Dating while living with HIV can be empowering, joyful, and deeply fulfilling—but it also comes with moments of vulnerability, especially when it comes to disclosure.
HIV had kept me locked in fear for over a decade, constantly worrying about stigma and judgement. But I reminded myself of everything I had learned through yoga, meditation, and mindfulness: Stay present.
Not only do I want these things, I deserve them. So does everyone else living with HIV. Shift the paradigm. Let's talk about pleasure.
I thank God because now there are so many places where they support us—people with HIV. The workshops they offer and the tools they provide, give us a chance to lead a normal life.
I'm constantly educating people. People that should know, don't. They grew up when the HIV epidemic started. So, I share my story because I want to help people. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT HIV.
After I got my diagnosis, I automatically started to apply what I knew, to ask questions, to better understand. You might not believe it, but we're still so far behind in terms of information.
I know I'm not that old; I'm only 51. I'll be 52 in July, but still I can't help but start thinking about what my legacy will be. How will I be remembered when I'm gone?
I felt that at one point in my life, there were so many things that were getting tossed at me that were built to just destroy a person. But I got through it.
Discovering my HIV diagnosis was an unexpected turn that reshaped my life's trajectory.
Living with HIV, my biggest fear isn't the virus itself; it's the fear of losing control over my own narrative.