Harun Tulunay

Born in Turkey, Harun moved to the UK in 2015 to escape anti-LGBT+ hostility and discrimination. When he was diagnosed with HIV in 2016, he chose to become an ambassador for good sexual and mental health, volunteering for several London-based charities. In 2020, he decided to devote himself fully to HIV support work. He currently works at Positively UK, and is also an NHS Patient and Public Voice Partner and a member of the UK-CAB Steering Committee. In June 2022, Harun contracted monkeypox and was hospitalised for 10 days; he had one of the most severe cases in the UK. He was one of the few people who shared his experience publicly to raise awareness of the condition and to challenge the stigma around it. His story has been shared with the world by WHO and the UN. Harun is committed to sharing his life experiences publicly to tackle stigma and raise awareness of HIV, monkeypox and mental health, as well as the stigma he faced as a gay man in Turkey. He also works as a peer mentor to support others living with HIV and shares sexual health information both in Turkish and English through his social media. Twitter: @HarunTulunay Instagram: haruntulunay