I was infected in 1997 or early 1998 and diagnosed in 1999. If I was going to be infected, I guess I picked a pretty good time to do so. I mean, they say “It’s no longer a death sentence” and “It’s a chronic condition.” I do have much to be grateful for. If you have something that they know is HIV related, they probably know how to treat it. In the U.S., we definitely appear to be out of the dark era.
But what era are we in now? They can keep my numbers looking good but they can’t seem to keep me from feeling like crap. From apthous ulcers to fatigue to skin problems, it seems I’m always fighting something that affects my quality of life. It seems we must trudge through it.
And what about stigma? Have we really evolved beyond the fearful and ignorant words of Jerry Falwell when he spoke of God’s revenge? I don’t think so. From the President of the United States down to the supervisor in the workplace, ignorance continues to prevail.
Yes, we are clearly out of the dark but we must still move into the light. I never again want to be turned away from an ER because I am infected with HIV. I never again want to hear the leader of the free world threaten to pull AIDS education funding because the curriculum mentions sex. If I hear another “educated” supervisor express fear of catching HIV from mosquitoes, I just might blow a gasket.
No mas.
A sense of urgency is still necessary on all fronts.
