HIV 101: What Is a Serodiscordant Couple?

Some call them mixed, magnetic, or serodiscordant, but it means the same thing.

Diane Anderson-Minshall

Diane Anderson-Minshall is the CEO of Pride Media, and editorial director of The Advocate, Out, and Plus magazine. She's the winner of numerous awards from GLAAD, the NLGJA, WPA, and was named to Folio's Top Women in Media list. She and her co-pilot of 30 years, transgender journalist Jacob Anderson-Minshall penned several books including Queerly Beloved: A Love Across Genders.

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Diane Anderson-Minshall

December 14 2016 6:12 PM EST

December 16 2016 6:56 AM EST

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Serodiscordant simply means one of you has HIV and one of you doesn't. Some gay couples use the term "magnetic couples" to mean the same thing.

There's very little research on how successfully serodiscordant, or mixed, couples cope with the complications of HIV.

According to The Body, an online HIV resource guide, "research of this nature tends to measure the most negative aspects of positive/negative couplings, telling us primarily how HIV complicates our lives. It tells us very little about the rewards, the discovery of inner strengths, the emotional ties, the opportunities for developing better communication skills, or the joy generated when a mixed-status couple does create a happy, strong, fulfilling relationship."