Gareth Thomas

Former pro rugby player, stigma challenger

TED Speaker

@TackleHIV

@gareththomas14

Instagram: @gareththomasofficial

Gareth Thomas is a former international rugby player who now tackles stigma and discrimination in society.

Why you should listen

Gareth Thomas played 100 times for his country, Wales, and captained the British & Irish Lions. When he came out in 2009, he was the first openly gay professional rugby player. In 2019, he announced that he is HIV positive. He now campaigns for inclusivity, diversity and to tackle stigma and discrimination in society, using his platform to help others find the mental resilience to truly be themselves and challenge prejudice. He was awarded a CBE by her Majesty the Queen in 2020 for services to sport and health. Visit the Tackle HIV website here.

Gareth Thomas’ TED talk

10:27

Gareth Thomas

How to tackle the stigma of living with HIV

Posted Dec 2022

More news and ideas from Gareth Thomas

News

Brighter future(s): The talks from TED@BCG 2022

October 13, 2022

Predicting the future can sometimes feel impossible, but there are clear paths we can follow to take action on the issues of the day. In a day of talks and performances, 16 leading minds gathered to present promising and hopeful solutions to problems related to health care, the economy, modern leadership and more. The event: […]