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...reactions1comment
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...reactions5comments
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...reactionscomments
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...reactions3comments
How I Handle Being a HIV Long-Term Survivor and a Long-Term CaregiverFor 30 years, I have been a caregiver to myself. I have managed doctors' appointments and treatment plans and built networks of support as a long-term survivor of HIV. But...reactions5comments
Welcome to Pillow Talk: A Weekly HIV-Positive Support GroupAn email inviting me to Pillow Talk came at the perfect time, I had just moved to Kansas City, Missouri from Long Beach, California where I was living with my...reactions4comments
Safe and Supportive SpacesWe currently live in a world where safe and supportive LGBTQ+ spaces are hard to find. In my personal experience, I have seen many people in my community associate these...reactions1comment
Living With HIV and Managing MenopauseI was only in fifth grade when I began my period. I have hated every minute of them since. Menstruating while school aged came along with embarrassing moments, like bleeding...reactions1comment
Why I'm No Longer Ashamed of My HIV BellyOver the decades, I have watched so many vibrant, young people pass away. I knew some of them, and I only saw others. Most of them disappeared and were never...reactions1comment
I Am ProudOne thing that I have been seeing online lately is individuals sharing their proudest moments. I have shared with you all my New Year's resolutions, but I would like to...reactionscomments
Facing the DarknessContent Note: This article describes suicidal thoughts. If you or a loved one are struggling, consider reading our mental health resources page. Living with major depressive disorder is exhausting in...reactionscomments
My Diagnosis StoryI was diagnosed with AIDS in mid-June, 2000, in northwest Alabama. I was only 27 years old, with a marriage and three young babies. My youngest wasn’t even walking yet...reactions1comment
After a Diagnosis and Treatment, What do I do Now?I wasn’t expecting to be diagnosed with HIV for my 30th birthday. And I certainly wasn’t planning to be under treatment for HPV-related cancer thirty years later. Yet here I...reactions4comments
Relationships, Recovery, and AdvocacyI was involved in an abusive homosexual relationship starting in October 2015 until April 2017. In April 2017, I almost died from being stabbed several times. I received staples and...reactions1comment
Treatment Fatigue and HIVA key part of managing HIV is following your healthcare team’s exact direction for your treatment. One of the main parts of following your treatment plan is taking antiretroviral medicines...reactions7comments
Overcoming Trauma and Finding PurposeContent Note: This article describes abuse. If you or a loved one are struggling, consider reading our mental health resources page. I live by the quote stating, “Try to look...reactions1comment
Celebrating Pride With Loved OnesThis year I will forever remember my Los Angeles Pride experience. I was fortunate to accompany 4 of the most important people in my life to their very first pride...reactions1comment
What is AIDS Survivor Syndrome?People living with HIV/AIDS for many years often have specific needs. They may face different challenges than long-term survivors of other health conditions. In the early days of the AIDS...reactions6comments
Can You Get HIV From Cosmetic Procedures?HIV can only be transmitted in certain ways from person to person. It can only be transmitted through certain bodily fluids that contain the virus. It cannot be transmitted through...reactions1comment
The Prevalence of IgnoranceWhen someone has been living with HIV for over 2 decades as I have, you begin to do your research, read and study in order to educate yourself on the...reactions1comment