Telling your children
Families thrive on trust and openness, but you may want to protect your kids from stigma or worry that they will feel ashamed. Find someone with experience in helping children come to terms with such issues. Ask a trusted family friend or one of the support organisations. They can even help you disclose to your children’s school. Many parents have had good, supportive experiences in this.
Telling family and members of your community
A secret can be a burden. You can get more support once people know your story. And you can do your bit to break down the stigma of HIV.
Telling your partner or a new partner
In many countries it’s the law to tell someone about your HIV status before you have unprotected sex with them. Many people are absolutely supportive of their HIV-positive partners. Talking about it can make the relationship stronger. When telling someone new, their reaction could help you decide whether you want to keep them in your life or not.
