Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas has shared a string of loved-up snaps with his husband Stephen, after revealing the stigma he still faces from others because of his HIV positive status.
The sportsman, 51, captioned both Wales and the British and Irish Lions during his career, and after coming out as gay in 2009, revealed in 2019 that he was HIV positive with undetectable status, which means that he is not infectious.
Gareth shared the sweet images with his spouse including two of them sharing a kiss.
In June, the rugby legend celebrated his eighth wedding anniversary with his husband with a touching Instagram tribute.
He wrote: ‘Eight years ago today I married the most amazing human being I could ever wish to meet. Even on bad days he makes me smile. I love you so much Stephen.’
Gareth broke ground by becoming rugby union’s first openly gay professional player.
Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas has shared a string of loved-up snaps with his husband Stephen, after revealing the stigma he still faces from others because of his HIV positive status
After coming out as gay in 2009, the sportsman revealed in 2019 that he was HIV positive with undetectable status, which means that he is not infectious
Since going public about his HIV diagnosis, Thomas has championed HIV awareness and acceptance.
Medical advancements over the last decade mean that most people who contract HIV will live long and full lives.
New treatments also mean transmission becomes incredibly unlikely for those on effective medication.
The worst outcomes typically affect those diagnosed late, either through lack of knowledge about symptoms or fear of discrimination.
Last year, Gareth shared how despite his undetectable status, he is still treated differently by people in public.
‘I know, and my husband and family know, through sharing the same knife and fork or sharing the same drink, or sitting on the same toilet seat, that it cannot be contracted,’ he told The Telegraph.
‘Yet, when you walk into a restaurant and people leave… or people don’t want to share a drink or shake your hand. It has happened often enough for me to be aware that when I walk into a restaurant the next time, I’ll know if it’s happening.
‘It’s not a case of it happening once and it made me afraid; it’s happened enough times that every time I walk into a restaurant now I feel like I have to assess, for my own happiness, or my husband’s, or the family that I am with.’
Gareth shared the sweet images with his spouse including two of them sharing a kiss
In June, the rugby legend celebrated his eighth wedding anniversary with his husband with a touching Instagram tribute
Last year, Gareth shared how despite his undetectable status, he is still treated differently by people in public
Thomas has campaigned for many years in order to reduce the stigma surrounding HIV, and has said how that stigma is ‘the one thing that frightens me’ in public.
The police got involved when former partner Baum accused him of ‘deceptively’ transmitting HIV to him.
The allegations, which referred to a period between 2013 and 2018, came before Thomas that he was carrying HIV.
Thomas was sued for £150,000 in damages by former partner Ian Baum over claims he had failed to take ‘reasonable care’ before allegedly passing the virus onto him.
The former Wales captain though made the decision to settle with Baum, and pay £75,000 plus costs ‘for my own mental health and that of my family’ – insisting that the move was ‘not an admission of liability or guilt’.
He was also formerly married to Jemma Thomas between 2001 and 2009.
