5 Female #StigmaWarriors who will inspire

For those of you not in the know, Saturday the 8th is InternationalWomen’s Day, and Monday the 10th is National Women’s and Girl’s HIV/AIDSAwareness Day! All week long we have been participating in these awareness days and today we are celebrating some INCREDIBLE women who are living with HIV and fighting against stigma every day. We have highlighted five amazing female #StigmaWarriors-- though there are so many to choose from!!! Below please find a profile of each of these female #StigmaWarriors and the ways they work to stop stigma. 

We hope they will inspire you – as they inspire us every day - to join them in stopping stigma!

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Paige Rawl:

Paige Rawl is a young HIV activist who was diagnosed at the age of two. When Paige was in the sixth grade, she confided to her best friend that she was HIV-positive, and within two weeks, the entire school knew that she was living with HIV. Because students didn’t understand what living with HIV meant, Paige was bullied so much she was forced to leave school.

When Paige entered the ninth grade, she decided to turn her negative experiences into positive lessons.  At the age of fourteen she received certification by the American RedCross and became an HIV/AIDS educator. She is the youngest person who has ever received this type of certification from the Red Cross. Paige began traveling the country speaking at schools about living with HIV. She has also worked with such programs as the Indianapolis Urban League "to encourage young adults to take control of their sexual health and fight back against bullying" [1]. She even helped pass anti-bullying legislation in her home state of Indiana. Because of this extraordinary activism Paige was nominated for Seventeen Magazine’s ‘Pretty Amazing’ contestand finished in the top five.

Paige currently attends Ball State University where she is studying for a degree in Molecular Biology and hopes to become an HIV/AIDS researcher, and plans to continue to use her inspiring story to fight HIV stigma.

Hydeia Broadbent:

Hydeia was diagnosed with HIV at the age of three and by the age of six years she began her HIV/AIDS activism. Hydeia is the first African-American youth to be an HIV/AIDS activist. By the time she was twelve years old she had appeared on many national television shows, including:

• Oprah
• 20/20
• Good Morning America
• “A Conversation with Magic Johnson” on Nickelodeon.

Ebony Magazine named Hydeia one of the Most Influential 150 African Americans in 2008 and 2011. She has also been honored by the American Red Cross and received an Essence Award in 1999.

With her high pitched voice and sweet braids, Hydeia captured the hearts of the nation with ten words: “I just want people to know that [people living with HIV] are normal people.” [2] She is the little girl with AIDS who grew up, and at a time when HIV was severely misunderstood she put a human face on the condition. Hydeia continues to fight stigma through speaking engagements.

Elizabeth Glaser:

Elizabeth contracted HIV through medical malpractice and unknowingly passed the virus to her children, Ariel and Jake. Neither Ariel nor Jake could be treated because there were no antiretroviral medications approved to treat children at the time, and doctors did not believe that HIV/AIDS was prevalent among children. After Ariel’s death in 1988, and her fear that Jake would die shortly after, Elizabeth founded the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation in order to bring hope to children living with HIV/AIDS. It spurred federal funding to study mother-to-child transmission and to produce antiretroviral medication for children.

While she passed away in 1994, her legacy lives on in Jake and the foundation that bears her name. By fighting to get treatment for her children, Elizabeth made sure that no child would ever again have to go through what Ariel and Jake went through.

Today EGPAF:

• Is supporting 7,300 HIV clinics  around the world, and programs have reached nearly 18 million women with PMTCT services
•  Has tested more than 16 million women for HIV;
•  Has enrolled nearly 2.1 million individuals, including more than 165,000 children, into HIV care and support programs; and
• Has started more than 1.1 million individuals, including nearly 99,000 children, on antiretroviral treatment.

Beatrice Were:

Africa’s most famous HIV/AIDS activist, Beatrice Were first came to fame when she publically disclosed her status and spoke out against the Ugandan government’s policies about the issue. In 1993, after her first husband died of AIDS, she founded the National Community of Women Living With HIV/AIDSin Uganda (NACOWLA), a grassroots organization which provides support and services to more than 40,000 women living with HIV in Uganda.

