PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -
Many people living with HIV are getting tattoos that show they are living with the disease.
One of those people is Michael Howard, of Portland.
Doctors diagnosed him as HIV positive back in 2005.
He has tattoos on his wrist, including one of a biohazard symbol.
He and others say that the tattoos help start conversations, reduce stigma and serve as a reminder of how living with HIV has changed their lives.
"When I look down at my wrists I see part of my past and part of my future," says Howard.
"For me the way I look at it as it's a branding of who I am, and it's a branding of being comfortable with that."
Biohazard symbols and ribbons are just a few examples of designs some people living with HIV are tattooing on their bodies to show their health status.
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