Today is World AIDS day. I lived through the 1980s when a Tory Government ramped up prejudice against LGBT people. It was awful. It made so many of my friends fear being open about how they were. It made them suffer bullying and harassment.

Russell T Davies’ drama It’s a Sin brought that horror to our screens earlier this year. I was in bits by the end of episode 1. It’s a very powerful warning against demonising any group of people.

The theme of the day this year is about ending inequalities. You can find out more on the World Health Organisation website here. We have to end inequalities in prevention and treatment. At present more than 1 in 4 people internationally don’t have access to antiretroviral medications. That has to be fixed.

Lib Dems have showed their support for the day:

This year marks 40 years since the first case of AIDS. Huge progress has been made but last year all of UNAIDS' Global HIV targets were missed, 1.5 million people acquired HIV and 680 000 people still died from AIDS-related illnesses. 👇 pic.twitter.com/xc9JjMS4Pt

— Wendy Chamberlain MP (@wendychambLD) December 1, 2021

On #WorldAIDSDay we remember the 33 million lives taken & work towards a world free from new HIV cases & stigma.

I'm proud to be a @AIDSMemoryUK patron. The national memorial in #London will be a place to remember those lost & remind us the fight to end AIDS worldwide continues.

— Caroline Pidgeon AM🔶 🇺🇦 (@CarolinePidgeon) December 1, 2021

Today is the full council meeting at @Derbyshirecc and I shall raise the issue of PrEP in the meeting, challenging @DCHStrust to be better about promoting PrEP @PositiveLad @DrewDalton1980 @_ChrisMassey @EddieBisk @BBCSheffield @Chesterfield_LD pic.twitter.com/m9zah9BLtF

— Cllr Ed Fordham (he/him) (@edfordham) December 1, 2021

On #WorldAIDSDay please #StepUpForHIV@GlobalFund has saved 44 million lives and, with #UKAid contributions, Edinburgh West gave 7,247 people access to HIV medicine in 2020.https://t.co/nlKM3htXuM

— Christine Jardine 🔶 (@cajardineMP) December 1, 2021

On this #WorldAIDSDay, we must redouble our efforts to ensure everyone has access to HIV prevention and treatment, end the stigma around HIV, make testing the norm and end transmission in England by 2030.#WorldAidsDay2021 pic.twitter.com/qCaMS2xQiu

— Munira Wilson MP 🇺🇦 (@munirawilson) December 1, 2021

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social