I'm Responsible. Are You?
Positive Prevention Social Marketing Campaign

AIDS Thunder Bay has launched a new social marketing campaign that features local persons living with HIV speaking out to promote awareness and prevention around HIV and AIDS. Billboards currently up in the city will be followed by posters, bathroom ads, and newspaper ads. This campaign is the first of its kind in the region, and possibly in Ontario. We are particularly excited because of the participation of real local people who are HIV positive or living with AIDS.

Positive prevention is an approach that encourages the active involvement of both positive and negative people in taking responsibility for stopping the spread of HIV. With its tagline of “I’m responsible. Are you?” the participants are calling on people living with HIV, people at risk, and the community as a whole to increase their awareness. The campaign calls for all of us to think about risk, to act responsibly in our sexual and drug-using behavour, and to consider being tested for HIV. “As someone living with AIDS, I’m glad to see a campaign I can get involved with, that speaks to everyone about prevention and responsibility.” says Pius White, one of the local models.

The campaign has enlisted the help of local persons living with HIV to promote the message. Tesh, another local model says "Living with HIV is hard enough without the discrimination, maybe this campaign will show people that we are out there, and there is no reason to fear us." We salute the courage of these individuals in going public about HIV, and hope this will promote awareness and discussion as well combatting still prevalent stigma and discrimination. We encourage the public to call AIDS Thunder Bay for information and support. You can also come in for free condoms and/or injection supplies. Contact us at 345-1516.

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