It's 35 years since World AIDS Day was first marked in 1988.
In the 1980s all we knew was fear and tabloid hysteria, demonising bisexual and gay people, while our communities sought to protect and look after one another where government would not.
The world has transformed since then in so many ways: access to information, drug regimes, and most recently PrEP medication to minimise the chance of infection.
So many lives tragically cut short, so much harm done by people fixated on their own corrupted morality above compassion and humanity.
It feels like we may live to see the end of this disease which blighted our communities for so long. Here's hoping.
In the meanwhile learn more on worldaidsday.org