Joshua's story

'I first became acquainted with HIV when I was 18 years old. My parents had never informed me of it, but I knew it existed in a place which I then believed to be very, very far away. I was completely unaware of just how close HIV really was until it was right up close, teary-eyed, lurking behind every household reflective surface.

'A couple of weeks into a new relationship my then-boyfriend was diagnosed with HIV, and even then the vision I had of my own mortality was jaded. Looking back, I think that because it wasn't happening to me directly, I felt that it couldn't affect me directly. I felt that offering my support to him and being a helping hand to his newfound existence was the greatest gift I could give. I didn't think to fully educate myself and subsequently, a few months after we had broken up I found myself to be positive.

'Who failed? Was it my parents who didn’t warn me about HIV? Was it my school, who felt that it was unimportant to teach me about HIV due to their own Catholic values? Was it my government? Or was it just me for not educating myself?

'I think that to look for someone to blame is futile. It only begets confusion, pain and anger: three emotions that can be toxic and will certainly play the starring role in draining you of all of your positivity, strength and will.

'Once I had overcome the initial stage of feeling bitter, robbed even, I decided to educate myself. Through my doctor I found out about support groups and information provided by Terrence Higgins Trust. Becoming confident about my status has been life changing; a transformation from feeling worthless, to fully embracing my presence here as a young HIV positive gay man. It is now something of which I am completely unashamed.

'However, even though I may celebrate my newfound state of mind, I cannot expect every other individual to be as enthusiastic, when you take differing educational and cultural backgrounds into consideration. While we may feel absolutely frustrated with someone else's world view, it is important to remember that you cannot force yours upon them. We have to be patient. I remind myself that we all have underlying issues that manifest themselves in strange and fascinating ways. Not everyone chooses the experiences that shape their character and define their qualities.

'I feel that remembering this is vital when deciding that you want to be an activist for a certain cause. To be an activist for the awareness and acceptance of HIV by introducing a new social attitude towards the virus, does not require you to stand out in the cold, wielding angry banners and placards. It simply requires you to educate yourself and others around you, regardless of whether you are HIV positive or not.

'A great place to start is Terrence Higgins Trust's site, which gives you access to information and resources about every possible aspect of HIV. There are also many fascinating documentaries about HIV, such as 'HIV&Me' (BBC 2 with Steven Fry), 'Me, Myself and HIV' (MTV) and 'San Francisco's Year Zero: We Were Here' (BBC 4).

'With the smallest of gestures, we can make the greatest of waves.'

Follow Joshua on Twitter @hivwontkillme. If you'd like to become an activist and campaign for equality and justice for people with HIV and AIDS then check out Terrence Higgins Trust's campaigning website. You can find details of our current campaigns on there, along with guides on how to campaign or talk to your MP. Alternatively you can email campaigns@tht.org.uk for further information.