Beatrice first went public with her HIV status in 1995, largely to combat stigma in Uganda. Prior to her coming out about her status many did not believe someone with HIV could lead a grassroots organization to combat HIV stigma, but Beatrice proved them wrong. The surrounding media attention helped her draw attention to the largest issues facing African women living with HIV, which included lack of access to medical care and lack of support systems. Thanks to Beatrice’s guidance, grassroots organizations that fought against stigma resulted in international praise for Uganda’s HIV prevention programs. However, she has been critical of PEPFAR for allowing radical evangelicalgroups to come in and spread HIV stigma.

Beatrice continues her HIV activism and continues to promote programs which effectively fight HIV stigma.

Nina Martinez:

After being diagnosed with HIV as a young child, Nina Martinez inadvertently fought stigma thanks to her belief that HIV made her automatically related to Magic Johnson, which quickly made her popular among her peers. Her HIV activism truly took off during her time as an undergraduate at Georgetown; there Nina volunteered for research studies at the NIH and participated in the Georgetown AIDS Coalition. She has always felt comfortable in her own skin and honest about her status, and has found that has helped combat HIV stigma..

Nina fought stigma by being honest about her condition and through using humor to be open about her HIV status. Today Nina holds a master’s degree in Public Health and works as an HIV researcher. She also continues her activism through interviews and posts over social media.

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I hope these women have inspired you to join in the fight against HIV stigma – they certainly have inspired us at the SAN! Each of them demonstrates that if you believe in this cause, in your own way you can make a difference as a #StigmaWarrior. Fighting stigma is as simple as listening to someone living with HIV or going on Google and educating yourself about stigma. You can also volunteer at many places, including the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, or donate to NAWCOLA. It doesn't take much for you to make a world of difference and be a #StigmaWarrior!

Happy Women’s Day to all!

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy National Condom Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day to our beloved #StigmaWarriors!

Did you know that February 14th is not only Valentine’s Day, but also National Condom Day as well??? It is a pretty perfect combo because what could be a better way to show someone you love them than by keeping safe and protected? [AND—as if that wasn’t cool enough—it gives you an opportunity to get creative and deviate from the cliché heart-shaped boxes of calories and overpriced flowers that will barely last the weekend! But I’m getting ahead of myself!]

To celebrate both National Condom Day and Valentine’s Day we’re going to discuss the many merits of condom use, but first let’s have a little fun with some possible ideas for your very own DIY cute and creative Valentine’s Day condom crafts!

1. For an easy one, why not make some DIY valentines with condoms? Simply write a loving message to someone on a condom with a sharpie! It’s that easy!

2. If you’re just in it for the candy, buy a chocolate box and fill it with condoms! After all, studies show that it takes an hour of sex to burn off one box of chocolate…

3. If you want something a bit more creative, why not a bouquet – with the flowers made out of condoms?! All you need is some rose-colored condoms (personally I like pink!), some wire, and tape, and there you have it! A lovely condom bouquet to give to your sweetie. 

4. If you don’t like flowers, and you really want to put yourself out there, you can make yourself a lovely condom dress out of expired condoms to wow your date! The condoms may be past their prime, but this style will last! (Though obviously don't use the expired condoms for intercourse!)

Look at all the potential for condoms on Valentine’s Day/National Condom Day! Though let’s put the, crafts and fun aside for a moment now, and discuss the important role condoms play in protecting you against a whole host of STDs, including HIV. Latex condoms are the best option, though if you or your partner has a latex allergy, you can use plastic condoms. It is important to remember to only use latex or plastic condoms, as natural condoms, such as sheepskin, are porous.

It is extremely important for you to have a discussion with your partner about condoms and protection, especially prior to sex, and in some cases to take initiative to purchase condoms on your own. If you’re nervous about having this discussion with your partner, have the discussion with yourself first– visit this site with some tips about conducting this conversation! 

