By Michael Mygind, Marketing Specialist, WestCare California with a Client Testimonial from Rogelio
Every year, September 27th marks National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, a day of awareness regarding the impact of HIV/AIDS on gay and bisexual men in the United States. To continue the conversation, we’d like to share a testimony from an individual that we serve.
While this day of awareness has passed, let’s continue to have open conversations about our experiences like Rogelio’s and the importance of testing, condoms, PrEP, and the medicines that treat HIV! For more information on resources and testing near you, please visit gettested.cdc.gov.
“I would like to start by saying, Happy National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day! I honestly never thought that I would genuinely want to share the joy that this day brings me. I will admit that I embrace my status as a part of me. I found out that I was HIV positive in March of 2018.
Being in an active addiction with meth and engaging in unsafe sexual encounters, I knew the risks. Nevertheless, finding out my status was still hard for me. Not to mention how hard it was coming out to my loved ones about it. What did make the process a bit easier was how advanced medication is. Becoming undetectable is the goal, so thanks to modern medicine, it is possible. I was undetectable within three months of starting my medication.
Becoming undetectable is the goal, so thanks to modern medicine, it is possible.
Remaining undetectable, letting people know about your status, practicing safe sex, and taking your medications as directed are all important to the safety of others and ourselves. I chose not to be anonymous, because I want to be a part of breaking the stigma attached to being a Gay man living with HIV.” – Rogelio
