HIV+

If you haven't heard, yes. I am diagnosed positive with HIV. And as today marks the 27th Anniversary of its discovery, I would like to share this with you.

Having HIV is not like what it was in the past decade. People living with HIV/AIDS itself will understand. People without it are often encased in a stigma of uncertainty.

However, it's not about the human immunodeficiency virus I am talking about here. No, I don't have that so you can breathe again. Think of HIV+ as this:

Health IS Valuable (Positive)

Current HIV/AIDS education has often most likely fallen onto alot of deaf ears. They've tried everything from print ads, tv slots, movies, flyers, and millions and millions of dollars spent on HIV/AIDS Awareness programs. How many percent of respondents actually give a fuck? (pun intended). Yet the number of people infected keeps rising and rising by the second.

Health Is Valuable (Positive) is a viral campaign ^estudio started on Facebook today, which made a huge handful of people nearly shat their pants when he changed his status update. The stigma of HIV+ being AIDS has been too prevalent in the last century, which was evident from some comments he received from doing this. His facebook status was merely: "Evangeliss is HIV+" followed by "Health Is Valuable (Positive)" as its subcomment. We do not fear it as much as we used to. We hear about it, we brush it off our shoulders. We think. We even celebrate it.

The Health Is Valuable program is to re-educate the masses with regards to HIV/AIDS Awareness. Value YOUR life. Be positive about it. Whether you ARE indeed HIV+ with AIDS or not. It's time to change your mindset. Already I've seen a few people changing their status to the same and increasing by the hour! We've heard it already: "Wear protection. Don't share needles. Be safe"... But do we? Everyday? And why do I have to "joke" about this, one asked.. This is no joke. Many people learn things, but the information goes from one ear and out the other. This is a shock-and-awe approach. It makes you tremble with fear of the reality.

Change your stigma. Stop your ignorance. If you don't have it, doesn't mean you won't. So you might as well believe that you ALREADY have HIV+ (of course, my version of it). THINK. RESPECT. PROTECT. Together we can end HIV prejudice. If you dare, tell the world you are indeed HIV+. Say it with me: HEALTH IS VALUABLE (POSITIVE). This is one HIV+ you wanna spread! And I dare you to do the same by doing a "Hi. My name is _______ & I am HIV+" journal.

(The above was taken directly from *GimmeMahFishsticks, which she took from ^estudio)





What is world AIDs day?

World AIDS Day is an opportunity to be inspired to respect and protect the health and well being of ourselves and those around us through knowledge, action and consideration.

Are HIV and AIDS the same?
No. When someone is described as living with HIV, they have the HIV virus in their body. A person is considered to have developed AIDS when the immune system is so weak it can no longer fight off a range of diseases with which it would normally cope.

Get Involved

* Sport a red ribbon. Either an actual ribbon or post this in your journals
* Support a Local campaign
* Shop red products
* Get informed. Knowledge is the best weapon
* Help ^StJoan make her AIDS walk [link]
* Feature HIV/Aids related artwork. Help spread the word


Why this Journal?

Because myths keep on spreading. The numbers keep rising. If I can help just one person, that's enough.


STATS
the numbers keep rising (no real novelty with this, sadly)
the fear (of knowing one has it, in case one does have it) and shame (of going to a medical center to take the test) are great enemies of the tests
while africa is still the "recordist" China is actually increasing numbers, related to last years - while other countries have it "stable"...



MYTHS
Sexual intercourse with a virgin will cure AIDS
Sexual intercourse with an animal will avoid or cure AIDS
HIV cannot be transmitted through oral sex
Showering after intercourse will prevent AIDS
HIV can infect only homosexual men and drug users
HIV was introduced to North America by a Canadian flight attendant

(This part was also taken from *GimmeMahFishsticks, who took it from *Flutterings)


I just thought this was a wonderful campaign when I saw what it was, and I wanted to take part, even if it isn't World AIDS Day anymore. There are still so many people that have startling misconceptions about HIV or AIDS or are afraid of people who have it, simply because they do not have all the facts. I hope that this campaign (and maybe even this journal) will clear up some things and inspire some people.

Peace and Love

~CLUBS: