Start Talking. Stop HIV.™

Encouraging gay and bisexual men to talk about HIV testing, their status, condoms, and new options like medicines that prevent and treat HIV.

Start Talking. Stop HIV., a national HIV prevention campaign, created by and for gay and bisexual men of all races, promotes open communication about a range of HIV prevention strategies for sexual partners. The campaign encourages gay and bisexual men in all types of relationships to talk about: HIV testing, their HIV status, condom use, and medicines that help prevent and treat HIV— pre-exposure prophylaxis(PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and antiretroviral therapy (ART).

The campaign is designed to engage, inspire, and spark conversations between sexual partners about HIV prevention strategies. The campaign reflects input from more than 500 men from various racial and ethnic groups, ages, and geographic areas across the United States. Campaign ads and resources feature men having the conversations needed to protect their health. A dedicated campaign website and Facebook page provide conversation starters and accurate information to inform these life-saving conversations.

View Start Talking. Stop HIV. campaign videos and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage featuring 37 gay and bisexual men who share their experiences communicating with their sexual partners about HIV.

Gay & Bisexual Men Continue to Be Severely Affected by HIV

More than thirty years after the first diagnosis of AIDS in the United States, gay and bisexual men of all races continue to be most severely affected by HIV nationwide. In fact, more than half (57 percent) of the 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States are gay or bisexual men, including those who inject drugs.

Many gay and bisexual men are unaware that they have HIV. Gay and bisexual men who are unaware that they have HIV cannot get the medicines they need to stay healthy and may infect others without knowing it.

Sexual risk behaviors account for most HIV infections in gay and bisexual men. Most gay and bisexual men acquire HIV through anal sex, which is the riskiest type of sex for getting or transmitting HIV.

As a group, gay and bisexual men have more sexual partners compared to other men. The more partners a man has, the more likely he is to have sex with someone who can transmit HIV.

Homophobia, stigma, and fear of discrimination may affect whether gay and bisexual men seek and are able to obtain high-quality prevention and health services. Lack of insurance, concerns about confidentiality, and fear of talking about risky behavior or sexual orientation may prevent some men from seeking testing, prevention and treatment services, and support from friends and family.

A conversation can be the first step toward understanding and reducing the risk of HIV infection. Research shows that communication between sexual partners is associated with increased condom use, HIV testing, and HIV status disclosure, but many gay and bisexual men may still find it difficult to talk openly with their sexual partners about HIV prevention

Start Talking about Start Talking. Stop HIV.

Talking can be lifesaving – you can Start Talking in an effort to Stop HIV among gay and bisexual men. Help us spark conversations about HIV and promote the Start Talking. Stop HIV, and take these action steps:

Visit the Start Talking. Stop HIV. campaign website for practical tips and accurate information to start and inform your conversation about HIV
Join the conversation online.
- "Like" the Start Talking. Stop HIV. Facebook page, share or respond to our posts, and direct your followers to check out our page and our website
- Chat with us on Twitter. Spread the word about the campaign through Twitter by using the campaign hashtag #StartTalkingHIV and by following @TalkHIV
- Share Start Talking. Stop HIV. campaign videos on YouTube and embedding on your websites or social media channels
Download and distribute campaign materials. Download posters, brochures and postcards from our campaign website. Digital banner ads are also available for download and use for placement on any website or social media channel
Simply talk to everyone you know about HIV to break the silence and address the associated stigma that puts gay and bisexual men at risk.

Start Talking. Stop HIV. is the latest campaign of Act Against AIDS, CDC's national communication initiative to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in the United States.Visit www.cdc.gov/ActAgainstAIDS to learn more. If you have any questions or comments about Act Against AIDS campaigns or for information about campaign materials or co-branding, please send an email to ActAgainstAIDS@cdc.gov.