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Group calls for HIV screening of teens who have sex

Basically it talks about the new policy statement released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics where in they recommend that all sexually active adolescents should be screened for HIV.

The statistic that half of all new infections in the US occur in individuals between 13 and 24 has been around for a long time. It’s about time that the AAP made this recommendation. In the world we live in, in relation to HIV, being young, naive and fearless is a risk factor gay or not. How many of us made stupid decisions when we were younger? How many of us have ever had sex without a condom without a recent STD/STI screening from our partner? How many of us have failed to even ask about a partners sexual history as it relates to being tested? Someone somewhere answered yes to at least one of those questions and it doesn’t make them a bad person. It just makes them part of the majority. A lot of those mistakes happened when we were under 24, a lot of them still happen when we’re older. Some of those mistakes are made because we don’t have the confidence, the dialogue and the tools to have those discussions. Add an undiagnosed HIV+ individual to the mix and it is easy to see how that statistic is possible.

Coming out publicly about my HIV status when I was 20 and working with organizations that deal with HIV positive individuals has allowed me to meet and talk with HIV positive people from a variety of different backgrounds and opinions. I need more than two hands to count how many people, like myself had HIV as a virgin or as a young adult. Some of those people had parents that chose not to tell them they were HIV+ until they were 16 and explained their medicine away as allergy meds. I’ve met a couple of people that just happened to have an HIV test as part of an extra credit assignment for class and one as part of being supportive to a friend who were shocked to find out they had HIV when they never had sex. In one case it led to a person’s mother getting tested and finding out she was HIV+ as well. By no means am I trying to scare people, these cases are few and far between. I am just aware of their stories because they reached out to me because we share a virus. Eventually these people had sex or are going to have sex. In these cases they became aware of their diagnosis and are able to make informed decisions. In too many cases people remain naive to their HIV+ status.

This recommendation is a step in the right direction, and I hope that health professionals and parents take it to heart and make it a routine part of an annual checkup.

I welcome any and all thoughts related to this issue

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Here is the VLOG I promised many moons ago. I apologize for the delay, but I hope can make it up to everyone. I talk about the end of DADT, the adoption process, upcoming events and more! Check it out! ~Kevin

Now I am far from being the total zen master but I strive to not allow the negative energy of others affect me and honestly it is because I think enough negative things about myself to allow what others say to matter. The difference is that no matter how critical I am of myself I like who I am flaws and perfections, so if and when people say the negative things that people say I know that regardless of whether there is any truth to what is said it doesn’t matter because it is already something that I most likely have acknowledged about myself.

When people ask how did you get HIV or how were you so naive I can now stand tall and be one hundred percent honest about the who, what, when, where, how, and why of what happened in my becoming infected. After that honest dialogue is opened up and there is room for the comments that can be and are some times supposed to be hurtful that is when I as an individual can decide how I will react. The wonderful thing about knowing yourself and liking yourself is that even when someone may do something hurtful toward you you can use their actions to be a teaching moment. You can use their hate and ignorance to teach them and even if they still choose to remain in their state of ignorance and refuse to open up to some sort of acceptance then in the end it is their loss, but when you love yourself it is not hard to be okay with that.

I know the road to loving one’s self may be a very difficult one and it definitely has been for me, I have to thank the people that have chosen to approach me with hate, with misunderstanding, with stigma because those individuals have enabled me in finding a true and genuine love of who I am and because of that self love I have self understanding and acceptance.

So I say the next time someone says something ignorant and prejudiced to YOU, educate them (if you can), treat them with the love they so obviously lack, and then thank them for motivation!!!

Alex and I went to New York City Pride last weekend. We had rented a hotel suite with my best friend and his partner new the parade’s starting point. Well, I guess Alex had other plans for the weekend. I went out to pick up pizza for us (LOVE New York style pizza!) When I returned, I found a trial of rose pedals leading from the front door to the terrace. The trial ended at the patio table with wine glasses, champagne…and a blue box (that’s right ladies and gentlemen, he went to Tiffany’s!). Alex then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes through my tears of joy. It was a wonderful surprise and a very happy occasion.

No date is set, but as soon as we do, I will let everyone know.

Thank you for all your support!

Kevin

I have some BIG news today. Alex (my partner) and I have decided to move forward with the adoption process. This was a major decision for us. While Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is almost out the door, it technically is still the law of the land. This was the main reason for us to wait until this moment. After much reading, research and speaking with several family and friends, we decided that we can move forward and complete an application.

Just to give you all an idea of the process, below is the steps to adoptions for us.

> Complete an application

• Wait 7-10 days to be assigned a social worker
• Complete the “Home Study” application (60-90 day process)
• In the adoptive parents waiting pool (WAIT!)
• Child/Mother is identified and gives birth
• Bring child home
• Complete legal paperwork

While Alex and I have taken the first steps to parenthood, it is a long road. I will keep everyone up to date on the process as it happens. Until then, please keep your fingers crossed that our wait isn’t too long.

Best wishes,

Kevin

It’s been awhile and I just wanted to give you a quick update on the craziness I call my life.  First of all, I have to say thank you sooooo much to the SVO at Indiana University Southeast.  You guys are amazing and the program back in March was out of this world!  Love and miss you all!

Anyways,  I just got back from Cali so I thought this was a perfect time for an update.  I was out in LA working on production for our new program DIVAS OF DIVERSITY.  The queens were fabulous and we had an amazing day!!!  I cannot wait til the new video and photos are up so you all can see what we have been working on for the upcoming school year.

It is going to be a fabulous 2011-2012 school year…Stay tuned for more and remember, YOU ROCK!!!

Love Jenn

But the thing that completely just throws me is the fact that here and in so many other places, especially in America where we can fight for our rights, why is it that it is the people who do not have to live with this disease every day that are fighting for us. I mean why are we as HIV positive individuals so afraid? I understand the hate people can feel without knowing you or your story or anything actually, just blind ignorance and fear, but why instead of allowing those people to hurt us do we not stand up and say no I will not give you that power. I am BEAUTIFUL, I am SMART, I am EDUCATED, I am KIND, I am MOTHER or DAUGHTER or SON or FATHER or SISTER or BROTHER and YES I AM HIV POSITIVE but I am a PERSON. It is the most liberating feeling I have ever experienced when I meet someone and I can actually take the time to educate them because, I am told, that no one would ever think someone like me would have HIV, and then I say oh thank you may I please take a moment more to blow your mind with the sheer numbers and facts. I say do not allow others ignorance, fear, and miseducation to dictate who or what you are, no matter where you are living whether it is a city where HIV is openly discussed or a town where there may be 0ne if any other people use what you have experienced to spread the message of prevention for this disease, educate all you come into contact with, be the awareness we need, and use your knowledge to feed the hungry minds of our youth, S.P.E.A.K.