Personal Stories
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Coming in and out of the Closet: A Blog Entry by Ibrahim
"I still have a problem getting close to gay people. I do not feel comfortable passing by a gay sign or getting involved in gay issues. Is this a clear case of internalized homophobia? The answer is "No." This is me trying to avoid getting close to m...
Monday Reflection: Remember! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton
This piece originally appeared in Rae's blog, Diva Living With AIDS. Sometimes it feels like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders. I know you can relate. The hits just keep coming and coming, and you wonder if there is even a God up there....
A Poz Salamu-Alaikum: A Blog Entry by Ibrahim
"Salamu-alaikum" is the Islamic greeting used in the Middle East and in almost every country that is predominantly Muslim. It's in Arabic and it means in English: Peace be upon you! And peace is what I am seeking, by writing this blog -- peace in my...
Love Lifted Me!
I arrived back in New York in the summer of 1989, tired and dazed after what seemed like an eternity. I was 27 years old and had been away from home for 10 years. I left to go to school and returned home fully engulfed in active addiction. I returned...
Catholic, Gay, and Living With HIV
From the time I was a young boy, religion was a very important part of my life. I remember my father's look if I was acting up during Mass, and I knew that I should be quiet and listen to what the priest had to say. My father died when I was nine, bu...
This Positive Life: An Interview With Ahmad Salcido
Welcome to This Positive Life! Where are you from, Ahmad? I was born in Modesto, California, but I come from an Arab dad and a Mexican mother. How long have you known that you were HIV positive? I found out I was HIV positive on September 28, 2007...
Texas Accountant Plans to Open AIDS Ministry in Zimbabwe
Taking what he learned while acquiring a master's degree in religion at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, accountant Paul Chimhungwe is looking forward to returning to his native Zimbabwe. Chimhungwe plans to fulfill his calling to mini...
South Africans Battling AIDS, a Song at a Time
For nine years, Nomusa Mpanza lived with a secret. In 1993, her newborn daughter was diagnosed with AIDS, and the South African woman realized that she herself was HIV-positive. Yet it was only after her daughter died of the disease this year that sh...
On My Mind: Pro-Choice and Pro-God
One way opponents try to discredit our movement is to assert that it contradicts spirituality or a belief in God. When asked why the law first changed in Oregon they often answer that fewer people in Oregon attend church than in any other state. Citi...