Jonnah, 29
When I Found Out:
September 30, 2004. I'm not any different from you. I used to be negative too.
How I found out that I was infected:
My boyfriend tested negative, and we wanted to move our monogamous relationship forward into the possibility of not having to use condoms.
The biggest challenge I deal with living with HIV:
Battling the healthcare system, maintaining a more-than-healthy lifestyle to combat the virus and medication side-effects, finding lovers who are okay with my status and dealing with the stigma's that surround HIV.
What I've learned from living with HIV:
The stigma's that I once believed in myself are completely false. It's a disease, not a moral issue.
What I think is the biggest difference between people's perceptions and the reality of living with HIV:
It's not as carefree as the HIV-med posters paint it to be, but it is definitely manageable. It's up and down and crazy and awful sometimes, but life in general has deepened with meaning and beauty for me. I live every day.
Who I thought HIV affected before I learned I was positive:
I know just from visiting HIV/AIDS clinics and support groups that the disease affects every single person. Men, women, transgender people, and children of all colors and all ages.
What I want to tell young people who say HIV can't happen to them:
It can happen to you. Allow condoms to be an act of love towards you and your partner.
