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Brace Yourself For The Universal “Symptoms” Of People Living With HIV

Deciding to have an HIV awareness blog (apart from promoting the pink peso), made me exposed to the travails that our PLHIV (people living with HIV) brothers and sisters are experiencing in their everyday lives. One of the worst things that they can get is the stigma that has long been etched in our society that is obviously becoming more adamant in the face of the rise of HIV cases (As of September 2015, June 2015 was considered with the highest number of cases reported since 1984). This is perhaps because they are not quite educated about HIV as a manageable disease and/or because of the fear of them talking about it in broad daylight.

As a lead generator for my blog, I need to have myself included as a member of different gay groups which is my target audience. And yes, I am also part of HIV awareness and HIV-related FB pages which gave me more insights about the world that they live in.

There are times when many air out their disappointments and regrets of getting the disease as well as their pains and their abomination of their current state. Yet, there are even those who, despite all of these, still manage to live a quality life and find the good in the face of HIV. (Read more: When “H” In HIV Is Replaced With “Happiness” and 5 Ways To Live Positively Despite Being HIV Positive).

Yet, other people cast the first stone of spreading the stigma instead of fully understanding first what they are sharing online. I can still remember when last year, a story about an alleged AMV student in Recto got infected with HIV from a “syringe plunged into her arm with a note ‘Welcome to the HIV world’. We made a rebuttal to that: 4 facts to debunk “Welcome to the HIV world” horror story as a hoax. Even internet personalities also used their power in stigmatizing HIV even more without having second thoughts of their acts. (Read more: Stigmatizing HIV Statement Of Vine’s Most Popular User On The Loose Again).

But before we do all the talking about HIV as the worst that humanity can ever get and give the next generation, please do consider that without you knowing it, a person living with HIV is silently hearing these things and are forced to shut themselves inside the dark despite the laws that are available to protect them (Read more: Don’t Go Into HIV Discrimination If You Haven’t Read The R.A. 8504). However, in spite of the silence, other are still outed by other people in the “second closet” that they need to come out from.

It is quite saddening that PLHIVs are judged badly making them glow in the dark in the dusk of stigma and hate.

So you really want to know the “symptoms” of HIV? Then brace yourself because you may not see this coming.

Photo courtesy: www.stigmaactionnetwork.com

Always remember that PLHIVs are still human who never lose their humanity and their feelings despite having HIV. They are still the same human beings who can still love and can be loved. The very same people who can still do more despite their diagnosis. They can be your brother, sister, best friend, teacher, boss, or just someone whom you look up to.

Always remember, you don’t need to be HIV-positive to join this noble cause. You just have to be human. Stop the stigma.

Brace Yourself For The Universal “Symptoms” Of People Living With HIV

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Joemar Belleza

Blogger-In-Chief at Bakla Po Ako, Confirmed!

Joemar is the Blogger-In-Chief of BaklaPoAko.Com. He is currently a graduate student in University of the Philippines Open University. He also studied at Maquillage Professionnel School of Makeup Artistry and School of Fashion and the Arts (SoFA). He is a bold advocate of education, environment and LGBT issues. An earner, dreamer and a lover. Before he was once a dream-sprouting seed. Now he's a tree in his renaissance and will always be evergreen. Hear him speak with his intelligent guide for gay news of the Philippines and worldwide, Bakla Po Ako. Confirmed!.Follow him on Twitter @belleza_joemar. Gay it forward!