 |
    
|
  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Maria T. Mejia
Time to Show My Face and Take the Stigma Away
Important HIV Cure Survey -- Calling All Women Living With HIV in the U.S. to Participate!
June 29, 2018 I made this video to discuss the importance of women living with HIV to participate in research that affects our lives. In order for women to receive care and treatment that works for us -- our bodies and our lives -- we need to make our voices and needs heard. Women are often under-represented in HIV research and always working to get a "seat at the table." One way we can improve this is by taking surveys such as this one -- which is to find out what we would be willing (or not willing) to do in order to participate in HIV cure research. Many HIV cure studies so far have only had men participating, and it is important that women let researchers know our thoughts and needs as well! It would be a disaster if millions of dollars were poured into an HIV cure study only to find out no or very few women would be willing to take part in it! This survey was designed by allies of The Well Project and reviewed by women living with and affected by HIV to ensure it's accessible to our community.
My Response to Someone Who Denies Undetectable = Untransmittable
August 25, 2017 This was a response to a person I will not name because this is about all of us living with #hiv and our allies! I believe in respect above all and each individual has the human right to express himself! But, sometimes they hurt us and in many cases without that intention. I hope you understand the human side ... love and light.
Mi Respuesta a una Persona que Niega a Indetectable = Intransmisible
25 de agosto de 2017 Tratare de explicar con mucha humildad y respeto la razón por la cual nos hace daño negar la verdad y apoyar a la ciencia que dice que indetectable = intransmisible!
We Demanded U Equals U! We Demanded the Truth and We Got It in IAS 2017
July 27, 2017 Today is a historic day! What was hidden from us came to the light today! It was hidden for almost 10 years. We pretty much joined together and put pressure. This was demanded by us and the whole world has to know. I have been undetectable for 18 years and living with this condition for 29 years. Why wasn't I considered responsible enough (18 years of adherence and undetectable) to be told the truth? I knew about the Swiss statement for 5 years and no one would confirm it here in the USA or other areas of the world! I had the right as a very adherent person to know the truth!!! To know and understand that I wasn't a risk to any of my partners for 18 years!!!! To suffer just with the thought that I could hurt the ones that I love was horrific and depressing. I feel happy today, but I also feel upset and just like the doctor that gave the Swiss statement, had all of these questions to the panel at the International AIDS Society in Paris.
Health Is a Human Right and I Am Not a Carrier!
July 10, 2017 How can you preach that you are a Christian and at the same time say that health is a privilege? How can you really not see health as a human right? So, the poor who cannot pay for health care should just DIE???? Think about it!
What One Day Can Do!
June 8, 2017 Undetectable! All organs and blood panel are perfect! So yeah! It was temporary insanity and stress that I brought on myself and external situations that are eating them! The medicine works but it is up to me to control my stress and rage for so many problems we have in the U.S. government, in the world and real-life everyday problems!
Soy Indetectable y no Puedo Transmitir el Virus del VIH
21 de marzo de 2017 Quiero que todos vean la falta de educación que hay en todas partes! Por eso es importante mostrar nuestras caras y salir de la oscuridad! Esta es una condición humana que es 100% prevenible y como he explicado en el video, si una persona que vive con el #VIH, toma sus medicamentos y se vuelve indetectable y permanece indetectable por más de 6 meses NO PODEMOS TRANSMITIR EL VIRUS DEL VIH!
If I Am Undetectable I Can't Transmit the HIV Virus
March 21, 2017 I want you all to see the lack of education that is out there! This is why it is important to show our faces and come out of the dark! This is a human condition that is 100 percent preventable and, as I explained in the video below, if a person living with HIV takes their medications and becomes undetectable and stays undetectable for more than 6 months, WE CAN'T TRANSMIT THE HIV VIRUS. Just because our activist circles and allies know about HIV does not mean that people know about this condition that has so much stigma! We need to be visible and we need to reach main stream media.
