Online Dating Website Stands Firm Despite President Trump's Fight Against HIV

Chicago, Illinois -

Meetpositives.com, an online dating website, continues to show support for those living with HIV. This renewal of their commitment to members of their user base comes in light of President Trump’s plan to eradicate HIV in the US by 2030, a plan the US premier unveiled at his State Of The Union Address (SOTU) last week.

HIV information and other related facts are available on many resources across the internet. The disease, if not controlled or treated properly, can cause AIDS, which is an advanced stage of HIV that drastically reduces life expectancy. HIV affects about 200,000 individuals in the US each year.

Despite the statements made during the SOTU, many feel that this goal is unrealistic in the present climate, given that the president has also requested massive cuts to government programs like Medicaid. Alliance for Positive Change, a local community organization that assists those living with chronic illnesses such as HIV, has previously commented on the current administration’s actions regarding this topic, noting that, “In order to end the AIDS epidemic, the Trump Administration must preserve, not threaten to cut, Medicaid, upon which 40% of people living with HIV rely on for healthcare. We hope to see significant support for evidence-based interventions to mitigate the spread of HIV in the federal budget.”

Meetpositives.com is a well known website for its promotion of HIV dating online. Those infected with HIV or AIDS (among other infections) can get together on this dating platform and build relationships through mutual understanding of the infection and how it affects the way they live their lives. The HIV infection brings with it a social stigma, since it is most often transmitted through sexual contact, and reduces the chances of finding partners for those who are infected.

“We help positive singles avoid embarrassment, and possible rejection, by telling a potential mate about their condition,” states the company on their website. “Our members join because they want to find and date others who have experienced the same struggles. Our algorithm matches people who are living with the same condition(s), by distance, and by their personal saved criteria. Registered members enjoy searching profiles of positive singles who also want to date, share their stories, and learn more about their conditions on discussion forums.”

HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, causes AIDS and interferes with the body’s ability to fight infections by destroying the immune system. Typically spreading through sexual contact, HIV is not curable with current medical practices. However, treatments such as antiretroviral therapy can enable a patient to live a long and healthy life. Such treatments also reduce the virus to almost negligible levels, thus decreasing the risk of transmission to another person.

One of the ways of controlling transmission of HIV and other STDs is through making it possible for infected individuals to date each other. This reduces the chances of healthy people contracting the virus, while making it easy for infectees to find partners and communicate with them. Both partners having the HIV virus does not increase the risk for each other, since they’re already infected. However, infected couples do need to be careful with their treatment and other viral infections they might contract (such as influenza). Such infections may be a common occurrence for healthy people, but can have more dire consequences for those infected with HIV since their immune system is compromised.

This is especially the case for gay and bisexual couples. According to CDC estimates, gay and bisexual men are most affected by HIV in the US. In 2016, they accounted for 67% of the 40,324 new HIV diagnoses. Approximately 492,000 sexually active gay and bisexual men are at high risk for HIV.

Websites and platforms such as Meetpositives.com are contributing towards controlling the spread of HIV and other STDs. “We are not just another dating website looking to increase our user-base,” said Jack Lombardi, a spokesperson for Meetpositives. “We want to make a difference in society, and help control the spread of HIV and other STDs while simultaneously making it easier for those infected to find partners, build relationships and enjoy life the best way they can without having a negative social stigma hanging over them.”

Those looking to find partners on such a platform may visit the the company’s website at http://meetpositives.com, sign up for an account and start looking for potential partners based on type of infection, location, interests and more.