HIV stereotypes challenged

A few gutsy women are the face of an HIV campaign which is challenging old stereotypes.

Positive Women has launched the campaign, which sees the faces and profiles of HIV-positive women on buses, on websites and in magazines. Its spokeswoman says the rate of heterosexual HIV infection in New Zealand has been steadily increasing to the point where, two years ago, it surpassed the rate of male homosexual infection.

Wellington postie and mother Beate Lutz says people tend to incorrectly stereotype those who suffer from HIV as drug users or prostitutes. She says there needs to be faces profiled to show that women and children also suffer from the virus. Ms Lutz has lived with HIV for 13 years and chose to lend her face to the cause.

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