One of the challenges that face HIV-positive men and women involves finding ways to continue to have a rewarding social, romantic and sexual life. Unfortunately there continues to be fear and stigma about HIV and AIDS, but nobody living with HIV or AIDS should be forced to live in isolation. A number of dating sites have emerged to help HIV-positive individuals meet other people.

Tips and Warnings

The advantages of an HIV-positive dating site is that it gets rid of one of the toughest impediments to dating: telling someone that you are HIV positive. Stay available for change. If you are dating for the first time since you learned you are HIV positive, it is likely that you have changed and grown significantly since your last relationship. You could find yourself dating people unlike anyone you have ever dated previously.

Protect your personal privacy. Be honest and responsible about your HIV/AIDS status and other issues, but remember that on the Internet, even on an HIV positive dating site, the spread of information can be quick.

How to Join an HIV-Positive Dating Site

Make your decision that it is time to begin meeting other people to find someone you would like to date. You need to figure out whether there are specific limitations or requirements for people that you want to date, including such things as age, gender, HIV status, and profession and relationship status. Look for an HIV-positive dating site that is likely to draw the kinds of quality people you are interested in meeting.

Take a few good, current photographs of yourself and maintain them in your computer’s “My Pictures” folder. A good, casual and well-lit photo is usually essential to getting noticed on any dating site.

Try to avoid dating sites that seem to exist primarily to draw traffic for ulterior advertising purposes. You can usually tell in your first few seconds of looking at a site whether or not it is legitimate. Illegitimate sites can do damage to your computer and waste your time without ever putting you in contact with any real people. Be sure that you trust any website before you join or provide private information such as email address or credit card information.

Meet Potential Dates on an HIV-Positive Dating Site

Write a fun, easy-going personal ad about yourself and consider running it by your friends for their reactions. Your personal ad and photograph will be your first impression, and will make a tremendous difference in the kind of people you meet and date.

Peruse other people’s personal ads on a website that appeals to you. Join the site and post your own ad and photograph there. Correspond with people who interest you, based on their personal ads or their responses to your ad.