Destigmatizing HIV Spoken Words

FUNCTION and Maggie's Toronto Launched Destigmatize: Voices

FUNCTION and Maggie's Toronto launched Destigmatize: Voices, a new chapter in their ongoing HIV awareness platform Destigmatize.ca. The two entities use personal storytelling and spoken-word poetry to deepen public understanding of the stigma faced by people living with HIV and the complex emotional realities of disclosure.

The Destigmatize: Voices campaign film was directed by Eric Richards of production company Plot and featured performer Justen Ross. The narrative was grounded in interviews with community members and explored themes of resilience, the weight of carrying one's truth in silence, and the power of empathy and informed action to shift the conditions around support and safety. By moving beyond educational facts into intimate, lyrical territory, the work aimed to make visible both the loud and quiet moments of stigma — from outright discrimination to the exhausting burden of navigating judgment in everyday interactions.

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