Positive Status and Building a Positive Support GroupI would not be where I am today without community support. Community support is so vital when it comes to someone living with HIV. At the beginning of my diagnosis...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
What I Do to Control the Anxiety of UncertaintyThis is the 30th year that some type of HIV testing has been a part of my life. From the first confirmation that I was HIV positive to checking on...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
SisterLove's 20/20 Leading Women SocietyJournalism is invisible advocacy for me, I have been writing since high school. I have been blogging about living with HIV on a national level for almost as long as...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Community Hierarchy: Social Bias in the LGBTQ+ CommunityStigma, in my opinion, is a complex and formidable obstacle hindering the eradication of new HIV transmissions. Its pervasive nature, deeply ingrained in our society, stems from the fear that...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
A Death Diagnosis at 27: A Story of Love, Loss, and ResilienceIt was 1985 and a good year until... "You're positive; put your life in order. You'll be dead in 18 to 24 months." The pronouncement was just that - blunt...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Support After Loss and Illness: Is It Okay to Not Be Okay?When my partner died of AIDS, the world became a maelstrom of dark emotions and platitudes. At the end of his lingering illness, what was left was fast-tracked to cremation...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
The Mystery of Exceptional Elite Controllers (EEC) and Spontaneous Viral ControlDoctors have known for years that a small number of people with HIV maintain an undetectable viral load without taking HIV medicines. Called HIV controllers, elite controllers, or exceptional elite...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Cutting Out Toxic PeopleI have been very fortunate to have a great deal of love and support after sharing my diagnoses. My family has been the standard barer of what I would wish...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
H-I-V.net December 2024 Giveaway (NOW CLOSED)Toward the end of each year, we observe World AIDS Day on December 1 and reflect personally on the ups and downs of the year before. Start your new year...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Challenging the Language in HIV Advocacy: A Call for ConsistencyIn the world of HIV advocacy, language is powerful. As an advocate, I have often found myself in spaces where we are united in our mission to end stigma around...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Navigating HIV Disclosure, Love, and Health ChallengesI shared my HIV status with my husband on the very first day that we met. This was in 1998, and it was a risky thing to share. HIV stigma...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
My Diagnosis Journey: A Decade with HIVI have been living with HIV for over a decade now and it has been a journey full of obstacles, growth, and success. I never thought that I would be...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Why I Stopped Being an HIV Advocate, Then Started AgainIn 1988, I met an AIDS activist, and my life was forever changed. It was during my high school years when I first heard of GRID (Gay-Related Immune Deficiency) on...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Honoring Loved Ones: Keeping Their Memory AliveI always try to recognize days that my community celebrates and that would get people together for a good cause or a special moment. We all know that Halloween is...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Reclaiming My NarrativeContent Note: This article describes sexual assault. If you or a loved one are struggling, consider reading our mental health resources page. We often find ourselves on paths that diverge...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Who I Had to Forgive When I Learned I Was HIV PositiveWhat is the most challenging act of forgiveness you have ever had to do? I began to understand what it meant to forgive someone when I learned I was HIV...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Looking Back, Stepping Forward: My Advocacy JourneyHello again, H-I-V.net family. It has been a while since I last connected with you in 2021, when I embarked on a new adventure with an international nonprofit medical association...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Bisexuality and HIV in the LGBTQ CommunityI have been an out and proud gay man within the LGBT community for a very long time now. Something that I have noticed within my very own community is...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Encounters With "Bug Chasers"Recently, I attended an international conference in Munich, Germany, which took place shortly after AIDS 2024. As a gay, Black male who has been living with HIV for 13 years...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
A Long and Healthy Life With HIVThere are moments in my life that I stop and realize that I am almost going to be 30 years old. The crazy thing is that I was diagnosed with...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments