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Everything That Glitters Ain't Gold


A Video Blog

By Jermaine Wright

July 26, 2011

In June 2009 I got into a relationship with a guy that I met at the club. There was a crowd of people around him and I thought he was cute, so in my head I was thinking "I'm going to get him." A friend of mine told me that he was a porn star but I didn't believe him, so I would joke with the guy I was talking to at the time, telling him that maybe we could make a video together.

The guy from the club and I exchanged numbers and began to talk, and by July we made it official. Everywhere we would go people would always walk up to us because they knew either him, from porn, or me, from dancing. So for a time we had a trophy relationship. Many people wanted me, and even more people wanted him. Sometimes when we would go out his ex would come along (he's also a porn star), but it didn't bother me cuz dude was sleeping with me. The days went by, and I learned that not only was my dude a porn star but he was also an escort.

August 5, 2009, we stayed at a hotel with two of my other friends and for the first time we had sex. I was excited because so many people wanted what I was getting right then. We decided to just be friends though, so the whole relationship thing didn't last long.

August 18 I woke up sweating real hard, and didn't feel very well. I took some medicine and went on with my day. For the next two weeks the symptoms got worse ... I had white spots on my tongue, I was sweating heavily every night, I was too tired to do anything including eat. So I had someone call an ambulance and they took me to the hospital and did all these tests for flu, and some other stuff that I don't remember, but everything came back negative so they sent me home. I began to feel better but some days I would be really tired for no reason.

November 2, 2009, a friend of mine came to me and told me about himself being HIV poz, and that he wanted to tell me something. The person that gave him HIV was my ex's ex-boyfriend. So I went and got tested that same day and I too became a statistic.

The point of this was to let everyone know to be careful ... everything that's shiny on the outside isn't always good for you! I thought I had the perfect dude and everyone was jealous ... but I got screwed in the end.

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See Also
More "Just Diagnosed" Stories
Reader Comments:

Comment by: afraid to tell (trinidad and tobago) Sat., Aug. 6, 2011 at 8:49 pm EDT
i think that you are a very strong person and there are a lot of people that could not accomplish what you have i salute you
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Replies to this comment:
Comment by: PozLyfe09 (Michigan) Wed., Sep. 7, 2011 at 1:42 pm EDT
Thank you :)


Comment by: Michelle Lopez (Brooklyn NY) Thu., Jul. 28, 2011 at 2:23 pm EDT
I heart goes out to Jermaine Wright, I am a mom of two wonderful young adults today,a young woman at 21 and a young man of 24 years old. I needed to share about my children due to the fact my daughter was born HIV Positive due to me not being tested during my pregnacy in 1990. My son on the other hand is negative and spends his time when he was dating, he is married now, back to when the dating was going on would tell any of his dates, "This is the 21st centuary and I do want to have sex but I am not going raw" and he has kept that motto due to the imact of the virus in this family. Jermaine dear, the elephant is in the room if you know what I mean and take this little advice from me, keep the focus on you, do make sure you are getting the best of care, I do pray you have health insurance, access to a specilist in HIV care and every day that you wake up and inhale that breath of life that is so dear to us don't forget to thank god. Surround your self by individuals that can be supportive of you and understand and love you, keep away for the negative energies that some people give and my darling young man it gets better day by day. Keep your medical appointments and if your doctor speaks to you about starting medications due to the updated Department of Health and Human Service(DHHS) treatment guidelines one should be on treatment with a CD4 of 500 or below, gone are the days waitng until an AIDS diagnose to treat. Thanks for sharing your story dear, you have open up the eyes of many of my brothers out there today. May go bless and keep you.
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Comment by: Richard (NY) Thu., Jul. 28, 2011 at 1:11 pm EDT
Hi Jermaine,

A single gay male, father of 5? And HIV poz in 2009? So at age 20 you had fathered five kids already? What's the whole story here?
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Replies to this comment:
Comment by: Queen (East Cleveland, Oh) Tue., Aug. 2, 2011 at 8:25 pm EDT

I was thinking the same thing but you know what, it is still a good article.


Comment by: Sade (Detroit) Wed., Jul. 27, 2011 at 6:50 pm EDT
Of course i didn't know....but I'm sorry,and ur in my prayers...
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BLOG:
PozLyfe09: Raw Talk on Life With HIV

Jermaine Wright

Jermaine Wright

Jermaine Wright is a young, black, bisexual father of five who is also living with HIV. Following a period of service in the Army he is now at the Community AIDS Resource and Education Services of Southwest Michigan (CARES) where he promotes Mr. Friendly, a prevention tool used to raise awareness of the stigma associated with HIV. His mission is to reach out to other young black people living with HIV in a safe manner via his YouTube channel, PozLyfe09. For many youth, this is the only place they can go to discuss and share about living with HIV with someone who is open about his status and sexuality. Topics of his videos include: disclosure, dating, fathering a child post HIV diagnosis, passing on the virus, barebacking while HIV positive and more.

Speaking engagements: Jermaine Wright is available to speak to groups. Contact Jermaine about speaking at your organization or event!

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Recent Posts:

May 3, 2013 - Your Status Does Not Determine Your Destiny: A Blog Entry by Jermaine Wright

March 5, 2013 - Breaking the Silence on My Struggle With HIV Meds: A Blog Entry by Jermaine Wright

November 1, 2011 - Gift Givers: A Video Blog Entry by Jermaine Wright

October 20, 2011 - Why Are Teenagers Not Using Condoms? A Video Blog Entry by Jermaine Wright

September 23, 2011 - Conceiving a Child While HIV Positive: A Video Blog Entry by Jermaine Wright


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