Annie Lennox Attends 'Idol Gives Back' Wearing HIV Positive T-Shirt

By PopEater Staff Posted Apr 22nd 2010 11:35AM

Annie Lennox performed on 'Idol Gives Back' wearing a shirt with "HIV Positive" written on it.

The singer, who is not HIV positive herself, has worn the tee before, as part of a statement about being more positive about the virus. (This photo was taken from an event this past March in London.)

In a video from last November, Lennox explained her decision to wear the shirt. "Many people are [HIV positive]. In fact, 22 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are currently HIV positive. I'm wearing this in solidarity with them because it's very hard when you are HIV positive to be open about your status," she says.

"It's hard to be able to tell your family, to tell your friends. This is an illness, if you like, that ... carries a lot of stigma with it ... and what we need to do is normalize HIV so that it can be just like any other disease," she continues. Watch the Video.

"The first time I ever saw anyone wearing a T-shirt like this was in South Africa in 2004 ... This is such a clever brilliant idea, because in a country like South Africa, where HIV is so prevalent and yet you have stigma, where people are afraid to openly come out and say that they are HIV positive. This T-shirt, whoever wears it, is making a statement of solidarity," she adds.

On the back of the shirt, it says "Fighting HIV/AIDS." "And that is what I'm trying to do," Lennox finishes.

Tags: american idol, Annie Lennox, Idol Gives Back

Comments

(38)

Thursday 22 April

By Tom

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I do understand what you are saying, Scott. I am also HIV positive. There are many states here who have waiting lists for people who need help with the HIV meds, because the federal government has cut the amount it helps. In fact, a large part of my family is moving to Tennessee, and I can't move with them, because they have such a long waiting list to get help.

By Mark2511

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Wow...... if she's having that problem, as beautiful as she is.. such a total waste........ Jon is and was a fool.

By WILL

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DID YOU READ THE ARTICLE ? SHE DOESNT HAVE AIDS

By rex

beautiful? mark how old are you
get your eyes checked for cataracts

By J

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What a bunch of dummies... The dummy is clearly talking about the Gosselins (sp?). Don't know what she is talking about or why she posted that in this forum.

I don't even follow them and know that.

All of you need to pay attention...

By d

Go Girl!!! Annie is totally showing her support for Aids.......

more people need to wear an HIV positive shirt, whether they are or not, just to keep people aware of 'risky behavior'.

By Carol

YOu are so correct -- I will make my attempt to find one and wear it in this large city of Philadelphia to try to make certain it stay in the forefront of peoples mind
Thanks for the step forward
Carol
Philadelphia

By thisisuselessinfo

Are you sure??? No...Im HIV positive.....lol

By HSG

I'm positive I'm not positive. That is to say I'm not positive that I'm not positive. Positively speaking though I'm positively postive that I'm not positive. I think.

By Rico

This is such a non-issue! Its called she's an 80s Hasbeen! Get over it! Its an obvious sign that the show is losing steam when they can't even get Bono, Madonna, Paul McCartney or Justin Timberlake on the show. Instead we get Alicia Keys and Black Eye Peas with horrible performances. The only standout performance was Carrie Underwood.

Sounds like you only know her from when she was in the eighties. This "80s hasbeen" won an Academy Award for best original song in 2004. I could go on but I think that says enough...

By laurie

Alisha was very "pitchy" it was awful and she acted like she did great an explantion like " have a bad cold " would have helped somewhat lol Carrie was great!!!she was not a good mentor either Miley and Adam were much more helpful I felt

By BellaMia

Hi Scott - I hope our government helps you as much as they appear to help the people of Africa. God Bless and improved health to you.
B

By Lazarus Long

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BellaMia,why the HELL should our governemnt help the iditos in Africa? Was Africa made a part of the United States while I wasn't paying attention?

Besides,they are doing a fine job of curing themselves by raping babies.

By Val

Annie rocks! You can tell she really cares about the people of Africa, especially that little girl. She's a wonderful performer and humanitarian.

By OhLori

It's one thing to care about other people in other countries but to do nothing to help your own country instead is PATHETIC. The United States has millions of HIV/AIDS cases, we have homeless, we have disasters (ie earthquakes, tornadoes...) people are losing their homes, people have no medical coverage. When are all these "saviors" going to help out here? How about putting out a little effort to help Americans?

Sunday 25 April

By littlemissr17

Uh, I get what you're saying, but Annie Lennox would help America as "home" anyway. She's Scottish. And just because you support a cause in another country doesn't mean you don't give back at home. You can do both because, in the end, borders don't matter. We're all human and we all need to support each other.

By Polly Hanaha

OhLori - Annie Lennox is from Scotland. Pretty sure she isn't mandated by any law to help only her country. Would you turn her away if she offered to help the US of A? Why then should she be condemned for helping any other country than her own?

By MAGOOS

Annie Lennox is a decent person and a very good singer. If she wishes to wear her HIV shirt to make her point that is fine. I enjoyed her song, along with that of Carrie Underwood. Blige and Keys were Ugh! I thought they were auditioning for AI.

I totally agree with everything you say but number #3...

I am so sick of the PC people saying this or is it just my stupidity?

If a person contracts HIV (VIRUS), they get AIDS. If you contract the HUMAN IMMUNDODEFICIENCY VIRUS, you then have AQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME! There isn't a a PRE-AIDS that I am aware?

OK, if I contract a cold virus, the virus of the cold would be in my body, right? I then have a cold.

IMO, It should have never been called a SYNDROME as it seems to be more of a degenerative disease! But with PC, syndrome sounded better at the time so people wouldn't be in some huge panic. Once you get HIV you then get "AIDS". It should have never been called AIDS!

Just being because someone has AIDS doesn't mean they are on their death bed or have their counts are low.

If am wrong about what I said, what is the disease/syndrome that one gets after getting the HIV?

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