Inspiring Stories: Men With HIV/AIDS

Gay Men | Heterosexual Men | Mixed

Gay Men

Everyday Heroes: Wilson Cruz -- A Blog Entry by Brandon Lacy Campos (February 4, 2012)
"There is one person I have come across who is legitimately famous and who is not only really real and sweet but lives his life, his politics, and gives to his community in a way that goes way beyond cutting a check or posing for a PETA ad. ... I saw Wilson recently. Last week actually. I wanted to thank him for being a friend and an ally in that moment to someone he really didn't know."
From The Body
A Day in the Life Video Series: Robert Darrow on Taking His Meds and Living His Dreams (November 21, 2011)
From The Body
Here's to Us (November 21, 2011)
From The Body
This Pozitive Life: A Blog Entry by Brandon Lacy Campos (November 11, 2011)
"I LOVE to be right. And my positive diagnosis was the ultimate confirmation of just how right I was about myself. And until my friend told me last night that he was angry with me, I had never been forced to actually look at it in this way. Nor have I ever articulated it."
From The Body
The Ultimate Unscheduled Event: A Blog Entry by Steven M. Natterstad, M.D. (October 19, 2011)
Bob was around for the introduction of HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy) in 1996. As a result, he LIVED for 15 more glorious years. He was not, tragically, around for the cure. He planned to be, as he often wrote in his posts and blog entries. But life happened; an unscheduled event occurred: Bob died.
From The Body
Playing the Last Scene of a Marriage: A Blog Entry by Mark S. King (October 12, 2011)
"There were so many options. The shocked and devoted lover. The vindictive injured party. The delicate, recovering addict, shaken to the core by the breakup. I indulged in this sick game of posturing for only a moment, but it was long enough for me to spot my disease on display. It was my drug addict mindset, always looking for an angle ..."
From MyFabulousDisease.com
Andrew Sullivan, Daily Beast Journalist, Calls Being Diagnosed With HIV His "Worst Day" (October 6, 2011)
From The Body
Revisiting "The Real Poz Guys of Atlanta" (October 4, 2011)
"During the first year of producing my video blog back in early 2009, it occurred to me how much of my health and happiness was the result of having a solid support network. I wanted to find a way of showing this through my blog, and the result would be two video episodes that remain a true highlight of My Fabulous Disease."
From MyFabulousDisease.com
David Munar: Making "the People's HIV Plan" a National Reality (September 15, 2011)
From The Body
This Positive Life: An Interview With Rafael Abadia (September 15, 2011)
Rafael came close to death several times in those early years of the epidemic, and has taken numerous HIV treatment regimens. Nowadays, he's tirelessly working to raise awareness of HIV in Latino communities in his home state of Florida. (Also available in Spanish.)
From The Body
Facebook Put My Life Together Again: A Blog by Mark S. King (September 9, 2011)
"For most of my life, I've kept my social circles far away from one another. ... When I finally put a stop to my exhausting existence of lies and fakery that accompanied my drug addiction, I knew that in order to live a life of integrity I would need to be the same Mark for every person in my life. ... Then I joined Facebook, which allowed me to invite all of these segments into one pool of friendship."
From The Body
Openness: A Blog Entry by ScotCharles (September 2, 2011)
"It's said that 'When one door closes, another opens.' My viral load has never been as high as it is now. I do not know what will happen. I am open to whatever comes. I am like the bonsai in my garden; the virus has pruned me. I am open and exposed."
From The Body
Dating With HIV: My Experience and Thoughts -- A Blog Entry by Kevin Maloney (August 29, 2011)
"Why am I having such difficulty meeting people, why can't I open up, why does my body language turn so cold, why can't I let anyone in? Before HIV I always had fear of rejection, having HIV compounds this fear. I feel like damaged goods."
From The Body
Are You Surviving or Thriving With HIV? A Blog Entry by Robert Breining (August 23, 2011)
"This isn't borrowed time, it is your time. Your time to live your life. Being HIV+ doesn't limit your life more than anyone else's in the amount of time. The difference is you are now aware of your health and you can do something about it. It is not time to think about death, it is time to live."
From The Body
Testing Day: A Video Blog Entry by Jermaine Wright (August 10, 2011)
"From listening to the rumors that had caused me to get tested in the first place, I had narrowed down the timeframe that I could have contracted it. So the thoughts of passing the virus to someone else echoed in my head the whole ride home."
From The Body
Versus Documentary Tackles HIV, Homophobia, Race and the First Openly Gay Major League Baseball Player in Out. The Glenn Burke Story (August 4, 2011)
In Business Wire
If AIDS Is Only 30, Why Do I Feel So Very Old? A Blog Entry by Thomas DeLorenzo (July 17, 2011)
"In spite of this virus that lurks in my body, I am capable of many great things. Don't pre-judge me just because I get to work harder at staying on this planet than you do. If you need to, give me some credit for what I have been through."
