So today is once again World AIDS Day.

I always support this commemoration because the fight against HIV and AIDS is as important as ever, and HIV is not going to go away anytime soon. Even if, as this year, I’m personally unable to wear a red ribbon throughout the whole day, this website always wears one and links back to the World AIDS Day homepage.

But recently I have been reflecting more on the importance of this. Over the past couple of years I have found out a couple of very good friends have been diagnosed as being HIV-positive and whilst, on the outside at least, I am the open-minded, liberal lad who tries desperately to ‘be there’ for anyone who needs it, the feeling inside is wholly different: The thought of my friends living every day with this vicious, incurable virus is, quite frankly, bloody terrifying.

In short, my own stigma, fear, prejudice and lack of real knowledge come right to the surface.

Which is where my friends come back in. By experiencing their determination to live with, combat, disregard, whatever, their status I discover that living with HIV and AIDS is no longer what it used to be and in doing so I realise my friends truly are here for me as much as I can be here for them.

This has been a difficult post to write.