The inspirational journeys of people who are long-term survivors of HIV
Edward
Edward
Seattle, USA
Edward, a long-term #HIV survivor in Seattle, has been living with the virus since birth. His story inspires and empowers others to live authentically. Photographs and story by Edward.
We need stories that tell us we are worthy, that everything is going to be ok. I want the world to know that the things we see as uncommon in each other can be seen as beautiful, loved and wanted.
For some reason, when I was a child, I was super curious about HIV because, since I could remember, I had been taking medication and didn’t know why. So I went home and asked my mother if I had it. She said no.
Then, not even a week later, she asked me if I wanted a bike. Not five seconds go by before she says to me: “Do you remember that question you asked?” And of course I remembered. “Well, you are HIV-positive. You were born with it.” I got the bike. A blue mountain bike. I loved it and hated it.
It wasn't because she loved me, but because she felt sorry for me that she bought me this present. To me, it was like she was trying to put a bandaid over a bullet hole.
Later, when I was 19, my life was thrown into a jail cell.
I failed to tell my sexual partner I was HIV-positive even though my viral load was undetectable. I had never been in any trouble with the cops. I felt I was a good kid who had just been through a lot. But I didn’t know what a lot was until I went to prison. I got pushed back into depression, into fear, into judgement.
I was made out to be this monster, this evil person, who is out there trying to infect people. Not knowing who I am, the system labelled me as a villain, a person who doesn’t deserve to succeed. And I internalized that for a long time.
If you get nothing else from my story, let it be this: it doesn’t matter where you come from or what you’ve been through, as long as you’re trying to be better today than you were yesterday. Then you’ll be alright.
I became public about living with HIV in 2012 through sharing my story of being criminalized and imprisoned for my status, and I’m currently working on a pardon to be able to tell my story to an even larger audience. I’ve had a girlfriend for a year now, and I’m working at a good job. I love where I’m at.
T a k e a c t i o n
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