If you read or hear something about HIV in the media that is inaccurate, propagates myths or stigmatises people living with HIV, don’t leave it up to others to set the record straight. Make your voice heard!

The media is incredibly powerful in influencing public attitudes and understanding, so improving the media’s coverage of HIV issues is a vital step towards tackling the discrimination experienced by people living with HIV and helping to prevent the spread of the virus.

Press Gang is an online group of people living with HIV who are willing to speak out and challenge inaccurate and stigmatising stories about HIV in the UK. The group is supported by NAT’s Communications Team who monitors national and regional press and email Press Gang members when there are inaccurate or potentially contentious stories in the media.

Members are encouraged to write a letter to the editor pointing out why an article is inaccurate and informing readers about the realities of living with HIV in the UK. And of course if you want to comment anonymously, that’s fine. 

We also want to influence ongoing debate on HIV issues. Online comments are increasingly common and just like newspaper articles can shape the way people think. We want people living with HIV to be part of the discussion, even when comments are stimulated by perfectly balanced articles.

So if you are living with HIV and interested in challenging poor media coverage then please join Press Gang today! To sign up fill out and send us the short registration form or email press@nat.org.uk or call 020 7814 6730.

If you would like to know more about how Press Gang works download our What is the Press Gang? .