BY: Jasmine Franklin
Published 6 hours ago
June 27 isn’t just another summer day — it’s HIV Testing Day. Across the country, this day shines a spotlight on something too many people still avoid: getting tested for HIV. But avoiding the topic doesn’t protect anyone. Taking charge of your status does. HIV Testing Day invites you to own your well-being. When you know your status, you make informed choices. You take control of your body, your relationships, and your future.
HIV Testing Day cuts through stigma and silence to focus on what matters. And with more resources available than ever, including discreet at-home tests and free access to PrEP, getting tested has never been more accessible or more vital.
Who created HIV Testing Day?
According to the American Psychological Association, HIV Testing Day was created by the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA) in 1995 as a national call to action. Too many people were unaware of their HIV status, sometimes for years.
Over the years, HIV Testing Day has grown beyond clinics and hospitals. Pop-ups in barbershops, mobile vans at festivals, and local events in churches and community centers have all helped normalize getting tested. With the rise of online platforms and at-home tests, it’s now easier than ever to know your status.
How to Talk to Loved Ones About Getting Tested
Bringing up HIV testing with a partner, friend, or family member can be uncomfortable. However, avoiding the topic doesn’t make the risk disappear. If you’re trying to help someone you love take this step, here are four tips that make the conversation easier:
1. Lead with care, not fear.
Open the conversation from a place of love. “I care about you and your health” goes much further than “You need to get tested.” Show them it’s not about judgment — it’s about protection.
2. Share your own story.
Were you tested recently? Share your experience. Hearing how simple it was — or how it gave you peace of mind — can help demystify the process for someone else.
3. Normalize it!
Testing is like any other routine check-up. HIV tests are a normal part of being sexually active, just like birth control or STI screening.
4. Offer to go together.
It doesn’t matter if you’re booking a home test kit or visiting a clinic side-by-side; offering support can ease anxiety. Encourage your loved ones to get tested while also showing up.
Know Your Status: Testing Saves Lives
Testing is the first step in the fight to end HIV. Without it, there’s no diagnosis, no treatment, and no way to prevent transmission. But with it? People can access life-saving medication, reach undetectable levels of the virus, and lead full, thriving lives. Early detection saves lives and prevents the spread of new infections.
That’s what makes HIV Testing Day so essential. It’s about giving people the chance to take control of their health. It’s about shifting the narrative from shame to strength.
Knowing your status allows you to make informed decisions about your body. If you test negative, it opens the door to protection strategies like PrEP, short for pre-exposure prophylaxis, a daily pill or injectable that dramatically reduces the risk of contracting HIV.
Where Action Meets Access
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Mistr is a game-changer in the PrEP space. It’s an online platform that brings together doctors, pharmacists, and industry experts to share resources for HIV prevention.
The platform offers free, discreet access to PrEP—a once-daily pill regimen that is 99% effective at preventing HIV—and ships prescriptions directly to your door with no in-person visits required. Instead of relying on insurance providers for approval, Mistr bypasses the traditional process to cover your prescriptions without the headache. There are no awkward waiting rooms, no complicated paperwork, just expert care, simplified.
For those who are LGBTQIA+, sexually active, or want to take a proactive approach to their health, platforms like Mistr make HIV prevention more equitable and more achievable. And during HIV Testing Day, their mission couldn’t be more urgent.
It’s Your Move
June 27 sparks action and opens the door to real change. HIV Testing Day pushes us to own our health, show up for our communities, and shut down the shame that’s silenced conversations for far too long.
Get tested. Talk about it. Support your friends in doing the same. When we all know our status, we all stay safer. So this year, mark HIV Testing Day by doing something powerful: take the test and take control.
About Mistr
Mistr is a gay-owned and operated online platform that brings together doctors, pharmacists, and industry minds to provide resources and PrEP to folks in need. Instead of relying on insurance providers to approve the purchase of PrEP, Mistr cuts out the middleman to help people get their prescriptions covered.
What would it mean for you to know your status? Not just for your health, but for your power, your peace, and your future? Share your response in the comments!
