Woman Living with HIV for 23 Years Shares Challenges of Intimacy, Dispels contagion โฃmyths
Milan, Italy – Novemberโฃ 30, 2025 -โค Elena Di Cioccioโค is speaking outโฃ about the ongoing stigma surrounding HIV, detailing the difficulties she faces explainingโข her status – and lack of transmissibilityโค – โto potential partners. โฃFor 23 years, Di Cioccio hasโฃ lived with HIV, and now, with advancements in treatment allowing those with an undetectable viral load to โฃnot โtransmit the virus, โฃshe’s navigating the complex landscape of intimacy and disclosure. Her story highlights a critical gap in public understanding and theโค emotional tollโ the virus continues toโข take on those โliving with it, โeven in the era of effective treatment.
Despite medical consensus that individuals with HIV who achieve and maintain an undetectable viral โคload through antiretroviral therapy โคcannot sexually transmit the virus – often referred to as “Undetectable = untransmittable” or U=U -โ misconceptions persist. This leads to important anxiety and โฃchallenges for people like Di Cioccio when entering into new relationships.โข “How difficult it is indeed to โฃexplainโค in the bedroom that I am no โขlonger contagious,” she stated,โข encapsulating the burden of constantly โคeducating and reassuring partners. โค The emotional โคlabor of disclosure, coupledโฃ with theโ fear ofโ rejection, remains a ample barrier to healthy sexual lives for many living with HIV.
Di Cioccio’sโ experience underscores the need forโ broader public health campaigns to disseminate โขaccurate data about HIV transmission and treatment. While significant progress has been made in combating โthe virus, stigma continues to fuel discrimination and hinderโฃ prevention efforts. According to UNAIDS, โapproximately 39 million people globally โขwere living with HIV in 2023, andโ despite advancements, new infections โcontinue to occur. Increased โขawareness of U=U is crucial to dismantling harmful stereotypes โขand empowering individuals living with HIV to live full and healthy lives,free from fear and judgment.
ยฉ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
