If you’re one of the millions of people who tuned into Channel 4 series It’s A Sin recently, then you will know why the show has proved so popular.
Described by Graham Norton as ‘the best five hours of television’ he’s seen in years, the show follows the lives of a group of young people who move into a London flat together in 1981. It depicts the excitement and fun of the 1980s and the raw and chilling reality of how the AIDS crisis destroyed so many lives. Almost 40 years later, while the nation is forced to stay home because of a deadly pandemic sweeping the globe, the AIDS epidemic of the 80s and 90s has again become headline news thanks to the TV series. It has also been credited with prompting more people than ever to get tested for the virus, as well as helping to lift the taboo of being HIV-positive.
Thanks to medical advances, HIV is no longer a life-limiting illness and it is hoped that all new cases of the disease will be eradicated by 2030. But when it comes to people’s attitudes towards the disease, how much has really changed? Woman investigates.
‘IT FELT LIKE A HUGE, SHAMEFUL SECRET’
Jane Shepherd, 61, is a graphic designer and lives in Portsmouth.
I still remember looking around at the walls and chairs in the waiting room of the newly opened HIV centre in London in April 1990 and crying uncontrollably. I’d just been told I was HIVpositive and because there was no treatment or cure for my illness, I could expect to live for just five to eight years.
This story is from the March 2, 2021 edition of WOMAN - UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 2, 2021 edition of WOMAN - UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Fast&fresh DINNERS
Healthy meals to keep you satisfied on busy weeknights.
Health checks that could SAVE YOUR LIFE
We service our cars and boilers to make sure they run smoothly, so why not our bodies?
FEEL SEXIER in 60 seconds
Try these instant tricks to lift your libido and get turned on fast
Destination SWAPS
Change your favourite resorts for these great-value, lesser-known places
5 steps to the PERFECT HALLWAY
Try these makeover musts to transform the often-overlooked space into an entrance you can be proud of ai
The secrets WE KEEP
Two women explain why they realised it was finally time to speak up
Our split made us STRONGER!
Bernie Jones loves her husband more after their break-up 4
Can our beloved NHS BE SAVED?
With waiting lists for surgery reaching new highs, we investigate the lengths patients are going to in order to receive treatment
WANT TO SEE BEHIND THE CASTLE GATES?
It’s an interesting development that King Charles has increased public access to Buckingham Palace and opened up Balmoral Castle for the first time.
'The divorce SPEAKS FOR ITSELF"
Singer-turned-actor Billie Piper on her turbulent past and becoming the woman she is today