In Praise of HIV-Negative Gay Men
by Mark S. King
Sometimes it seems there is a silent, wary truce between those of us who are positive and our friends who remain negative. We won't make them feel guilty about being negative if they don't blame us for being positive.
But there are other problematic differences. HIV-negative gay men hear a lot about what they should be doing (or not doing), and not enough about what they are doing well. Meanwhile, those of us living with HIV have been provided services, placed in positions of leadership and exalted in sometimes strange ways. We've certainly needed every bit of support we could get.
By contrast, HIV-negative men have had to plod along, making the best choices they could to remain negative, fearing every blood test, and often watching friends become infected with HIV. It is crucial that people living with HIV have a strong voice in this pandemic and that (our) needs are met, that's clear. I just wonder if HIV-negative gay men get a little tired of being overlooked because they ... never became infected?
So in the spirit of everyone getting the attention they deserve in our community, allow me about two minutes to throw a party for HIV-negative gay men.
No comments:
Post a Comment