Second HIV carrier sues for discrimination
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An HIV carrier said he would today sue an education department in Sichuan Province for denying him a teaching job based on his illness.
Identified only by the alias "Xiao Jun," the plaintiff will file a writ against the Yanbian county education department as early as today, according to non-governmental organization (NGO), the Beijing Yirenping Center.
Xiao Jun's decision comes less than a week after a court in Anhui Province began hearing the Chinese mainland's first HIV job discrimination case.
HIV-positive "Xiao Wu" sued the Anqing education department Thursday for denying him a teaching post.
"We found out Xiao Jun's situation is the same as Xiao Wu's," Yu Fangqiang, a coordinator from the NGO, told the Global Times. "We hope these two cases can help to prevent systematic discrimination against HIV carriers."
Xiao Jun, who is in his 20s, told the Global Times Tuesday that he had dreamed of being a teacher "for years."
He started work as a substitute in 2002 and applied for a job in 2006. He was outperformed by other candidates and went to work in other cities. Last year, he worked as a volunteer for an anti-drug campaign in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province.
He applied for a job as a music teacher in Yanbian county, Sichuan Province, in June. After passing the written test and interview, he was asked to report for duty at the school by August 31.
Then a medical test organized by the department found Xiao Jun had HIV.
"I was shocked when they told me I was HIV positive," he said.
Xiao Jun insists he never took drugs, never had unprotected sex and no one from his family was an HIV carrier.
"I'm just an HIV carrier," he said. "I can live and work like others, but I'm scared that if people gossip about me my family will eventually know my secret."
