Former Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas has spoken out about the ongoing stigma surrounding HIV, revealing that his husband of nine years, Stephen Williams-Thomas, has faced discrimination because of his partner's status. Thomas, 50, who disclosed his HIV diagnosis in 2019, said Stephen has experienced difficulties at work and in society due to misconceptions about the virus.
Thomas explained that despite being on effective treatment that makes the virus untransmittable, people wrongly assume his husband is also HIV positive. 'My husband is HIV negative, but because I’m HIV positive people assume he’s bound to be HIV positive because they don’t understand treatment,' he said.
The rugby star, who became an advocate for people living with HIV through his Tackle HIV campaign, described everyday stigmatising experiences such as people refusing to share glasses, cutlery, or even shake hands. He emphasised that modern medicine allows him to live a normal, healthy life with just one tablet a day.
Thomas praised Prime Minister Keir Starmer for becoming the first PM to publicly take an HIV test, calling it a positive step to encourage testing and reduce stigma. He also highlighted the lack of openly gay male athletes in sport, questioning whether society has truly achieved equality.
This year, Thomas is collaborating with Tackle HIV on a 'Challenging Stigma Garden' at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May, aiming to educate a new audience about HIV stigma through a unique medium.
