HIV/AIDS stigma can be based on gender. For example, in some areas where heterosexual transmission is significant, the spread of the infection has been associated with female behaviour that is not consistent with gender norms examples prostitution is widely perceived as acts by female that is against social norms, and female sex workers are often perceived as 'rector' of the infection who put their clients and their clients' sexual partners at risk.
    Furthermore, racial and ethnic factor contribute to HIV/AIDS related stigmatization. Here, the way people of a particular race or ethnic group are perceived determines how they react to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and how people outside their race or ethnic group would relate to them.

     Lastly, the social class that an individual belongs determine the level of people he or she rotate with in the society. The poor, homeless, lawless and jobless are more stigmatized and discriminated than the rich and affluent. As a result, poverty increases vulnerability to HIV/AIDS.

In some contexts also, the epidemic has been characterized by assumption about the rich, and HIV/AIDS has been associated with affluent lifestyles.
   People living with HIV/AIDS are openly abused and maltreated due to their status. The consequences are not palatable and included the following:
• Rejection by family
• Rejection by friends and peers
• Rejection by the community
• Poor treatment at healthcare facilities
• Poor treatment in education settings
• Denial of rights
• Psychological damage.

    As a result of all the above highlighted consequences of stigmatization, many people are afraid to visit the hospital to know their HIV/AIDS status or seek treatment if they have the disease. A number of factors contribute to the stigmatization of people living with HIV and AIDS. these include the following;

1. HIV/AIDS is a killer disease and therefore people react to it in a strong way.

2. HIV/AIDS is often thought to be the consequence of a wayward life or personal irresponsibility.

3. HIV/AIDS is associated with behaviors that are already stigmatized or rejected in many societies. Such behaviors include prostitution, drug addiction, etc.

4. There is misperceptions and wrong information about how HIV/AIDS is transmitted creating irrational behavior against people living with HIV/AIDS.

EFFECT OF STIGMATIZATION ON PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS

Stigmatization of people living with HIV and AIDS has alot of adverse effects. Research by the International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW) found the possible consequences of HIV related stigma to be :

• Loss of income/livelihood;
• Loss of marriage and child bearing option;
• Lack of attention by some medical personnel;
• Withdrawal of care giving in the home;
• Loss of hope and a feeling of worthlessness;
• Loss of reputation.

 To avoid the consequences or effects above, there is a need to do the following to the people living with HIV/AIDS

(i) Show them love and care.
(ii) Relate to them as normal human being.
(iii) Do not discriminate them or deny them of their rights.
(iv) Accept them so as to enable them have a sense of belonging.
(v) Give them necessary healthcare and support when needed.
(vi) Give them work to earn income for a living (might not necessarily be hard job).
(viii) Do not see them as suffering from the consequences of prostitution or promiscuity. You need to understand that some people got infected through blood transfusion or sharing of needles or syringes.

Source : https://www.lectportal.net/human-immune-deficiency-virus-hiv-and-aids/