Richard Angell praises Beverley Knight’s contribution as an ally to those living with HIV, and laments that public perception has not kept pace with progress in treatment and prevention
At a time when fewer and fewer want to put their head above the parapet, what a breath of fresh air Beverley Knight is (‘I was cancelled’: Beverley Knight on gay rights, race and her West End renaissance, 11 March). As well as excelling at whatever she turns her hand to, Beverley has done so much to be a voice for the voiceless – including as a consistent ally for the LGBT+ community and those living with HIV.
But the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV isn’t a historical issue. As Beverley explains, headlines about a “gay disease” were commonplace in the 1980s and 90s, but there’s still a huge amount to do to update the public’s knowledge on HIV today.