Basic Facts about Condoms and Protection:

A Female Condom

• When used properly, male condoms can protect you up to 98% of the time (and between 75-85% when used normally) [1]. In fact, condoms are so effective that they make sex 10,000x safer than if you don’t use one (Planned Parenthood) [2]! Only water-based lubes can be used with these condoms, as oil-based lubes or Vaseline can break down the condom (WebMD) [3].
• Though not as much research has been done on female condoms, it has been proven that HIV cannot pass through these contraceptives (CDC) [4], and that any type of lube can be used without the condom breaking. Female condoms can also be inserted long before sex, so even if you and your partner decide to have sex at the spur of the moment, you can still be safe!

What does all this talk about condoms mean for those living with HIV and looking for love (or for those lucky ducks who have already found it!)? Well, it means you can do anything that those who are not living with HIV can do! Many people living with HIV believe their diagnosis will force them to be alone –we here at the SAN love busting myths, so want to shout from the rooftops that this is absolutely not true! HIV cannot travel through plastic or latex condoms which means that those living with HIV and their partners are able to to enjoy safe and worry-free sex! Whether you are a sero-discordant couple or a couple where both partners are living with HIV and are looking to protect each other from a different strain of the virus, you can still experience love as you have always wanted to. Not convinced yet? Check out these testimonials and dating sites for those living with HIV. And remember: your diagnosis shouldn't hold you back from finding and enjoying love! NO MATTER WHAT, you are still you and you ARE worth loving!

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy National Condom Day #StigmaWarriors! Please share this blog to show others that there is no shame about being HIV positive and that life doesn’t end with a diagnosis. On Valentine’s Day and every day, let’s all remember to bust myths, end stigma, love smart, love safe, and love love!

A Conversation with Christopher Barnhill for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Award-winning HIV/AIDS activist, philanthropist and motivational speaker, Christopher Barnhill is changing the face of activism. At the age of 16, Christopher discovered that he was infected at birth with HIV. This motivated him to dedicate his life’s mission to promote HIV/AIDS and personal awareness. Christopher has spent the last 10 years speaking publicly to audiences of 100 to 10,000 about the impact and responsibility of being positive. He is also the founder and executive director of The Emily Foundation, which helps young people in Washington, DC, who have lost parents to HIV/AIDS or drug-related issues. 

To learn more about Christopher, read his full bio or visit his website.

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SAN: What made you want to get involved in HIV activism?

Christopher: It started out when I was 16, I discovered my own status of being positive and it changed – snowballed – and then the avalanche was there. I started out educating my high school about HIV. My health teacher would get permission from my other teachers to pull me out of class so I could educate her class because I was known as ‘the expert’ at school. So that is really what started it. But the purpose of me getting heavily involved was because I didn't want to run into any people my age finding out they were HIV positive, so I wanted to do everything I could in my power to educate them and to prevent them from contracting HIV.

SAN: Can you talk to our readers about the stigma surrounding HIV that exists in the African American community?

Christopher: Oh, well, there’s definitely a lot of stigma in the community. Historically, African Americans are very private with things, especially around health and health-related issues. It’s been passed down from generation to generation and what we’re starting to see is the effect of what stigma can do. You have people who live in a certain part of town going to the other side of town to get HIV tests and HIV services; because you have the stigma of someone finding out that you’re HIV positive by being associated with the organization that provides HIV testing. 

Stigma has definitely played out for me personally. There were people who didn't want to associate with me because I was positive. But the question is why do we allow stigma into our lives? Why do we allow stigma to run our lives to the point that we’re dying? And those are the questions that I just can’t answer.

SAN: If you’re comfortable talking about it, do you have any examples of times when you may have witnessed HIV-related stigmas or discrimination, or had personal experiences with HIV stigma?

