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Here in East Africa, the stigma itself is enough to kill you, but if you just hold on, things will be okay.
Louis, I feel you! You are in my prayers for justice to prevail for you. It is unbelievable that people living with HIV/AIDS are carrying everyone's burdern and responsibility. As i said before,DISCLOSURE IS NOT THAT EASY. Why do we have to take the responsibility alone? Our governments are just charging people without thinking. WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE. If they really want to prevent HIV, they need to involve both parties. It is time to change our conversations during dating- BOTH PARTIES TO TALK ABOUT HIV; THIS IS NOT A ONE PERSON BURDEN. LOUIS, CAN YOU START A PETITION ON WWW.CHANGE.ORG- TO STOP YOUR PROSECUTION? WE ARE ALL HUMAN BEINGS- IT IS CRUEL AND INHUMAN TO TARGET people living with HIV only. We are not animals, it is not our FAULT. I am angry by the way the system is treating us across the world.
1995 the protease inhibitors came out and people began to take the HAART cocktail;viral loads began to plumet. Many HIV+ persons have an undetectable viral load, making transmission rates practically non-existant. I'm not suggesting unprotected sex, but times have changed in the past 30 years; the laws need to change along with them. It is wrong to charge positive people with felonies with no proof an encounter has occered. ANYONE can get pissed and say you slept with them. This is bulls**t and I can't wait for the day when/if someone in the legal system has the balls to DO something about it! My heart goes out to you. I choose not to share why but I totally feel your pain.
I suppose I am not sure I understand your comment, "I'm not really against the society's right to prosecute and convict those very few individuals who willfully transmits HIV to a lot of others without getting any kind of consent." In your mind, is it more acceptable if u only do it once? Does it have to be willfully transmitting HIV to a lot of others? Maybe I misunderstood.
The idea that they can now put someone in jail, for this kind of thing regardless of the actual intent, or absence of same, its scary, because how do you deal with that issue. So if you engage in a mutual consensual relationship with an adult, you can still be charged with a crime. The truth is that if we do not come together and combat this, and that means fighting fire with fire, then eventually many will find themselves in camps, if you think that's impossible think again. there are plenty of people in history that have found themselves interred in camps who had little idea that it would happen to them. The only way to put an end to this kind of thing is to act proactively, that means filing a law suit designed to combat these ignorant AGs that allow this kind of abuse to proceed. fighting fire with fire is the only way to stop them from criminalizing everything about HIV
GOD SPEED! STAY STRONG AND NEVER GIVE IN!! Long Beach, California U.S.A
Louis, It's been said, but it bears repeating: Hang in there! Much appreciation to you for your courage. I've read all the comments thus far and there's a slightly mixed reaction. For the few who would scold you and possibly presume that you weren't forthcoming about your status, I say that it's ALL of our responsibility to keep ourselves safe from STDs. That onus doesn't just lie with those infected, especially with HIV/AIDS which can be stopped with the simple use of a condom. The same isn't true for every disease. Herpes is an example. With that in mind, I'm not *necessarily* of the mindset that HIV/AIDS needs to be disclosed, provided all parties are safe. We all need to stop the witch hunts.
Jonathan Goldman
Louis, Please update us about the new trial from last month, if there was one, or has it all vanished in the Norwegian snows? Thank you! Jonathan in S.F.
March 15, 2013