El #VIH y el #AMOR (Mi Historia de Amor y Divulgar)
1 de agosto de 2016 El amor, qué hermoso es! Esto es tan importante para las personas que viven con el VIH / SIDA tener a alguien que te ame y puede ver más allá de la enfermedad, es decir si son VIH negativas ... Me siento bendecido de que después de todos estos años de ser positiva y pensando en el camino recorrido y lo que pensaba cuando me diagnosticaron (NUNCA ME LLEGARE A CASAR), he sido bendecida con un a esposa tan cariñosa y atenta conmigo ... el complemento perfecto. :) Ella es un elemento clave en mi salud, aunque no lo crean! Cuando a uno lo aman y cuidan ... el corazón y el alma se llena en el interior. Uno se siente feliz y se siente complementado, todas estas cosas hacen que nuestro sistema inmune se suba ... Y no sólo es el amor de pareja, esposa, esposo ... también proviene de el que sea amigo o amor que le demuestre a uno el amor y el cuidado con afecto un amigo, su familia ... incluso extraños ... la gente simplemente no saben lo importante que es amar y ser amado para nosotros. Mi pareja, Lisa, sería la primera en decir que ella era parte de la ignorancia, por supuesto, hasta que llegué yo.
#HIV and #LOVE (My Story of Love and Disclosure)
August 1, 2016 Love, how beautiful it is! This is so important for people living with HIV/AIDS ... to have someone who loves you and can see you beyond the disease, that is, if they are HIV negative. I feel blessed that after all these years living with my diagnosis and thinking about the journey and what I thought when I was initially diagnosed (I'll NEVER GET MARRIED), I have been blessed with a wife so loving and attentive to me ... the perfect complement. :) She is a key element in my health, believe it or not! When one is loved and cared for ... The heart and soul are filled inside. You feel happy and feel complemented, all these things make our immune system rise ... And it's not just romantic love, wife, husband or spouse ... it also comes from a friend, loved one ... to be shown the love and caring affection from a friend, family ... even strangers ... people just do not know how important it is to love and be loved for us. My partner, Lisa, would be the first to say that she was part of the ignorance, of course, until I came along. Get email notifications every time this blog is updated.  This article was provided by The Well Project. Visit The Well Project's Web site to learn more about their resources and initiatives for women living with HIV. The Well Project shares its content with TheBody.com to ensure all people have access to the highest quality treatment information available. The Well Project receives no advertising revenue from TheBody.com or the advertisers on this site. No advertiser on this site has any editorial input into The Well Project's content.
|
BLOG:
Time to Show My Face and Take the Stigma Away  Maria T. Mejia I am a Colombian female who lives in Miami, Florida. I've been positive for 20 years. Although almost all my life I've been in long-term relationships with HIV-negative men, I am happily married to a woman who is wonderful and caring. We have been together almost three years and she is HIV negative. I have no children but we will look into having! I am an activist, a peer educator, a caregiver. I volunteered for the Red Cross in education for the Hispanic HIV community and also the American community. I was a pre- and post-test counselor. I have spoken in many conferences and done a lot of outreach in the community, especially in the schools for prevention and education. It is part of my everyday life to educate everyone I can on this subject. Being HIV positive is nothing to be ashamed about! We are strong women, and we will take away all the stigmas slowly but we have to open up. Read more blogs by women living with HIV/AIDS at "A Girl Like Me"  The Well Project shares its content with TheBody.com to ensure all people have access to the highest quality treatment information available. The Well Project receives no advertising revenue from TheBody.com or the advertisers on this site. No advertiser on this site has any editorial input into The Well Project's content. Subscribe to Maria's Blog:
Recent Posts:
June 29, 2018 - Important HIV Cure Survey -- Calling All Women Living With HIV in the U.S. to Participate!
August 25, 2017 - My Response to Someone Who Denies Undetectable = Untransmittable: A Blog Entry by Maria T. Mejia 25 de agosto de 2017 - Mi Respuesta a una Persona que Niega a Indetectable = Intransmisible July 27, 2017 - We Demanded U Equals U! We Demanded the Truth and We Got It in IAS 2017 July 10, 2017 - Health Is a Human Right and I Am Not a Carrier! A Blog Entry by Maria T. Mejia A Brief Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by TheBody.com's bloggers are entirely their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheBody.com itself. |
The content on this page is free of advertiser influence and was produced by our editorial team. See our advertising policy.
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
© 2018 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved
TheBody: About TheBody | Contact TheBody | Site Policies | Content Providers | Advertise With Us | Site Map
Remedy Health Media: About Remedy Health Media | Contact Remedy Health Media | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
TheBody is a service of Remedy Health Media, 461 Fifth Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10017. TheBody and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of TheBody's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: TheBody is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through TheBody should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.
Email
Print-Friendly
Subscribe