Christopher: Oh yeah. The first time I told my high school about being positive, I was threatened with suspension for that because I did it over the announcements for World AIDS Day. The principal didn’t give me permission to share that, and also teachers were different towards me afterwards. But the second form of stigma I experienced is when I was dating someone who was HIV negative and he broke up with me because he thought I was just too open, too public about my status. He didn’t want to be involved with me because he thought it would make other people think he was [HIV] positive as well. So stigma plays out right in your face sometimes, but stigma can play out in the blind spots as well.

SAN: Do those stigmas play out differently when gender or sexuality is involved?

Christopher: Well, I've never been a black woman, so I really can’t speak for them. I would say yes, stigmas play out differently for black women and black gay men. But I do know that stigmas play out differently if you’re living with HIV and are a black heterosexual man, because not a lot of the services are geared towards black men who identify as heterosexual. They’re often afraid of being a part of anything that involves services because they’re afraid they might be associated as gay. For example, there may be a support group for black men living with HIV, but most of them will be gay. As a result, heterosexual black men don’t feel like there’s a space just for them to talk about their experiences with being straight and positive.

SAN: As it is it’s National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on Friday, we would like to ask how you got involved with National Black AIDS Day and what work have you done with them to talk about HIV in the African American Community and the diaspora?

Christopher: Well, every day is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and World AIDS Day for me, so I think being part of the organization has allowed our work to be a little broader. I’ve done a lot of interviews, educated the community on HIV and AIDS and how it specifically affects black people. I also was able to assist with event attendance and organization. I actually got connected three years ago and since then I’ve become one of their spokespeople. I really appreciate what they are doing to ensure that this information is continuously being put out on the surface. If this continues I hope we can lower the rate of HIV.

SAN: What can allies do to better spread awareness about HIV and HIV stigma, for both NBHAAD and going forward?

Christopher: Well they can always:

1. Go to www.nationalblackaidsday.org and start sharing the statistics that are there and signing up to volunteer for events that may be happening in their area.
2. Show support for others who they know are living with HIV they can start being there for them more, and it doesn’t have to be ‘have you taken your meds’, but what it can be is something as simple as being a shoulder to cry on or just being a listening ear.
3. I know there are a lot of people who want to help and there are a lot of organizations that need help, like Us Helping Us, BlairUnderwood Health Clinic, Women’s Collective, Sasha Bruce, and Whitman-Walker. There are so many nonprofits in the DC area that are specifically providing HIV related services, and if you work with an organization that does not have health services talk to them and see what they might be inclined to do to support their clients who are living with HIV.
4. As far as college students, get your Masters in Public Health and focus on chronic disease, and just continuously be on the front line of the work.
5. And I know that National Youth HIV& AIDS Awareness Day coming up in April, so start signing up for events in your area!

There are a lot of things you can do. You've just got to do them!

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A big thank you to Christopher for his interview. If you would like to stay connected to him, you can follow him on Twitter @Pozlyfe, or subscribe to his website.

The SAN is so excited to be partnering with #StigmaWarriors like Christopher and the National Black AIDS Day team for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, coming up this Friday, February 7th! Check out our FB and Twitter pages for more information about the unique stigma and discrimination the black community faces and how you can help reduce it!

For more information about what you can do to help those living with HIV, or to volunteer with organizations in the Washington, DC area which serve those living with HIV, please go to:

• National Black Aids Day: www.nationalblackaidsday.org
• Youth AIDS Day: http://amplifyyourvoice.org/nyhaad
• Us Helping Us: http://www.uhupil.org/
• Blair Underwood Health Clinic: http://www.aidshealth.org/
• Women’s Collective: http://www.womenscollective.org/
• Sasha Bruce: http://sashabruce.org/
• Whitman-Walker: https://www.whitman-walker.org/

An Open Letter to Africa's Leaders - Joachim Chissano, former president of Mozambique

H. E. Joaquim Chissano is the former President of Mozambique and current co-chair of the High-Level Task Force for the ICPD (International Conference on Population and Development)

Read the original post in its entirety here, at The Africa Report: http://www.theafricareport.com/Soapbox/an-open-letter-to-africas-leaders-joaquim-chissano-former-president-of-mozambique.html

This is a transformative moment for Africa – and indeed, for the world.

