I'm always happy to get the opportunity to attend a meeting or conference, so when I was approached with the opportunity to attend a conference virtually, I was happy to accept, especially one like the International Workshop on HIV and Women.
KatieAdsila's blog
El estigma es más mortífero que la enfermedad en sí, y el conductor principal del estigma del VIH, en mi opinión, es la iglesia.
Stigma is deadlier than the disease itself, and the top driver of HIV stigma, in my opinion, is the church.
I'm sure we all struggle with stress and anxiety and it's really important to find ways of dealing with it. We're all different and what works for me might not work for you...
I would like to tell you about a very special conference to me; it's called Positive Living and it's hosted by an organization called Oasis Florida. I've been coming to this conference since 2015. I remember being invited by my ASO (AIDS Service Organization) where I received my treatment. I didn't know anything about HIV advocacy, I just wanted to go to Florida, lol. But meeting the people who come to this conference changed my life. I wanted to become an advocate like these amazing people, but I didn't know where to start. The next year, in 2016, I came back to Positive Living and this time...
I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend the Women as the Face of AIDS Summit hosted by Iris House again this year. It was the second in-person summit since the COVID pandemic began, but I was attending virtually. I was still honored to be in the room and listen to the great speakers. Ingrid Floyd, the executive director of Iris House, gave the opening remarks; then there were some great panels talking about reframing HIV. The beautiful and inspirational Ci Ci Covin from The Well Project moderated the discussion and the unstoppable Kimberly Canady, also from The Well Project...
I bought a t-shirt in Las Vegas because I thought it was amusing. It said "Bad Bitch" on the front of it. I smiled when I saw it and for whatever reason I decided to buy it. I have plenty of courage, more than most I think. You don't live a transgender existence in a society that wants to erase you, torment you, or kill you without a significant amount of courage. Why did I buy this shirt? It doesn't fit me. Not only is it two sizes too large but it also doesn't fit my personality. Anybody who knows me knows how quiet and shy I am. I'm probably the last person in the world who should be...
I attended the International Workshop on HIV and Women 2023 virtually on February 17-18. I love attending conferences in person, there's nothing like the experience and energy of those in-person meetings, but virtual conferences have their pros as well, like attending the conference in your pajamas, which I did lol. My first day started a little frustrating, because as I was trying to log in to join the conference, my computer decided that it was a good time to update itself, ughh. Once I joined I caught the conclusion remarks of a doctor from Ukraine. I would really have loved to have heard...
I just heard a new word today that struck my heart in a sickening way: "Gendercide", "the deliberate effort to destroy traditions of gender fluidity…". That was a quote from an extremely insightful book...
I know a lot of people don't respect mental illness, they think it's controllable or all in your head, but I know that that's not the reality. I've struggled with mental health issues of some kind for as long as I can remember. I've had suicidal ideations since I was nine years old, I live with severe depression that doesn't even need a reason to bring me to my knees and often crippling anxiety that disregards logic. That's just to start, never mind the post traumatic stress disorder or mild obsessive compulsive behavior. Lately I've been really struggling with my depression, feeling...