There are several things you shouldn’t joke about, one of them is HIV/AIDS. Actor Derrick Monasterio perhaps didn’t get the memo and decided to post a “witty joke” the other day.
On his Instagram Stories, he wrote: “I have a friend who’s miserable because he just found out he has AIDS. My advice: Stay positive!” This was followed by a laughing emoji. Too bad the rest of the Internet didn’t feel the same way.
Many reacted badly to the joke, while others enlightened everyone as to why this it’s insensitive.
Derrick eventually apologized for his post, saying, “Sorry if I offended some of you in any way.”
There’s still a huge stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. As of June 2017, around 36.7 million people worldwide are living with HIV, and 1 million have died due to AID-related diseases. And that’s still not counting the people who aren’t checked yet. If you think this is still a laughing matter, then we suggest you assess your joke arsenal.
For those who’d like to get checked and/or help out those who are afflicted with HIV/AIDS, check out organizations like LoveYourself, The Red Whistle, and MAC Viva Glam.
Photo courtesy of Derrick Monasterio’s Instagram account
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