Question

Are there websites to meet other HIV positive people?

27 March 2012. Related: All topics, Living with HIV long-term, Support.

I am an HIV positive heterosexual British woman. I had chosen the single life since my diagnosis five years ago. But now I feel ready to start dating again and would love to find a partner that I can maybe share a future with. I refuse to sit on the shelf anymore and give in to a solitary future because of my HIV!

Unfortunately, I have not had very good reactions when I have disclosed my HIV status and have been the victim of ignorant gossip as a result. So I was wondering, are there any free dating sites for people living with HIV in the UK?

Answer

Answer: Li Marhaban

It is good that you want to start dating again. The shock from an HIV diagnosis often makes people want to wait before dating again. Sometimes it takes time to build up the strength and confidence to want to do this.

Deciding to meet other positive people has a lot of advantages and one of the easiest ways to make contact with people is to use the internet.

The community forums at poz.com include a personals section that has free registration and many thousands of international users (including from the UK). This might be a good place to start.

You do not have to live alone just because of your HIV status. There are many people in a similar situation just like you, but they have managed to find someone that they can share and enjoy their lives with. This is a very encouraging and a positive step that you have made towards your future.

Community-based sites are likely to be better that commercial sites that require fees. Most community sites though include options to access more feature by subscribing.

If the forums here are not helpful, you could start a discussion to see whether other members have found other sites helpful.

There are lots of online resources about internet dating that talk about how to do this safely. This includes taking care when giving out personal information and if you get to the point of wanting to meet, to do this in a public place, with a friend knowing your plans.

The check list at this link is a good overview if you are new to meeting people by internet.