{"id":1447846,"date":"2025-08-20T02:20:42","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T01:20:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/?p=1447846"},"modified":"2025-08-20T10:14:48","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T09:14:48","slug":"gareth-thomas-says-he-was-called-an-aids-spreader-and-spat-on-while-discussing-hiv-stigma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/culture\/gareth-thomas-says-he-was-called-an-aids-spreader-and-spat-on-while-discussing-hiv-stigma\/","title":{"rendered":"Gareth Thomas says he was called an “AIDS spreader” and spat on while discussing HIV stigma"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gareth Thomas<\/a> has opened up about some of the horrific abuse he has faced from strangers on the street.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Back in 2019, the former Welsh rugby captain revealed that he was HIV-positive after a tabloid threatened to out his status. <\/span><\/p>\n

“Now that you have that information, it makes me extremely vulnerable, but it does not make me weak,” he said in a video uploaded on X\/Twitter<\/a>. “I choose to fight to educate and break the stigma around this subject.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Since that fateful day, Thomas has fervently used his platform to shatter misconceptions and debunk harmful myths about the condition, earning praise from fans, LGBTQIA+ organisations and other advocacy groups. <\/span><\/p>\n

But despite his incredible contributions to the rugby world, queer community and HIV\/AIDS awareness, the 51-year-old has continued to experience hate from bigoted trolls. <\/span><\/p>\n

During a recent appearance on <\/span>Bryony Gordon’s <\/span><\/a>The Life of Bryony podcast<\/span><\/a><\/em>, Thomas recalled a harrowing interaction he had with “two young lads” who spat on him on the street. <\/span><\/p>\n

“I won’t sit here and be big guy and say it doesn’t hurt. So [there were] two young lads who walked past spat at me and called me an AIDS spreader,” he recalled.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A post shared by bryonygordon (@bryonygordon)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n