battling stigma

Nineteen years ago, I never imagined that I would one day have the strength to speak openly about my status in a leading HIV magazine. But here I am.

When diagnosed, a person confides in me and trusts my guidance and love. I kill stigma one day, one person at a time. Doors are opening and I feel alive.

I no longer have the hatred I used to have for my friend, but I still have that trauma from before, and when I think back to that time, I cry.

If you truly hear my message, please share it, find any way you can to resist and fight back, fight for me, because when they're done with me and my community, they'll come for you and yours.

It was from the second class that I really understood that I am HIV-positive. Since then, nothing was the same as before.

Let's support local HIV action to continue bringing positive changes to our HIV communities!

If I can be such an inspiration to others, I must treat myself with the same love I freely give...

Si puedo ser una inspiración para otras personas, debo tratarme a mí misma con el mismo amor que doy libremente a los demás.

Last year when visiting my HIV allies in South Korea I realized that HIV stigma is still very high in South Korea, so even today you will hardly see people open about HIV.

As we enter into 2025, we are excited to share the 10 most viewed A Girl Like Me blogs of 2024. We'll add a new blog to the countdown each day until we get to number one!