A challenge worth entering
One thing I have
learnt about Social Media as I am just an amateur is that you never know what
you post that might catch fire and go viral.
Just over two days
ago, I joined the Normalising HIV Challenge with the hashtag #NormalizingHIVChallenge,
the American spelling notwithstanding. What it involved was a short profile of
oneself, one’s HIV status and what one is doing about it. Then, you can add a
tagline.
This was all in aid
of banishing HIV stigma, for there are many who are HIV-positive and living
normal productive happy lives, going about regular and exciting activities the
pills helping a long way.
#NormalizingHIVChallenge
Name: Akin
Age: 54
Home: England
Occupation: IT Consultant
Relationship status: Engaged
HIV status: Positive 2002, AIDS 2009
ARVs: Yes (Since September 2009) and undetectable
I'm not dirty and clean is when you've had a shower.
I posted my tweet
with the tagline, “I'm not dirty and clean is when you've had a shower.”
This comes from what I have seen on certain profiles or in conversation where
you are asked if you are clean. By implication, anyone who is HIV-positive is not
clean or consequently dirty.
Blog - Dealing
with sexuality and HIV stigma
Blog - Experience
is not enough to teach you to understand things
Clean after a shower
This is after
well-published and peer-reviewed studies that show HIV-positive people on antiretroviral
drugs and by consequence with undetectable viral loads cannot pass the virus on
to sexual partners. We can live healthy and passionate sex lives under the
right medical supervision.
It does not mean we
should be reckless with our sexual health, regular check-ups are necessary and
it is unlikely that anyone who is HIV-positive is not completely clued in about
this. Yet, ignorance persists in communities that should know better and the
wider public who are usually deluded into thinking they are safe without any
awareness of their real status.
Owning my experience
Literally, all the
responses to my tweet have been supportive apart from one where the person in
his cynicism thought I was being paid to demonstrate a false status in my
search for clout and to trend. It was a shame that after he apologised, he
deleted his tweets and then blocked me, out of embarrassment or shame or the
inability to face up to his calumny, I would not know.
However, this much I
know, a long time ago, I decided to own my situation, understand my condition
and share my experience, if, in any little way, it might help others.
I know there are
aspects of life I went through that others might well relate to and seek prompt
medical attention rather than delay it. As I alluded to in the blog below.
Blog - When
I had the murderous cancer of denial
Even this is normal
For the commendations
of bravery or daring, I am thinking of neither, rather it is a simple case of
acceptance, I am already a miracle of medical prowess that has come of the body
of knowledge acquired through the medical interventions in other lives affected
by HIV and related medical conditions. Forthrightly, I have to live with what I
have, if I can't, what is the point of living and where is the joy of living?
We will continue to
challenge HIV stigma, not so much to normalise being HIV-positive, but to aver
that regardless of your HIV status it should not define you and you can live
normal and amazingly productive lives. That is the goal of #NormalizingHIVChallenge
from my perspective.
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