Decision-makers from across the continent, under the able leadership of Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, are finalising a crucial document outlining a common position for Africa on the development agenda that will replace the Millennium Development Goals after 2015.

It is a strategy that has empowered us in many ways. And it means that our voices will be heard when the framework that will guide governments, donors and development partners for years to come is negotiated. So we need to be careful what we ask for.

Since the 1990s, Africa has gained considerable strength in international negotiations by sticking together and forging consensus on important issues.

I urge our leaders to draw from the lessons of the past, but also to heed current realities. And to look ahead to what the future is calling forth – because this new development agenda will affect the lives of millions of our people at a very critical time for Africa.

I encourage leaders to take a strong stand for fundamental human rights, and advance the trajectory for basic freedoms.

This means pushing for three priorities that lie at the heart of sustainable development: the empowerment of women and gender equality; the rights and empowerment of adolescents and youth; and the sexual and reproductive health and rights of all people.

These interlinked priorities and their policy implications have been carefully analysed by the High-Level Task Force for the ICPD that I co-chair.

We have found that they represent not only human rights imperatives, but smart, cost-effective investments to foster more equitable, healthy, productive, prosperous and inclusive societies, and a more sustainable world.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights, in particular, are a prerequisite for empowering women and the generations of young people on whom our future depends.

This simply means granting every one the freedom – and the means -- to make informed decisions about very basic aspects of one's life – one's sexuality, health, and if, when and with whom to have relationships, marry or have children – without any form of discrimination, coercion or violence.

This also implies convenient, affordable access to quality information and services and to comprehensive sexuality education.

We can no longer afford to discriminate against people on the basis of age, sex, ethnicity, migrant status, sexual orientation and gender identity, or any other basis – we need to unleash the full potential of everyone.

As an African who has been around a long time, I understand the resistance to these ideas.

But I can also step back and see that the larger course of human history, especially of the past century or so, is one of expanding human rights and freedoms.

African leaders should be at the helm of this, and not hold back. Not at this critical moment.

The international agenda that we will help forge is not just for us here and now, but for the next generations and for the world.

As I think about these issues, I am reminded of the words of our recently departed leader, who gained so much wisdom over the course of his long walk to freedom.

"To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains," Nelson Mandela reminded us, "but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."

Let us live up to his immortal words.

• H. E. Joaquim Chissano is the former President of Mozambique and current co-chair of the High-Level Task Force for the ICPD (International Conference on Population and Development)

Read the original post in its entirety here, at The Africa Report: http://www.theafricareport.com/Soapbox/an-open-letter-to-africas-leaders-joaquim-chissano-former-president-of-mozambique.html

"Shuga" is Saving Lives in Nigeria - Mario Christodolou

Read the original post in its entirety here, at The Impatient Optimist: http://www.impatientoptimists.org/Posts/2014/01/Media-Can-Change-Lives-and-it-Can-Save-Lives

MARIO CHRISTODOULOU

January 06, 2014

Sophie has just had unprotected sex with her “Sugar Daddy” (a person who exchanges large amounts of money or gifts for sexual favours). While he goes to freshen up in the bathroom, she innocently snoops around the bedside drawer to reveal a box of pills—little does she know that they are antiretrovirals. She has unknowingly put herself at risk of HIV infection.

The scenario described above is from the new series of the MTV show Shuga, which has now landed in Nigeria. Condensed into this 60-second scene are issues related to transactional sex, negotiation of safer sex, HIV treatment, and HIV disclosure. But this depiction is just the tip of a gargantuan, mass-media behavior-change iceberg.

A scene from Shuga showing Sophie and Solomon in bed. Photo © MTV Staying Alive Foundation

Produced by the MTV Staying Alive Foundation in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and the Nigerian National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), the award-winning Shuga TV show has already had two hit seasons in Kenya. But Georgia Arnold, the Executive Director of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation and Executive Producer of Shuga, has a vision for the Shuga campaign in Nigeria that far exceeds anything attempted previously in Kenya.

