Living with HIV+ Status

Being HIV+ in the early 1980's had certain social stigmas attached to it that were often hard to break to even loved ones of the infected person. When it came to the workplace or school setting things got even harder.
In the year 2007, with the advancement in HIV medication and treatment options as well as a better understanding of the disease itself, you would assume that things would be different.
There are laws that prevent people with HIV from being fired or refused a job, but unfortunately, these laws don't protect all HIV-positive people every time. Here's why there's no simple answer: Anti-discrimination laws protect people who are disabled from job discrimination. It is up to courts to decide whether a person qualifies as disabled, and therefore entitled to protection from job discrimination. While courts have often ruled that HIV is a disability, they have not ruled this way in all cases.

QUESTION: Put yourself in the workplace/school of someone who finds out one of their coworkers/friends is HIV+.

1. Do you consider being HIV+ a 'disability'?


2. How would things change for you as the coworker/friend of the infected person?


3. How would things change for them?