HIV was discovered in 1983 and there are approximately 37 million people living with HIV globally. Since 2000, over 25 million individuals have died from AIDS-related illnesses. There are approximately 1 million persons aged 13 and over with HIV in the United States, and an estimated 166,000 whose infections have not been diagnosed. There has been a stigma associated with HIV/AIDS from the beginning. It has lessened due to education but it is still prevalent. In addition to the associated stigma of being diagnosed with HIV, there is stereotyping, separation, status loss, and discrimination. The illness is associated with intravenous drug users, sex workers, and homosexuals, which already are socially marginalized and carry a stigma. HIV increases the intensity of the stigma as individuals are labeled as “promiscuous,” “contaminated,” “unclean,” and “infectious.” In addition, the fear that surrounds HIV/AIDS adds to the stigma as initially people thought they could get HIV from just touching an infected person. As a result of this fear and social isolation by others, many HIV infected persons internalize the label of “infected.” Knowing the reaction to their disease, they choose to assume the role of the stigmatized sometimes even before they encounter stigmatizing behavior from others. This results in withdrawal from relationships and internalizing the “shame” associated with the illness. A diagnosis of HIV/AIDS can be life altering due to the power of the label. This is why many infected persons choose not to disclose it, which leads to more infections. Only half of the states in the U.S. have laws enforcing the disclosure of known HIV positive status to all sexual partners. Many HIV infected individuals live with partners for years without disclosing their diagnosis to the partners.