear."

Russell-Moyl is the only sitting MP to announce being HIV-positive, and the second MP ever to publicly share his status. Chris Smith, UK's first openly gay MP who entered the House of Commons in 1983 announced his positive status a few months before leaving parliament in 2005.

Diagnosed a decade ago at 22-years-old, Russell-Moyle recounted the feelings of fear when he got a call from the clinic saying, "You need to come in."

"They don't tell you the details," he said, "and you know immediately that something is going to be wrong. In that NHS room, with the cream carpets and the plastic seating that we all know, they tell you. And it hits you like a wall."

He continued, "You walk out feel totally numb, with a million things going through your mind, and at the same time a sense of absolute nothingness."

But thanks to modern medical advancements in antiretroviral medication, Russell-Moyle has an undetectable viral load and is able to live a fulfilling life.

"It has been a long journey, from the fear of acceptance and today, hopefully, advocacy, knowing that my treatment keeps me healthy and protects any partner that I may have."

He added that antiretroviral medicine "is one of the greatest success stories of recent times. I have a perfectly healthy life. So my announcement here today should go totally unnoticed."

Following his speech, Russell-Moyle received a standing ovation, even though applause is not permitted in the chamber.

Even in 2018, people living with HIV experience stigma from both within and outside the gay community affecting not only the emotional well-being of people living with HIV, but also decreasing the likelihood of getting tested.

That's in large part why 1 in 5 people diagnosed with HIV in NY were concurrently diagnosed with AIDS according to the most recent 2017 report conducted by the New York State HIV/AIDS Surveillance. Individuals only seek treatment once experiencing serious challenges to the immune system (e.g., fever.) But to reiterate what Russell-Moyle said in his speech, it's imperative not to let fear of HIV sway one's decision to get tested: "It is better to live in knowledge than to die in fear."

There are still millions of people across the world living with HIV/AIDS. The most recent report from UNAIDS estimates that at the end of 2017, 36.9 million people are currently living with HIV/AIDS globally, roughly 1.8 million people were newly infected with HIV, and 940,000 died from AIDS-related complications.

It's necessary to remember that not all people in the United States, UK, and lesser developed countries have access to life-saving treatment. Nevertheless, the MP showed bravery in coming out publicly about his status. His honesty is another small step towards destigimatizing people living with HIV.