For a long time one of my biggest fears about living with HIV has been the effects on the brain. Several years ago I leaned into that, which unexpectedly led to a diagnosis of ADHD after some testing. It's understandable how something like Attention Deficit Disorder...
With school starting up again, I decided to take the opportunity to discuss one of the biggest hurdles for people living with HIV: disclosure. For many years, I never thought I'd even openly discuss HIV. I'm thankful that, when I was ready, I was in a safe space to do...
There are a lot of factors as to why I'm able to live the life I am today. Part of being a longterm survivor, for me, is gratitude and understanding of the safety nets I had (supportive family, safe roof over my head, etc) growing up. I was fortunate that, by the time...
Imagining a world where Republican candidates answer surveys by HIV/AIDS organizations... here's Donald Trump "discussing" the issues of the day. Enjoy. Positively Yours, Shawn On HIV research An extremely credible source has called my office and...
As many of you know, we are a part of Doing It - CDC's new national HIV testing campaign. There was a lot more that went into creating the campaign than you might think, like finding real people (like us!) who are passionate about testing and want to share their story...
Before I die... before I die I want to experience something I never have: life without hemophilia. I had a decade without HIV, and I'd like to enjoy as many years as possible on the tail end of this journey without it as well. As I stood in front of this wall in...
This month's issue of POZ Magazine is all about long-term survivors. And this year marks a special occasion in my own long-term journey as a positoid... 25 years ago, I met my favorite band, Depeche Mode, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Back in 1990, the...
Georgia, Gwenn and me in 2010 Georgia Arnold is the Executive Director of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, which fights HIV globally by funding youth-led programs. Over the last few years I've been fortunate to see what they can accomplish firsthand, since I'm on the...
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Ryan White CARE Act. This federal program has provided so many services to the HIV/AIDS community. Much thanks goes to Ryan White, who passed to spirit in 1990, and his mother Jeanne for their role in changing the way people...
"To survive in this world, sometimes you must have the eye of the over-sized domesticated cat." - me My last blog post was on December 4th- I was ending the year of 2014 in arguably the prime of my life: confidant and wearing a moustache for the first time, standing...