Men’s magazine publishes special issue with ink infused with HIV+ blood

A ''progressive men's magazine'' printed its recent issue using the blood of HIV-positive people to combat the stigma against the infection.

The Austrian magazine Vangardist printed 3,000 special edition copies of its magazine using ink infused with HIV-positive blood, which came from blood came from three HIV-positive individuals - a gay male, a straight male, and a mother.

The ''#HIVHEROES'' issue of the magazine includes interviews with the individuals who donated their blood for the special issue and those fighting to end the stigma against the disease.

According to the magazine, handling the copies made with blood are ''100% safe'' and the disease was not transmissible through the ink.

Even as it maintained the copies were safe, the copies were said to be packaged in a plastic bag for legal reasons.

CBS News reported, the seal also allegedly contained a disclaimer, stating that buyers waived any right to claim damages in relation to the campaign against Vangardist or Saatchi & Saatchi, the advertising agency that helped the magazine with ''#HIVHEROES.''

The plastic packaging is being used to encourage readers to  ''break the seal and help break the stigma.''

''With this unique project, we want to create a response in a heartbeat by transforming the media into the very root of the stigma itself - by printing every word, line, picture and page of the magazine with blood from HIV+ people. By holding the issue, readers are immediately breaking the taboo,'' Jason Romeyko, the executive creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi Switzerland, revealed in a press release.

The magazine calls on readers to ''reignite the conversation about HIV - free from taboo and discrimination'' since ''HIV doesn't make the news anymore.''

Julian Wiehl, founder and editor-in-chief of Vangardist magazine, told AFP that the magazine wanted to make a statement against the stigma and the irrational fears (about) HIV and HIV-positive people.

''If you hold this magazine in your hands it is like holding somebody who is HIV positive. Nothing can happen, nothing can harm you holding the magazine, and nothing can harm you holding an HIV-positive person,'' he said.

The magazine is usually published only digitally, but the  ''#HIVHeroes'' edition is in hard copy.

The bilingual German-English special edition's 3,000 copies can be ordered online for €50 each with all proceeds going to charity. Additionally 15,000 copies were also available for shelf sales.

Wiltrut Stefanek, 45, diagnosed as HIV-positive 20 years ago, is one of the donors. She runs PULSHIV, a Viennese group for people with HIV/AIDS and their families.

''I want to make people understand that in day-to-day dealings with it, HIV poses no risk to anyone,'' the magazine quotes her as saying.