When was the last time you talked about AIDS or HIV? Why does such a subject pop up in your daily conversations?
As a gay male I should be educated about AIDS and I should be knowledgeable about advancements, treatments, etc. But as a gay man in his 40s I feel I am kind of in the middle of the AIDS radar and epidemic. I am not of the generation that lost friends and loved one when AIDS was a new disease in the ’80s. That generation as ell had a spokesperson in Elizabeth Taylor for AIDS medical research fundraising and awareness. I am also not a member of the 15 to 30 year olds that are being targeted with education and having a majority of the new diagnoses.
But what I am is a member of the generation that was fascinated by Princess Diana and was in my early 20’s when she passed away. We saw they fairytale wedding and the declination of the marriage. We as well saw the reports on that August day when we lost her forever.
Does AIDS/HIV education needs a champion? The answer will always be a resounding yes.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s first official joint royal appearance was at an event to mark World AIDS Day, #SeeRed hosted by the UK’s Terrence Higgins Trust. A statement from Buckingham Palace said: “Prince Harry is looking forward to introducing Ms Markle to a community that has become very special to him. They will visit a Terrence Higgins Trust #WorldAIDSDay charity fair where they will meet representatives of organisations supporting people living with HIV/AIDS.”
At the event, Prince Harry spoke of the possibility of eradicating HIV through testing and current treatments. “We mustn’t be complacent. We’ve got everything here: all the equipment, all the testing ability,” he said. “We owe it to this generation to be able to eradicate this once and for all.”Last October he live streamed video of himself being tested for HIV in an effort to show how easy it is, and to encourage others to know their status. Harry has spoken at International HIV/AIDS conferences in his efforts to raise awareness and attributes his interest in the issue to his mother, the late Princess Diana. – DNAmagazine.com
This of course is not the first time Prince Harry has raised his mom’s AIDS/HIV education torch high. Here are just some of the stories we’ve shared about his activism.
Prince Harry Accepts Award Celebrating Princess Diana’s AIDS Activism
Prince Harry And Rihanna Take HIV Test On World AIDS Day To Fight Stigma
Prince Harry Visits Same Hospital Where His Mother Famously Kissed AIDS Patient
Prince Harry, Elton John Reflect On Princess Diana’s Legacy
Are we more relaxed with AIDS/HIV education today?
Do we pay less attention because of PrEP?
Do we not care as much because we are not seeing as many deaths since the medications are so advanced?
The title of this post is “Do We Need A New Icon When It Comes To AIDS/HIV Education?” The answer is yes. We need all the help we can get until there is a cure, until infections are not happening anymore.
But then again, the problem with my question and answer is the “WE” Who is the we? The we is not just the gay male community. It is everyone. It is everyone in the world. It is not just the men, but the women, too. Having the powerhouse of Harry and Meghan being a prominent couple in the fight will be very beneficial to the cause.
h/t: DNAmagazine.com
Hello Adam,
There are so many HIV Advocates in the States. Allow me to introduce you to some. Check out the work we are doing at positivelyfearless.com.
Or contact me and I’ll tell you more.
I talk about HIV almost daily.