“Shuga is a ground-breaking TV show that portrays the lives and loves of a group of young people. Seamlessly interwoven into the storylines are vital messages related to HIV and a wide range of other sexual health messages,” explains Arnold. “Alongside the TV series is a substantial mass-media campaign, which reaches our audience at all the points where they interact, improving their access to vital sexual and reproductive health messaging and directing them to the health services they need.”

As well as the TV show, the points of interaction that Arnold alludes to include a radio series, a mobile service (SMS), a comic book (focused on the domestic violence story line in the TV drama, aimed specifically at girls with low literacy levels), digital and social media, and a Skype service through which users can “call a character” from the show and share their thoughts.

Nii and Malaika in Shuga. Photo © MTV Staying Alive Foundation.

“The particular nature of stories and dramas not only deliver informational content but create emotional connections to characters and role models, which promote a better context for learning and behavior change than do factual presentations,” observes Victor Orozco, an economist at the World Bank and coordinator of their Africa HIV/AIDS Impact Evaluation Program. “TV could play an important role in introducing ideas to large segments of a society, especially segments where literacy is low and social norms discourage discussion of stigmatized issues such as HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy.”

 Shuga series 3 aired for the first time on World AIDS Day, 2013, on more than 70 channels, with a potential audience of a half billion people.By keeping messages from the TV show at the forefront of people’s minds, the introduction of multimedia elements may have the potential to reinforce and promote positive behavior change. For example, sending weekly text messages can significantly increase adherence to antiretroviral treatment for people living with HIV. The Shuga campaign in Nigeria will aim to reinforce the messages of the Shuga TV show with a 360-degree campaign, including several social media and mobile components, such as text messaging and interactive voice recordings. Orozco is working with MTV to evaluate the behavior-change effects of the show and the additional impact of mobile messages through a randomized study.  

A character on the show is tested for HIV. Photo © MTV Staying Alive Foundation.

Shuga has made the journey from Kenya to Nigeria for several reasons. While some might argue that on the basis of prevalence, the need for a campaign like Shuga is greater in Kenya than in Nigeria—HIV prevalence in Kenya (6 percent) is double that of Nigeria (3 percent). However, Nigeria has the second highest number of people living with the disease, and while maternal mortality has significantly fallen since 1990 in the country, one in 13 women still die during childbirth. Additionally, of Nigeria’s burgeoning population of over 150 million, nearly a third are young people aged 10 to 24 years—a population that falls neatly into the MTV demographic and who will relate more closely with stories portrayed in Shuga.

These public health concerns are compounded by a severe lack of knowledge about HIV among young men and young women. “Comprehensive knowledge about HIV is defined as knowing that condom use and having just one HIV negative and faithful partner can reduce the chances of contracting HIV; knowing that a healthy-looking person can have HIV; rejecting the two most common misconceptions about HIV transmission—that HIV can be transmitted by mosquito bites and that HIV can be transmitted by supernatural means," explains Dr Emmanuel Alhassan, Director, Resource Mobilization at NACA. “However, only 22 percent of young women and 33 percent of young men [in Nigeria] have comprehensive knowledge about HIV.”

Shuga has the potential to displace the silence that has engulfed serious issues like HIV in Nigeria and beyond, and to fill the knowledge vacuum that such silence has created. Shuga series 3 aired for the first time on World AIDS Day, 2013, on more than 70 channels, with a potential audience of half billion people. With this kind of reach, the ability for this so-called entertainment education to inform, change attitudes, and even change behavior is undeniable.

However, Orozco notes that policy makers and funders might be seriously under-investing in such mass-media approaches due to lack of rigorous evidence. But with the support of the Gates Foundation and MTV Staying Alive, he and other researchers are remedying this by evaluating Shuga and creating a knowledge base of what methods works and what is worth scaling up in Nigeria and elsewhere.

“Our vision for Shuga is to see a transformation in attitudes about the way the world talks about sex, not as a dirty topic, or something that should be hidden, but something that is openly discussed: parent to child, peer to peer,” envisions Arnold. “Only by doing this will we see a real change in people’s attitudes about HIV and their knowledge about it. Only through open and honest dialogue can we can hope to save lives.”

Find links to the episodes that have aired so far here. 

Read the original post in its entirety here, at The Impatient Optimist: http://www.impatientoptimists.org/Posts/2014/01/Media-Can-Change-Lives-and-it-Can-Save-Lives

An Interview with "James" by Brian Fuss

The following is from an interview with James (not his real name) an HIV+, gay male, sex worker, pro-Dom, and former drug user.  Thank you for sharing your story, James.

James grew up in a Midwest town Pentecostal family where religion and family were constantly reinforced by their twice a week church attendance. James remarked, “All of my friends were from that church; in fact, I did not know anyone other than church members.” At the age of 16, after struggling with his sexuality “forever,” James shared with his older sister about being gay. James stated, “My sister betrayed me and told my parents and this ensued a shit storm in my life.” His parents demanded he “repent of his homosexual, evil ways and go back to loving the Lord.” However, James knew he could not deny who he was, and told his parents as much. His parents threw him out of the house until “he properly repented and served the Lord.” Alone, hungry, scared with his last $100.00, James went to LA hoping a friend would help.

“The friend was a total asshole and basically had sex with me for a few days and then told me to beat it.” Now, completely alone, in a strange city, and frustrated, James had no idea what to do. Then, a kindly man offered him a warm bed and food. “He was a nice guy…at first he said I could just hang out until I got on my feet. Then he started to flash around a lot of money. When I asked him what he did, he said he worked in the porn and sex industry. This was more money than I saw in my whole entire life.” He became James’s mentor, telling him what porn shoots to go on and what places to stay away from. “The way to make more money was to do it (sex) raw (bareback), so of course I became that type of actor. I was making a lot of money between this and my lucrative escort business. With that came the partying, more sex, and HIV.”

“HIV completely changed my life. First, it [HIV positive status] got me into recovery.” James explained he left partying and entered (drug and alcohol) recovery and has been sober for 5 years. “Being an escort brings its own stigma, but it, honestly, is something I do not have to self-disclose, unless I want to date you…there is the rub…most guys are completely intrigued by my sex work, but hesitate to get involved with me because of it. I have heard numerous times…you are a great guy but I can’t be with (date) a hooker…I ain’t no hooker!” James further explained that HIV is the second hurdle that creates a lot of stigma in his life, both professionally and personally. “I have an obligation to tell clients, if they ask, about my HIV status (James explained he is 80% safe with clients and is undetectable) if they want to fuck raw.” James stated he has been single because no one wants a “HIV positive sex worker for a boyfriend, and that just hurts.”

I asked James two question, which I believe are important and pertinent to the discussion of stigma and I offer James’s answers in their entirety.

Many profiles on gay dating sites have the terms clean and dirty to describe someone who is HIV- verses someone HIV+. What are your thoughts? “I’m not dirty! When I see that shit, I just get pissed and usually say someone. Gay men can be so pathetic when it comes to HIV status. Think about the terms…because I am HIV+ I am somehow defective and should be ignored or worse cleaned up…it reminds me of what my parents said when they threw me out of the house…maybe I am just dirty.”

What is your advice to other young men in a similar situation? “You are more than your status, the drugs you take or the work you do! Don’t let anyone take your humanity away from you!”

In conclusion, James tells a story of stigma and shame from growing up gay in a Midwestern town to being a sex worker to being in recovery to being HIV+. It is estimated that more people delay treatment or refuse to get tested out of shame and stigma, especially if they are involved in the sex industry.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

This interview was conducted by Brian Fuss of the Harm Reduction Coalition