Being Positive: A Glance at HIV in 21st Century America | Johnathan Thurston | TEDxMSU 

I've lived with the virus for 30years now and have seen the stigmatization that goes along.I live a quiet life.

I can relate in a lot of ways. For me it was my first bf I had ever had. I was 19 then. Stigma is worse than having to take a pill every day.

This speech was so poignant to the fact that so much ignorance exists out there. As someone who's negative, I'm constantly having to address my own biases that I may have against people w/ HIV. Regardless how they were infected or when, we need to understand that all people are worthy of love & respect and we shouldn't let a disease blind us. Thanks for speaking up!

This was a good presentation. I do want to correct one mistake made: He said that if he took a rapid HIV test it would be negative because he is undetectable. That isn't correct. Rapid tests test for the antibodies, which are always present. Therefore, it would show reactive. And let me be very clear - Undetectable Equals Untransmittable - therefore he cannot transmit the virus to his partner.

Thanks for this talk really help

Thanks for good information

That test he took looked like the 3rd Generation HIV Test. The HIV1 RNA Test( apart of 4th Generation Test) is the best test as of 2020.

We are with you

Thank for good information

I’ve read that a month supply of meds is 2-3k. That’s ridiculous…just to live.

I’m scared to death. Can’t imagine myself telling anyone I’m positive

Thanks

Thts true n reality talk

I feel his true experience of life. I think the closer I investigate the real life, the much more correct my expectation is. We don't know. But we pretend to know. We should be honest. At least we should try to be so.

nice

You know what’s worse is I was born with it

The HIV = AIDS thinking is all wrong. I was fine, got sick with a microscopic parasite (from the salad at work), got treatment for that. A month later I tested positive even though I was perfectly fine. That was 1986. 1991 retested (Elisa) positive. Started on AZT and the kept adding meds. I got sicker and sicker. The meds made me so sick, weak and vulnerable. I continued to work for my husband, a MD who wouldn’t talk about it. Eventually I had a massive GI bleed and came close to death. Even though I was seeing all kinds of doctors, nobody seemed to know that I was in liver failure. Liver cancer twice then waiting and finally got a transplant in 2013. I did my own research. I had no idea how bad these medicines are. They are DNA terminators, the same as chemotherapy. No wonder I have lipodystrophy, bone density issues, GI problems, chemo brain, muscle wasting etc etc. I was extremely healthy when starting these meds. I was 31. I had figure skated for 10 years, worked in the ER lifting and hauling patients and equipment and also lifted weights and worked out. No drugs. No alcohol. The medications have been killing me. Chemo for life. Not good. I stopped the ARVs in late 2018. The first 6 months were hard cuz I had no support, much the opposite. I kept reading and looking everything up. Mainstream does not support me. 27 years I was a perfect patient. 8 months ago I tested again. NEGATIVE. I tested negative. The testing is NOT specific to HIV. PLEASE check out “House of Numbers” and any information you can find. Peter H. Duesburg (UcalBerkley) Rethinking AIDS. I’m not telling you what to do, but just look. Had I known all this info in the 1980s I never would have tested. At 25 I was told I wouldn’t see my 30th birthday.

Don't get me wrong I agree with everything he's saying

Please am confused .can u have baby when u have HIV.I don't no want to do

9:25 you’re off your rocker dude 😳

Too scared to test for it

Positive should stick to positive community. Social media like Facebook is the problem and it will continue to grow because of social media. DELETE SOCIAL MEDIA. READ YOUR BIBLE AND PRAY DAILY. IF PEOPLE WILL WALK IN obedience to God's COMMANDMENTS THIS WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM. GIVE YOUR LIFE TO JESUS AND PRAY DAILY. DON'T BE DECEIVED. GIVE YOUR LIFE TO JESUS!

He is blaming the law instead of blaming the immoral behavior of people engaging in risky behavior and not wanting to get tested. What nonsense

Thanks for good information