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Denmark

Princess Marie gives interview to LGBTQ magazine ‘Out & About’ for World AIDS Day

Yesterday, Danish LGBTQ magazine ‘Out & About’ revealed the cover of their December issue. Princess Marie, as Patron of AIDS-Fondet, gave an interview to the magazine on the occasion of World AIDS Day.

About being Patron of AIDS-Fondet, Princess Marie said ‘This is a very important cause. HIV is a virus that has killed millions of people worldwide and still affects many people. Therefore, I am pleased to help focus on AIDS-Fondet’s work and I really want to help break down the prejudices that make so many HIV-infected people live in loneliness and fear of other people’s reactions.

I remember I met an HIV positive young woman, who often finds that people do not want to touch her and kiss her. I was naturally sad to hear that it was her life and it surprised me too. It shows that we have a big informative work to do – even here in Denmark.

“You don’t always know what differences you can make. Of course, I’m doing it with my heart when I’m out with AIDS-Fondet. But I’m also happy to hear when it matters to other people.I am also a volunteer – and I am very proud to be the Patron of AIDS-Fondet.”

She also talked about how strong HIV-infected people are after hearing their stories. She said: “Those stories I keep for myself out of respect for the people who shared them with me. It is not easy for them to talk about it, with the prejudices that come with HIV. Some HIV-infected people do not tell their stories to their closest family.

It is very important for me that we fight to remove the irrational fear of HIV and to fight prejudice and stigmatization against people with HIV. Prejudice and discrimination come from people’s ignorance and insecurity, and it affects more and more different people; It’s not just sexual orientation, but religion, colour and nationality.”

One memorable event for Princess Marie as Patron of AIDS-Fondet is when she went to the Copenhagen Pride in 2016. She was the first member of the Danish royal family to go to Pride. However, it was not the first time Princess Marie had attended Pride.

Before I became a princess, I’ve participated in many pride parades,” she said.

“The first was when I lived in New York and I was around 18-20 years old old.I was very proud to support the freedom to be yourself . I have always found that diversity makes the world better.To me, the message of Pride is about the freedom to be yourself. Whether you are heterosexual or homosexual, you must be allowed to be yourself.”

Princess Marie also shared her excitement about the 2021 WorldPride which will take place in Copenhagen. She concluded the interview with those words: “Denmark can do a lot for the world and we already do a lot. We are a country of freedom and democracy, and here gays can get married.

“When we are host to a major event like WorldPride, we can even pave the world with blissful values. We live in a globalized world, and we are called upon to get to know each other, talk together and travel around the world to accept each other’s differences.”

For World AIDS Day yesterday, Princess Marie attended one of AIDS-Fondet’s event. She lit a candle in honor of those who have lost their lives to HIV. She brought her children Prince Henrik and Princess Athena with her just like the last time she attended in 2014.

Princess Marie talked about this event in her interview : ‘There is a very special mood, with a mixture of sadness and hope: one can express their respect for those who are no longer here. But at the same time there is also a positive mood of hope because of the advances in HIV treatment’