[sandworm101]

But the stigma must remain until the disease is defeated. We should not allow infection to become normal, an acceptable part of life. Diseases evolve. Within a population of hosts they can mutate and struggle to survive just like any other species (as opposed to within a single host). A drug-resistant strain may one day emerge by the same principals that give rise to an antibiotic-resistant bacterium. HIV may today be under control but we still need to eliminate it. The only path forwards on that, at the moment, is to reduce transmission. The stigma, people being at least somewhat afraid of infection, is part of that campaign.

[aqme28]

There's a difference between healthy fear of dangerous things, and an irrational fear of something that isn't contagious. The stigma that we're trying to get rid of is the latter, not the former. People should not be afraid of casual interaction with HIV+ people, and should not really be afraid of any interaction with an HIV+ person with an undetectable viral load.

[NotSammyHagar]

Think of other terrible mortal diseases of the past, and how people must have reacted to someone with them, like tb. You'd be terrified of it, even when some kinds became treatable, especially if you'd seem people dying slow death from it.

[i_cant_speel]

The stigma isn't necessary to continue working towards a cure.

[acct1771]

No, but top-level parent seems much more likely to donate to research because of that stigma, from what I'm reading here.