What’s It Like to Live With AIDS? Three HIV-Positive Women Share Their Stories
“The stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS is debilitating…” In honor of World AIDS Day, we’d like to introduce you to three fearless and inspiring women.
-Diana Denza
Today, December 1, marks World AIDS Day, a time for all of us to remember the millions of lives that have been lost to HIV/AIDS and to unite for a cure. Because the reality is that we are all at risk: out of the 34 million people living with AIDS worldwide, more than half of them are women, according to the Foundations for AIDS Research (amfAR). And in 2009, HIV/AIDS was the top cause of death for girls and women from the ages of 15-49. Shocked?
Get ready, because we’re about to make this fight even more personal for you. Meet three incredibly brave women who are all HIV-positive; each has come face to face with death … and survived. It’s time to end the stigma and take a stand, for ourselves and for our future.
Meet Regan Hofmann:
“People living with HIV/AIDS haven’t done anything wrong, or different, or dirty, or derelict.”
Read Regan’s story here, or click to the next page.
Meet Dawn Trook:
“AIDS is not over. It’s living and breathing in me.”
Read Dawn’s story here, or click ahead two pages.
Meet Suzan Stirling:
“I want to see my children cured of HIV.”
Read Suzan’s story here, or click through to the last page.
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Awesome. Until there’s a cure prevention is paramount. Women need to get more comfortable with carrying their own condoms and taking control of their sexual health. My mom and I created a product so women can carry their own protection- so that they KNOW they have been stored safely, they aren’t expired or compromised in any way. They are called Just In Case compacts and we are donating 50% of our online retail sales to MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation for the month of December. We believe in what they are doing and the conversation that they are igniting with young adults. Thank you for this article and highlighting these amazing women.
Many thanks to Betty Confidential and to these three fabulous ladies for sharing their difficult stories on this important day.
Please believe me when I second their statements that we are your next-door neighbors, your friends, and your ministers – and we are living with HIV/AIDS and living well.
It is ignorant and irresponsible to think because you are white and heterosexual, you cannot be infected. We should all be fighting to eradicate this disease and to educate our children.
I do not want to make another square to add to the 94,000 that are on the quilt – and you shouldn’t either.
And “rgsudul” – you and your mom ROCK ON!!