True Stories

This is my first blog. This originally appeared in the 8/17/06 issue of OutFront Colorado.

I was at the gym, having just returned from a vacation in San Francisco,
and the TV news headline grabbed me: "Life made simple for people living
with HIV." Wow, what changed while I was on vacation? The story went on
to explain that a more simple to follow medication regime had been
formulated. Fewer pills. Sure, life made simple.

What the news story did not report was the fact that it's estimated this
new combined drug therapy will cost $1600 per month. The story also did
not report that many people living with HIV won't be able to tolerate
this combined drug regime. The story never mentioned how preventable HIV
really is. Or that new cases of HIV are trending up once again this
year, for the third year in a row. Or that, oh yeah, there's still not a
vaccine or a cure for HIV. Nope, none of those things. Just that life is
"simpler for people living with HIV." OK, so here's where I felt like
Holly Hunter in the film Broadcast News. You know, the part where she's
trying to convince the group of broadcasting scholars to only report on
the stuff that matters, not the fluff. The simple stuff.

Back to vacation. In San Francisco my partner and I talked about how
it's almost impossible not to notice the advertisements for HIV
medications. Each ad, regardless of the medication it promoted, featured
handsome people enjoying amazingly sexy lives, all because they were
able to take one simple pill. These ads were on billboards, buses,
trains, and coffee cup sleeves. We wondered where the billboards were
about preventing HIV? Of course, I am grateful for the medical advances
that are providing individuals infected with HIV longer and healthier
lives. But how come the coffee cup sleeves didn't have a message about
harm reduction or prevention? Where were the people handing out condoms,
reminding all of us about HIV? While the stories and images of people
living full healthy lives thanks to medications are inspiring, I wonder
if they are doing us a disservice. Every night in the US, young people
go out and hook up believing HIV is no big deal. That HIV is "managed
simply" with one pill. But you and I know that's just one part of the
story.

Chances are you've noticed the same trend. Just pick up any one of the
many glossy magazines targeting the gay community and check out the HIV
medication advertisements. While looking at these expensive print ads, I
find it fascinating to read the required, and not-so-simple drug
disclosures - in fine print on the page behind the sales pitch. These
disclosures remind you of all the side effects of the drug and also how
it might interact with other drugs. Oh, and the disclosures will remind
you that this pill is not a cure for HIV. But they don't remind you how
to reduce harm, prevent HIV, or how to tell your story.

Anyone who has ever been tested for HIV has a story. A story about fear.
A story about behavior. A story about decisions made in a moment of
passion. Have you told your story?

The need for education is greater than ever. Every hour of every day,
another young adult becomes infected with HIV. Here's where you,
together with the Colorado AIDS Project (CAP), can make a difference.
People learn through stories. We need people to stand up and share their
stories for columns like this one and through other CAP outreach
efforts. Please. Take a few moments and send your story to
info@coloradoAIDSproject.org. Tell us about what sparked your decision
to be tested. Tell about what went through your mind while you waited
for the test results and how it felt to receive them. How did it feel to
tell others, or to decide not to tell others about your results.
Regardless of your status, if you've been tested for HIV, you have a
story that could change other people's lives. Tell your story today.