It is a term of self-empowerment, adopted by those with the virus in the early years of the pandemic (the 1980s), as an alternative to the passive implications of "AIDS patient".
The phrase arose largely from the ACT UP activist community, however use of the term may or may not indicate that the person is associated with any particular political group.
The PWA self-empowerment movement believes that those living with HIV/AIDS have the human rights to "take charge of their own life, illness, and care, and to minimize dependence on others".
[This quote needs a citation] The predominant attitude is that one should not assume that one's life is over and will end soon solely because they have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.
In 2009, the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) and POZ magazine announced a new initiative called The Denver Principles Project.