From The Body
A Decade of Positive Faces (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Francisco Ibáñez-Carrasco (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Daniel-Claude Gendron (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: David Hoe (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Brian Huskins (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Ron Rosenes (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
How I -- and Team4HIVHope -- Got to the Race Across America: A Blog Entry by Steven Berveling (June 10, 2011)
"I recognise that I get stigmatised because I live with HIV, and that stigma affects how I see my own self worth. I want to show that despite me having HIV, I can do these tough sport events like anyone else."
From The Body
This Positive Life: An Interview With Oliver W. Martin III (June 8, 2011)
From The Body
32 Facts About Me: A Blog Entry by Robert Breining (June 7, 2011)
"Since I recently turned 32 years old, I thought it would be fun to just post a blog with 32 facts about myself. Some of them you may already know and others may be a surprise."
From The Body
Still Standing After All This Time (June 2, 2011)
In Black AIDS Weekly, from Black AIDS Institute
A Note on Pride: GP(oz)S: A Blog Entry by Brandon Lacy Campos (June 1, 2011)
From The Body
Body Beautiful ... A Blog Entry by Brandon Lacy Campos (May 24, 2011)
"I figure if I am doing all this personal growth work on myself, trying to stay away from old behaviors that didn't serve me well, and trying to become a better, healthier blah blah blah person ... I should probably have a good chat with the man in the mirror (MISS YOU MICHAEL!)."
From The Body
A Decade Dadless: A Blog Entry by Robert Breining (April 17, 2011)
"Some of the last things my father said to me was 'I was always proud to be your father.' This is something that every gay man wants to hear from his father. Followed by 'I love you very much.'"
From The Body
Rape and Domestic Violence Under DADT (Don't Ask, Don't Tell): A Blog Entry by Justin B. Terry-Smith (April 13, 2011)
"In the military I had my ups and downs. ... Even though they knew that I was gay, a lot of my co-workers didn't care. ... All I wanted to do was to serve my country the best way I knew how, until one night that all changed ..."
From The Body
Addiction, HIV and the Healing That We Need: A Community Call to Action -- A Blog Entry by Brandon Lacy Campos (April 12, 2011)
"We need find a way to build each other up spiritually and communally ... all the prevention messages in the world don't mean SHIT without the work to heal the wounds that most of us are born with."
From The Body
Meet Matt and Cameron From San Diego: Together for Good -- A Blog Entry by Kevin Maloney (March 30, 2011)
From The Body
Fraud, Forgiveness, and F***ery: A Blog Entry by Brandon Lacy Campos (March 24, 2011)
"I have found it hard to forgive myself and to own my humanness that could lead to a relapse (it's progress not perfection), and, so, to receive recognition and praise while repeating old patterns creates an internal conflict that is sometimes paralyzing."
From The Body
Took My Chance: A Blog Entry by ScotCharles (March 10, 2011)
"I have become comfortable with the future while living in the moment. I plant bulbs in winter to bloom in the spring. I plan trips I may not be able to take while I enjoy my cat that is prowling round my keyboard as I write."
From The Body
A Special Anniversary Episode: A Video Blog by Mark S. King (March 2, 2011)
"I know our HIV/AIDS crisis isn?t rosy and I know people are suffering. I also know without a doubt that we are in committed, loving hands the world over."
From The Body
First-Person Stories From HIV-Positive People: February 2011 (February 18, 2011)
From The Positive Project
Keith Green: Becoming a "Different Kind of Researcher" in Communities of Color (February 3, 2011)
From The Body
Professor Poz (Winter 2011)
Whoever says HIV researchers are boring has never met Francisco Ibáñez-Carrasco.
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
This Positive Life Video: An Interview With Anthony Castro and Frank Lopez (February 1, 2011)
Frank Lopez and Anthony Castro"I disclose up front. And it's my shield to protect me. I don't handle rejection really well. Therefore, if you're going to reject me, reject me now that I barely know you and I really won't care." -- Frank Lopez
From The Body
This Positive Life: Mondo Guerra of Project Runway Talks About Living With HIV and the Power of Disclosure (October 19, 2010)
When Mondo Guerra was chosen to be on the hit reality show Project Runway, his main goal was to live out his dream of being a successful fashion designer, not be a poster boy for HIV. But one emotional challenge compelled him to disclose on air that he had been living with HIV for the past 10 years. In this exclusive interview with TheBody.com, Mondo talks about living with HIV for a decade, overcoming fear and stigma, and the disclosure that was seen around the world.
In This Positive Life, from The Body
Remembering Yesterday: A Blog Entry by Enrique Franco (October 19, 2010)
When I first became infected I had moments of longing for the yester me. I would think that I lost the fun. This damn HIV robbed me of the partying and the boozing and the playing around. It robbed me of my health. ... I was right in having those thoughts. But I was absolutely wrong in believing them.
From The Body
When I'm Right, I'm Right: A Blog Entry by Ed Perlmutter (October 8, 2010)
"I always sensed that if given an opportunity to help people avoid the medical folly I had endured by helping move HIV testing to a more open, routine and streamlined approach, I would take a leap, right out another closet door."
From The Body
Fighting Back Hard Against Bullying (October 5, 2010)
From MyFabulousDisease.com
New Publication Transcends Language Barriers to Share Untold Stories of Gay Men Living With HIV Around the World (September 21, 2010)
Multimedia magazine highlights lived experiences of men living with HIV and information on health and wellness.
From Global Forum on MSM & HIV
Sculpting HIV: Positive Artist Daniel Goldstein Makes Haunting "Ghost Houses" (September 8, 2010)
From The Body
This Positive Life: An Interview With HIV Prevention Activist Jose Ramirez (August 11, 2010)
In This Positive Life, from The Body
My Journey to Gay Pride: A Blog Entry by ScotCharles (June 29, 2010)
From The Body
In Sickness and in Health: Magnetic Marriage -- A Blog Entry by Bob Frascino, M.D. (June 23, 2010)
Dr. Bob recounts the hilarious tale of his barely-legal wedding to husband Dr. Steve on Oct. 31, 2008 -- less than a week before Proposition 8 made same-sex marriage illegal in California.
From The Body
Outed With Love: A Blog Entry by Jimmy Mack (June 23, 2010)
From The Body
To Tell the Truth: A Blog Entry by Tree Alexander (June 17, 2010)
From The Body
Marching Toward the Meaning of Pride: A Blog Entry by fogcityjohn (June 17, 2010)
From The Body
The History of Pride From a 29-Year Survivor of HIV and AIDS: A Column by Dab Garner (June 16, 2010)
From The Body
The Gay Pride PSA That Never Aired: A Video Blog Entry by Mark S. King (June 14, 2010)
From The Body
Queer, Poz and Colored: The Essentials -- A Blog Entry by Brandon Lacy Campos (June 1, 2010)
From The Body
My Stages of PRIDE: A Blog Entry by Robert Breining (June 1, 2010)
From The Body
Don't Walk With Your Head Hanging Down: A Blog Entry by Enrique Franco (June 1, 2010)
The word "pride" standing alone can be viewed as someone coming off as a conceited, pompous, self-righteous, egotistical person. But, when you marry pride with words like honor and courage, it takes on a very different look.
From The Body
My Pride: A Column by Jack Mackenroth (June 1, 2010)
From The Body
My Journey to Self-Esteem (May 23, 2010)
In Black AIDS Weekly, from Black AIDS Institute
Cry Me an Ocean (in the Desert): A Blog Entry by Philip D. (May 5, 2010)
I've taken crying to a whole new level since contracting HIV. Maybe it's the meds, maybe it's the virus itself affecting my brain -- or maybe, just maybe, I've become more evolved.
From The Body
Dear John: A Blog Entry by Philip D. (April 14, 2010)
From The Body
Facing Change: A Video Blog Entry by Mark S. King (March 16, 2010)
From The Body
This Positive Life: An Interview With Gary (March 10, 2010)
In This Positive Life, from The Body
Catholic, Gay, and Living With HIV (Winter 2009/2010)
To read PDF, click here.
In Achieve, from ACRIA and GMHC
4,000 Pages and Counting (December 27, 2009)
Larry Kramer's boundless outrage changed the course of AIDS. Now, with his still-unfinished epic about America's hidden gay past (George Washington, Alexander Hamilton ...), he's furiously rewriting history again.
In New York Magazine
Living Openly as a Gay, Positive Man in the Hispanic Community (November 11, 2009)
The U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy got Enrique Franco discharged from the Army. It also, oddly, was the reason he found out he was HIV positive. As Franco explains in this moving interview, diagnosis turned his life upside down, but he's now standing tall. "This is my body, this is my life," he says. "I'm not going to stop living. I refuse to put my head down."
In This Positive Life, from The Body
Back From the Brink: A Blog Entry by Thomas DeLorenzo (November 10, 2009)
People are still dying from AIDS-related causes in the U.S. -- and some of them die without even knowing they're HIV positive. This almost happened to Hollywood publicist and TheBody.com blogger Thomas DeLorenzo.
From The Body
It's the End of the World as We Know It (September/October 2009)
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Design for Living (September/October 2009)
Jack Mackenroth takes his message of hope on the road, battling stigma along the way.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Living With Two Diseases: HIV and Alcoholism: A Blog Entry by Jimmy Mack (July 28, 2009)
The shame I felt at being gay, coupled with my Catholic upbringing, was the very shame that filled me when I met the only thing that quieted that shame: alcohol.
From The Body
This Positive Life: An Interview With Jimmy Mack (June 2, 2009)
Diagnosed with HIV in 1987, fear drove Jimmy into drugs and alcohol. His journey out of addiction was difficult, but Jimmy has now been clean and sober for more than 15 years -- and he's got an undetectable viral load to boot. He now works in property management and is happily partnered with an HIV-negative man.
In This Positive Life, from The Body
Nelson Vergel: Going Beyond Survival (May/June 2009)
A leading advocate's thoughts on getting the most out of life.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Beyond Ripe (May/June 2009)
"All my kvetching aside, I am happy I made it to 43," says HIV advocate Jim Pickett. "Fourteen years ago, when I found out I was HIV positive, the drama queen in me had me burned up in a vase before 40."
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
My Search for Meaning: A Video Blog Entry by Mark S. King (May 27, 2009)
After more than 20 years living with HIV, Mark is still searching for meaning in his life and the role that HIV has played in it. In this emotional episode of Mark's ongoing video blog, he talks with three key people who helped him make sense of it all.
From The Body
You Gotta Have Friends: A Video Blog Entry by Mark S. King (April 22, 2009)
Mark invites a group of his HIV-positive friends over for dinner. Together they share intimate stories about disclosure, sex, dating and how they've coped with their status.
From The Body
HIV+ for 25 Years (Spring 2009)
Reflections on a silver jubilee.
To read PDF, click here.
In Being Alive Newsletter, from Being Alive
18 Years Later, The Real World's Pedro Zamora Still Inspires (March 31, 2009)
The film Pedro -- penned by the Oscar-winning writer of Milk -- first aired on MTV on April 1, 2009.
In Los Angeles Times
Maryland: Local Blogger Shares His HIV Experience (February 19, 2009)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This Positive Life: An Interview With Ahmad Salcido (February 2, 2009)
Being gay and HIV positive is frowned upon in many Hispanic and Muslim communities, and 23-year-old Ahmad faces unique challenges because he's part of each. However, he's found a supportive community in San Francisco, and his diagnosis has inspired him to take better care of his health.
In This Positive Life, from The Body
After Sex Work, Homelessness and Drug Addiction, an HIV-Positive Man Comes of Age (Winter 2008/2009)
Kevin was a teenager when he was infected with HIV. In this moving personal story, Kevin explains how his life got so messy -- and how he got the help he needed to clean himself up.
To read PDF, click here.
In Achieve, from ACRIA and GMHC
The Drug Addict Takes a Holiday: A Video Blog Entry by Mark S. King (January 13, 2009)
Mark returns to "the scene of the crime": his old haunt in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., from which he fled three years ago to enter drug rehabilitation.
From The Body
Taking Care of Hal: A Video Blog Entry by Mark S. King (November 20, 2008)
Ever hear someone claim that only a person with HIV can truly understand what it's like to be positive? Longtime HIV survivor Mark King begs to differ. Mark is in Michigan with his oldest brother Hal, who is struggling with lung cancer. He explains how caring for Hal "took me out of myself, out of my disease, and allowed me to focus on another person. This has been my gift this [Thanksgiving] holiday, to be there for Hal and to put my own HIV infection into perspective."
From The Body
A Personal Story (September/October 2008)
Learning to live and love, all over again.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
HIV Frontlines: Mark King Looks Back at the AIDS Epidemic's Darkest Hour in the U.S. (May 14, 2008)
In this powerful interview, King recounts the tremendous courage of people who fought through the U.S. epidemic during its terrifying early years.
From The Body
This Positive Life: An Interview With Kali Lindsey (April 16, 2008)
Five years after being diagnosed with HIV, Kali discusses how he learned to seek the support of others and to speak out about his status.
In This Positive Life, from The Body
Brett Grodeck -- Infinite Possibilities (March/April 2008)
A former editor catches up.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Matthew Cusick -- Performance Extraordinaire (March/April 2008)
A victory for all.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Meet Tony Mills, M.D., an HIV-Positive HIV Specialist and Former International Dr. Leather (March/April 2008)
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
This Positive Life: An Interview With Paul (March 12, 2008)
In This Positive Life, from The Body
An Unlikely Father-Daughter Duo Grows Up With HIV (November 20, 2007)
At the age of 48, Michael Kearns, a white, HIV-positive activist, adopted an African-American girl.
In Los Angeles Times
Nelson From Houston: Activist Since 1986 (May 2007)
In This Positive Life, from The Body
Profiles in Courage: Terry Johnson (March 2007)
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: David P. Lee (October 2006)
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: D'Jaun Black (October 2006)
From The Body
AIDS: For 20 Years, HIV Was My Livelihood. Now, It's My Life (May 14, 2006)
In Washington Post
Profiles in Courage: David Garner (May 2006)
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Brian Datcher (May 2006)
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Shelton Jackson (January 2006)
Shelton Jackson talks about how being an African American with HIV made him realize that you must "live the life that you want to live."
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Mel Byrd (January 2006)
41-year-old Texan Mel Byrd decided that he has kept his HIV a secret for too long, he speaks out about racism, family and HIV.
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Keith Green (January 2006)
Keith Green, a 29-year-old African American, has become a well-known AIDS activist in Chicago.
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Bishop Kwabena Rainey Cheeks (January 2006)
53-year-old Bishop Kwabena Rainey Cheeks uses his position in the church to address the growing HIV epidemic among African Americans.
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: An Interview With an HIV-Positive Substance Abuse Counselor in Chicago (January 2006)
From The Body
One-on-One With Tim'm West (July/August 2005)
Keith Green interviews the HIV-positive poet, rapper, author, HIV educator and lover of men and (sometimes) "womyn".
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Marathon Man (November/December 2004)
At the age of 38 and living with HIV since 1995, Jim Pickett prepares to run his first Chicago Marathon.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Man Mistakenly Told He Had HIV Speaks Out About Experience (October 10, 2004)
Jim Malone offers a poignant glimpse into the impact an HIV diagnosis has on a person's life -- and on the brutal role HIV stima still plays in the United States today.
In The New England Journal of Medicine
I Changed My Mind (September/October 2004)
A gay, HIV-positive drug user who watched his soulmate die from AIDS in 1993, Len Greenough's long descent was stopped at the last moment by two amazing friends -- and a pivotal decision.
In Survival News, from AIDS Survival Project
When We Can't Take It Anymore: HIV, Depression and Friendship (September/October 2004)
In a conversation with friends, Tom Setto realizes how important a role friendship can play in keeping your head above water.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
My Kind of Life: I Was a Viread Guinea Pig (July/August 2004)
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Going to Extremes to Stay Alive (July/August 2004)
[Archived Article]
Most experts don't recommend joining a clinical trial just to get the latest experimental drugs, but that's exactly what Matt Sharp did -- and he has no regrets.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
There's a Lid for Every Pot (July 2004)
Eric Rodriguez, Executive Director of Body Positive, writes about the inexplicable synergy of his four-year relationship with an HIV-negative man.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
I Shall Miss Loving Him (July/August 2004)
Eric Watts writes about the hopes and fears that haunt him as his relationship with an HIV-positive man enters its second wonderful decade.
In Survival News, from AIDS Survival Project
I'm Too Old For This (Summer 2004)
For this gay, 65-year-old man, his love life has been his main concern, not HIV.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
Livin' With It: The Dating Game (March/April 2004)
A 45-year-old gay man with HIV seeks advice from his friends on dating in the new millennium.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Working Positive: Returning to Life (March/April 2004)
In GMHC Treatment Issues, from Gay Men's Health Crisis
Brave New World (January 9, 2004)
When he walked into the classroom to teach his new "Plagues and Politics" college course, Michael Bronski was shocked to find that as far as his students knew, the 20 years of devastation wrought by AIDS on the gay community in the U.S. never occurred.
In The Boston Phoenix
My Kind of Life: I Love My Androgel (November/December 2003)
[Archived Article]
Carlos A. Perez talks about the benefits of Androgel and similar gel-based products used to treat low testosterone.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Pickett Fences: DHIVA (September/October 2003)
Activism can be overwhelming, but Jim Pickett knows he has to keep fighting.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
"The Happiest Day of Our Life" -- A Gay Couple Living With HIV Adopts (September/October 2003)
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Living in Spite of It All (July/August 2003)
Bil Romain and his lover tested positive for HIV in 1997 -- but that was just the beginning of his remarkable story of survival.
In Survival News, from AIDS Survival Project
Livin' With It: We've Outlived AIDS! (May/June 2003)
Tom Setto has begun feeling the normal aches and pains of getting old and confesses that it's something he can live with.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
My Journey of Transformation (January/February 2003)
José María Medellín reflects on his HIV-related vision impairment.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Positive Empowerment: Talkin' 'bout My Generation (November/December 2002)
"I believe I was part of the 'new generation' in the AIDS epidemic: the safe generation".
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
One Day in the Life of Dennis Rhodes (October 2002)
A gay Massachusetts resident who was diagnosed in 1991.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
One Day in the Life of Eric Rodriguez (October 2002)
Infected with HIV in 2000, the New York resident is on the Body Positive Board of Directors.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Pickett Fences: Seven's Up (September/October 2002)
Jim Pickett's letter to his family telling them that he as HIV.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
A Lad and His Dog (May/June 2002)
Carlos Perez writes about how his life changed when he got a dog.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Positive Empowerment (March/April 2002)
Shane Doyle finds support in a group for men with HIV in San Diego.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
The Face of AIDS on Fire Island (March/April 2002)
Michael Safdiah says the gay-pride movement has failed in its most important mission: to teach gay men how valuable their lives are.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Living With Yoga and HIV (January/February 2002)
[Archived Article]
HIV-positive yoga instructor Per Erez found physical and mental healing in yoga practice.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Surviving in Troubling Times (December 2001)
Steven McMahon on living with HIV in New York before and after the World Trade Center attack.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Living With HIV -- A Survivor's Perspective (November/December 2001)
David Morris has been HIV-positive for 17 years and has survived many grueling drug regimens.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Survivor or Weakest Link? (October 2001)
A reader shares the ups and downs of trying to return to his "pre-AIDS" life.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Thoughts About Having AIDS (October 2001)
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
"If I Kill Myself at This Point, I'd Be Killing the Wrong Person": A Memoir (June 2001)
Frank Salinas' story of surviving a life in the orphanage, in prison, with addiction, and with HIV/AIDS, and emerging stronger in the end.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Pickett Fences: Rising Above the Pain (May/June 2001)
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Telling the Truth: An Insider's Look at Disclosure (April 2001)
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Dr. Sex: The Joys of Safer Sex (March/April 2001)
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
School Work: A Former Teacher Returns to Work (March 2001)
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Cruising with Lazarus -- Making a Fresh Start in California (January 2001)
David Salyer moves to the Bay Area: a "mesmerizing realm of all things sexual".
In Survival News, from AIDS Survival Project
Rituals and Regimens 2001: Life After Diagnosis (January/February 2001)
Sanford Gaylord deals with diagnosis and beginning meds.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
To Die For (November/December 2000)
For Jim Pickett, confronting his own mortality was the hardest part of adjusting to his HIV status.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Personal Perspective: Busted! (September 2000)
Dennis Rhodes's candid letters to his therapist.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Scorpio Rising (June 2000)
One gay man's Father's Day remembrance.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Personal Perspective: Dancing With Angels (May 2000)
"AIDS killed all of the really good dancers".
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Dealing With Pneumonia: One Man's Experience (April 2000)
In Survival News, from AIDS Survival Project
Living as an HIV-Positive Man With My Three Worst Enemies (March 2000)
[Archived Article]
Three emotions that make life with HIV more difficult: denial, martyrdom and self-pity.
In Survival News, from AIDS Survival Project
Reflections: Three Generations of AIDS (March 2000)
[Archived Article]
An activist reflects on three generations of people with HIV.
In Survival News, from AIDS Survival Project
Activism Is the Best Medicine (February 2000)
Profile of Richard Eastman, dedicated activist and survivor.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Selling My Body: Begging With Sister James Marie (August 1999)
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Thanks, Mom! (May 1999)
The author writes in appreciation of his mom.
In Survival News, from AIDS Survival Project
Getting and Giving Support (April 1999)
"My work with AIDS ... helped me to understand that I can live with this virus".
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Powers of Example: Gregory Maskwa (April 1999)
A profile of the artist and writer.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Eye of the Storm: A Milestone -- Turning 40 (March 1999)
In Survival News, from AIDS Survival Project
Living With HIV: Why Me? (February 1999)
After living nine years with HIV, the author wonders why he has survived while others have died.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Reflections of Christmas Past (December 1998)
In Survival News, from AIDS Survival Project
Powers of Example: Chuck Kletecka (December 1998)
Diagnosed in the mid-80s, he now celebrates his 45th birthday.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Powers of Example: Juan Sanchez (November 1998)
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Veteran's Spirit Undaunted by Loss (August 1998)
Tom Swann's legal and health problems never stopped him from activism.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Practicing Pedal Power (July 1998)
Profile of an AIDS Ride cyclist.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Bob Chapman (July 1998)
Profile of a positive New Yorker.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Coming to Terms: To My Psychotherapist, Dan (March 1998)
From the letters of poet and writer Dennis Rhodes.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
The Scarlet Letters, a Nonfiction Short Story: Part II (February 1998)
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Life in the Maelstrom: Living and Working Amid the AIDS Epidemic (1998)
A psychotherapist's personal and professional view of the epidemic.
In The Encyclopedia of AIDS
The Scarlet Letters, a Nonfiction Short Story: Part I (January 1998)
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Scott Fried -- AIDS Educator (October 1997)
Interview with the author of If I Grow Up: Talking to Teenagers About AIDS.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Powers of Example: Michael Picucci (August 1997)
Dealing with HIV and lymphoma.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Emperor of Courage and Survival (July 1997)
Interview with Tom De Conza, Emperor in the Imperial Court of New York, a drag fundraising organization.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Rickie Rivera: Giving Back to Society (May 1997)
A gay, Puerto Rican New Yorker copes with HIV.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Thomas Weise: German Expatriate and Volunteer in Children's Care Programs (April 1997)
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
"My Story" (1997)
Scott Fried recalls how he was infected with HIV.
In If I Grow Up: Talking With Teens About AIDS, Love, and Staying Alive, from Scott Fried
Living With HIV: Mom [and Me] (August 1996)
A writer finds comfort in the last person he'd expect to understand.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles

Heterosexual Men

My Son: My Positive Influence (August 5, 2011)
In Black AIDS Weekly, from Black AIDS Institute
I Can't Do It Alone (June 2, 2011)
In Black AIDS Weekly, from Black AIDS Institute
Hope, Part 2: A Blog Entry by Sarah and Carmen Anthony Sacco (May 25, 2011)
"I shared in my introduction post a time in my life when I felt quite deeply the lack of hope -- probably better termed despair. What I have shared with few others is just how far into despair I was."
From The Body
This Positive Life Video: An Interview with Efrain Carrasquillo (May 1, 2011)
"It's not about how you die that counts; it's how I lived that matters. And I want that to be really remembered ... I'm 46 years -- old, I am still here."
From The Body
Diagnosis AIDS: A Blog Entry by Sarah and Carmen Anthony Sacco (March 8, 2011)
Carmen Anthony's music brought him healing after his diagnosis with AIDS in 2000. Sarah was diagnosed with HIV in 2003 at the age of 23. They met at a support group and embarked on life's adventure together.
From The Body
This Positive Life Video: An Interview With Leslie and Andrea Williams (February 1, 2011)
"HIV gave me some focus, direction and a purpose. I know that I can do things that I didn't think I could do before." -- Andrea Williams
From The Body
This Positive Life Video: An Interview With Ron Crowder (August 24, 2010)
When Ron tested positive in jail back in 1991, he wasn't surprised. Being an injection drug user who was sharing needles, he knew he was at risk. Yet, being diagnosed in a time when AZT was the only medication available, Ron never lost hope nor has he allowed an AIDS diagnosis to stop him from giving back and educating Nashville's African-American community about HIV.
From The Body
This Positive Life: Harley Enthusiast Talks About Life With HIV (January 5, 2009)
Joseph has been living with HIV since 1995. Originally from Chicago, he makes his home in San Francisco now.
In This Positive Life, from The Body
Personal Perspective: Fighting for Treatment in Thailand (Summer 2008)
Kamon Uppakaew saw that dreams could come true -- he could have HIV and he could get treatment, plus he could also have an HIV-negative daughter.
In Achieve, from ACRIA and GMHC
Profiles in Courage: George Burgess (July 2007)
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Reverend Frederick Batiste (April 8, 2007)
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Greg Braxton (March 2007)
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Larry Bryant (January 2006)
African-American Larry Bryant could have been a pro football player; instead, he works as an AIDS advocate for Housing Works in Washington D.C.
From The Body
Greg Braxton: A Long Journey to Recovery (January 2005)
With a 27-year history of drinking, using drugs and sleeping with hundreds of women, Greg Braxton's AIDS diagnosis in 1994 came as no surprise.
In A Guide to Fuzeon: The First Fusion Inhibitor, from The Body
Periods, Bras and T Cells: A Father-Daughter Talk (June 18-24, 2004)
In this touching, beautifully crafted story, Michael Kearns writes about how he finally told his nine-year-old adopted daughter that he has HIV.
In LA Weekly
The Illumination of Shadows: A Personal Account (February 2001)
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Willie Robertson (March 1998)
An HIV-positive former IV drug user turns public speaker.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Living With HIV: I Cannot Begin to Tell You (March 1998)
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
We Are Family: Living With Hemophilia and HIV (September 1997)
A father and his 12-year-old daughter talk about dealing with his illness.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive

Mixed

The Ninja Report (Regularly Updated)
A blog by Frankie Ninja.
From The Body
PozLyfe09: Raw Talk on Life With HIV (Regularly Updated)
A blog by Jermaine Wright.
From The Body
Freedom Rider (Regularly Updated)
From The Body
Why and How I Volunteer: A Blog Entry From Volunteer Positive (January 12, 2012)
"As I sit here with singing and music echoing from a nearby Thai festival, I realize that nothing is more important than being present in the here and now and to be living the experience of international service, and that an experience specifically focused on HIV-related issues is even more rewarding than I had originally anticipated."
From Volunteer Positive
Fulfilling a Lifelong Dream, Part One: A Blog Entry From Volunteer Positive (January 10, 2012)
"From the time President Kennedy introduced the Peace Corps while I was in high school in Rhode Island I wanted to someday be a volunteer. ... but [at nearly 60] they did not want me because I was HIV positive. ... It is now January 2012, and at the vibrant age of 65 I am proudly serving with the inaugural Volunteer Positive endeavor in Chiang Mai, Thailand."
From Volunteer Positive
amfAR Is "Making AIDS History" With New PSA Campaign Featuring People Living With HIV/AIDS: A Blog Entry by Kellee Terrell (October 14, 2011)
From The Body
This Positive Life Video: An Interview With Richard Brodsky (April 1, 2011)
"I was very fortunate because Jodi, she kind of like just immediately said, 'No, we're going to work this out.' It was a struggle at the beginning because we didn't know too much about it. I found out a little about it at the time, 'It's like a death sentence.'"
From The Body
Black AIDS Institute President and CEO Phill Wilson Profiled in Black Enterprise Magazine (December 8, 2010)
From Black AIDS Institute
Do I Have Poz Pride? A Blog Entry by Tree Alexander (April 21, 2010)
From The Body
Biking Transforms Lives of AIDS Housing Residents in Harlem (November 18, 2009)
In Housing Works AIDS Issues Update, from Housing Works
Speaking From the Heart: James Lord Edwards (Spring/Summer 2009)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
Speaking From the Heart: Jacques Gélinas (Spring/Summer 2009)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
Rob From Los Angeles: A Fuzeon Veteran (2007)
From The Body
Awakening a Giant (Summer 2004)
J. Edward Shaw, 63, talks about the challenges he's had to overcome as he grows older with HIV.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
Why Am I Still Here? (Summer 2004)
Paul Miller, 52 and HIV positive for more than a decade, has lately had a whole new set of changes to cope with.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
Living With HIV: The Price (May/June 2003)
[Archived Article]
Young people who think living with HIV is no big deal fail to realize the costs of infection.
In Survival News, from AIDS Survival Project
Life Lessons (December 2002)
Author Timothy Critzer shares tribal wisdom about living with HIV.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Bed and Breakfast, Anyone? (June/July 2002)
Gary Oberst has hated every one of his HIV-induced hospital stays. And yet ...
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
I Ride Because I Can -- A Pos Ped Perspective (May/June 2002)
An HIV-positive AIDS ride cyclist decides to ride with the Pos Ped team.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Positive Empowerment (November/December 2001)
After years of hiding from HIV in drug use, Tyrone Pittman is now positive about being positive.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Going the Distance (April 2001)
Artist Joe Monroe says goodbye to AIDS Project Los Angeles.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
A Personal Perspective: Twenty Years and Counting (Winter 2000/2001)
[Archived Article]
Paul Muller was diagnosed in 1980 and never expected to survive.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
A Brush With Life -- A Profile of Joe Monroe (December 2000)
A look at an HIV-positive artist.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Living With HIV: How I Learned AIDS = Life (April 1999)
"At 22 I was diagnosed with AIDS; yet in a weird twist, my life was just beginning".
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Reflections: AIDS Has Not Taken Away My Dignity (March 1999)
In Survival News, from AIDS Survival Project
Powers of Example: Aaron Greggs (March 1999)
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Powers of Example: Benny (February 1999)
His motto in the army was "Be all that you can be," now it's his motto as a man living with HIV.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Powers of Example: Ted Hershey (November 1997)
[Archived Article]
Profile of the dancer and choreographer.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
I See Miracles All the Time (May 1997)
Excerpt from Sometimes My Heart Goes Numb: Love and Caregiving in a Time of AIDS, by Charles Garfield with Cindy Spring and Doris Ober.
In Sometimes My Heart Goes Numb: Love and Caregiving in a Time of AIDS, from Jossey-Bass Inc.
Kvitch: So, You Wanted to Join the Circus! (December 1996)
Trying to keep cool and composed in the face of HIV.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Viewpoint: On Becoming HIV Negative -- Opening New Doors (November 1996)
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Kvitch: Well Did You Ever? What a Swell Party This Is! (October 1996)
What would you do if you knew for sure that you would outlive AIDS?.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive