We can have HIV negative babies.
Thats the absolute truth!
HIV+ Women dont pose a threat to their unborn babies when they are on treatment.
In the United States, weve routinely tested pregnant women for HIV since 1995.
The choice to breastfeed should be supported by all healthcare workers.
Reporting HIV+ mothers who chose to safely breastfeed is now considered inappropriate.
There arent a lot of us.
Roughly 70% of new cases are M2M (men who have sex with men).
There are no cases of F2F HIV transmission.
Women report to me that its always a room full of gay men and they feel invisible.
Its an incredibly lonely diagnosis in general, but even more so for women.
Its not always clear who we primarily get it from.
This is referred to as the DL or the down-low.
Its a culturally accepted term that even appears on Grinder as an option.
Higher risk of abuse.
HIV+ women are at a significantly higher risk of physical, emotional and psychological abuse.
This was my experience.
I didnt fit the mold, HIV had never crossed their minds or mine for that matter.
It wasnt until I became gravely ill that more tests were done and my diagnosis was discovered.
In 2023, the world is still not educated on what it is to live with HIV today.
