World AIDS Day: HIV Hop in Sheffield

On World Aids Day (1st December), the Centre for HIV and Sexual Health released a campaign to raise awareness of HIV and address the misconceptions around the transition of HIV.

The ‘HIV Hop’ campaign features a comedy music video, recorded on the streets of Sheffield. The video features ‘MC HIV Hop’, a young man who overpowers his distress of catching HIV by recognising that you can’t catch it from touching, kissing, hugging and sharing a drink with someone who has the infection.

The video was launched at the end of November this year, an already has nearly 11,500 YouTube views. ‘MC HIV HOP’ performed in Sheffield City Centre, on World Aids Day, to help break silence around the stigma, that has been created around HIV over time.

The Director of CHIV at Sheffield Teaching Hospital said: “The video uses appropriate humour to address myths and misconceptions around HIV transmission and the impact this can have.” He added, “People are still dying unnecessarily from HIV related illnesses – either because they do not know they need to be tested for HIV or the stigma around HIV prevents them from doing so.”

HIV is only present in bodily fluids and can be caught through unprotected sex, sharing needles or syringes and from your mother if she was HIV positive during birth. If you are worried about your HIV status please contact Better2Know on the number listed at the top of the page for advice or to book an appointment at a confidential HIV test at a clinic of your choice.

Click here to watch the HIV Hop video.

This guest post was written by Jessica Delaney a communication student at Sheffield Hallam University.