Javier
'Anyone living with HIV has dignity and worth equal to everyone else on this planet.' — @JMunozActor is sharing his story to let others with HIV know they’re not alone pic.twitter.com/bkiKrtH3ud— NowThis (@nowthisnews) December 1, 2018
I follow Javier Munoz on social media. He is in Hamilton and apart from being very handsome he's very talented. No, I have not been able to see Hamilton (those tix are more scarce than a Repug's morals) and I would love to see Javier (or Lin Manuel, duh) do their thing and make history sexy again.
Javier is also HIV+ and is an advocate for change and raises awareness about the disease. His PSA about the disease is worth exploring: he was in a relationship when he discovered he was HIV positive. He knew his status. He was negative. He had asked his partner if he was positive. The partner said no. He had had that conversation. His partner's fear to face his own reality prevented him from telling his truth. His partner never disclosed his positive status to him. Javier seroconverted.
As someone who gets fucked, trusting a man is something that needs work and awareness. When we open ourselves to a relationship, be it fuck buddies, boyfriends, lovers, whatever, we open ourselves to the possibility that the man we are letting into our lives and in our bodies could be Javier's partner or an iteration of him. And we could end up fucked and not in the good sense.
I guess that's why it's so difficult to let someone in. Why it is so difficult to trust someone to that point. In the age of PreP the risk is getting lower but it has not disappeared. There's still that moment when he may suggest having sex with you and there's no doubt you're going to say yes because are really into him. And that's scary. Because even though you trust him and you've talked about it, there's still the possibility that he has not faced his own reality.
It's true that HIV is not a death sentence anymore. But we have to have the conversation every time we are going to let him fuck us. Because it's the right thing to do. And everybody should have the conversation, even if we think we are safe for whatever reason. Until there's no more contagion,
that conversation is a necessary step we need to take.
XOXO
Javier is also HIV+ and is an advocate for change and raises awareness about the disease. His PSA about the disease is worth exploring: he was in a relationship when he discovered he was HIV positive. He knew his status. He was negative. He had asked his partner if he was positive. The partner said no. He had had that conversation. His partner's fear to face his own reality prevented him from telling his truth. His partner never disclosed his positive status to him. Javier seroconverted.
As someone who gets fucked, trusting a man is something that needs work and awareness. When we open ourselves to a relationship, be it fuck buddies, boyfriends, lovers, whatever, we open ourselves to the possibility that the man we are letting into our lives and in our bodies could be Javier's partner or an iteration of him. And we could end up fucked and not in the good sense.
I guess that's why it's so difficult to let someone in. Why it is so difficult to trust someone to that point. In the age of PreP the risk is getting lower but it has not disappeared. There's still that moment when he may suggest having sex with you and there's no doubt you're going to say yes because are really into him. And that's scary. Because even though you trust him and you've talked about it, there's still the possibility that he has not faced his own reality.
It's true that HIV is not a death sentence anymore. But we have to have the conversation every time we are going to let him fuck us. Because it's the right thing to do. And everybody should have the conversation, even if we think we are safe for whatever reason. Until there's no more contagion,
that conversation is a necessary step we need to take.
XOXO
It’s inspiring when people of note share their truth. It lessens the stigma and HOPEFULLY educates the masses. It puts a human face to the issue and shows that these are not monsters. They are mostly people who were just living their lives the best they knew how.
ReplyDeleteKudos to them all.
XOXO 👨❤️💋👨
I think it's a great example. There's tons of people who would rule out a Poz man from the start. It demystifies being positive (which is not the same as having AIDS, natch) and it puts a face to the issue. People fear what they don't know.
DeleteXOXO
Disclosing your HIV status is just like coming out .. again ... but it needs to be done. People still have this stigma of "it" and what "it" looks like and what the people who have "it"look like.
ReplyDeleteHint: they look like everyone else.
So the more people who disclose, the better; the less stigma, fear, and the less those people who have HIV feel alone and afraid themselves.
It does need to be done! Because you cannot really tell who is positive or not, it is a necessary conversation. In this time and date, HIV status must be part of every conversation before fucking or getting fucked. Period.
DeleteXOXO
I agree with the top two...while it's come a long way......the AIDS..... we still have to disclose. Of all the men I have slept with...i never an encountered a HIV positive partner. A miracle really.
ReplyDeleteSame! I have not met one positive men in all the years I've been sleeping with them. It IS a miracle, taking into account I've been around the block once or twice.
DeleteXOXO
I've had conversations with guys from my ancient past.We marvel that we made it through without contracting HIV. We occasionally wonder why we escaped while so many of our friends did not.
ReplyDeleteIt is extremely important to remember that someone may have been tested HIV-, and contracted since the last testing. They may not be lying about their status, but a very recent partner may have lied to them. It may be prudent to ask, "When was your last test, and how many encounters have you had since?"
And we should not be ashamed to talk about our sex history! As you said, we're not only going to bed with that man. We're going to bed with him and all the men we have both gone to bed with.
DeleteXOXO
It's not a life sentence anymore thank god
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Look at Javier. And I have friends and acquaintances that have been positive for YEARS and live normal, fulfilled lives.
DeleteXOXO
With the Meds today, HIV is no longer a death sentence, yet so many still think so.
ReplyDeleteI understand good seats for NYC show of Hamilton are going for $800 a piece. In cycling, that's a down payment on a very good bike.
Oh, that's right. With PreP and all that, and with the new cocktails, people can live with undetectable viral loads. And I've wanted to go see Hamilton for MONTHS, but I cannot bring myself to pay that amount of money for a play. Nope.
DeleteXOXO
I had sex with several men with HIV +. Obviously their viremia was zeroed, so I had no risk. Instead, I got syphilis, I had to take a couple of antibiotics and two penicillin injections to completely heal.
ReplyDelete