Let’s Talk HIV
EDGE’s sixty-day blogging project surrounding AIDS Day 2011.
Let’s Talk HIV: Sharing My Insights on Living With HIV
After a psychic missive from her late husband Donald Ray to write, River Huston decided to share her gift with the world. As this eight-week Let’s Talk HIV blog project comes to an end, she wishes you all the best.
Let’s Talk HIV: An Attitude of Gratitude
Earl Plante looks at the "reason for the season", focusing on making genuine connections with others rather than bestowing mindless gift cards to all.
Let’s Talk HIV: Comforting a Man Dying of AIDS
While singing carols at a Castro AIDS Hospice, Michael Petrelis comforts a man dying of AIDS, and in coming together as strangers, remembers our collective duty to humanity.
Let’s Talk HIV: Home for the Holidays
Facing the challenges of being social during the holidays, River Huston takes a chance and shares a part of herself with her neighbor, Jay.
Let’s Talk HIV: Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow
Earl Plante looks at the possible better tomorrows that can come from removing guilt and judgment from the public square and focusing instead on starting a real dialogue.
Let’s Talk HIV: Ending Meth Use
The recent death of HIV-positive meth user Pedro Villamore on San Francisco’s Castro Street spurs Michael Petrelis to look at the misguided and harmful public policy ideas regarding drug use among gays.
Let’s Talk HIV: My Irrational Fears
From fears of being single and alone to a fear of unnatural, creepy-crawly creatures lurking under her house, River Huston shares her irrational fears -- because facing them can be exhilarating and life affirming.
Let’s Talk HIV: My Pre Mid-Life Crisis
As Earl Plante nears 40, he looks at his past life and recent breakup, impatient to discover what comes next, but knowing now what he needs to avoid.
Let’s Talk HIV: My Boring Bucket List
With the new year approaching, Michael Petrelis shares his boring bucket list, now down to just one item.
Let’s Talk HIV: God and Me
River Huston shares her intimate relationship with God, from being on the brink of death to finding solace in a 12-step group parking lot.
Let’s Talk HIV: Societal Regeneration Now!
Earl Plante looks at 30 years of HIV, from surviving the ’80s to finding a way to reinvigorate our selves and our community today.
Let’s Talk HIV: "United in Anger" -- The ACT UP Doc
As Michael Petrelis anticipates the release of "United in Anger: A History of ACT UP" documentary, co-directed by Sarah Schulman and Jim Hubbard, he thinks back to the day the group was formed.
Let’s Talk HIV: Censoring Unrealistic Depictions of Sex
River Huston rails on her recent Facebook shut-out for posting a photo of plus-sized nudes. With society bombarding us with sex in every form, she chooses to censor the unrealistic depictions.
Let’s Talk HIV: Claiming Healthy Sexuality in the Middle of a Pandemic
Earl Plante dismisses judgmental or unrealistic AIDS-prevention strategies in favor of a fundamental rethinking of how to manage long-term risk.
Let’s Talk HIV: My One-Night Stand With Spalding Gray
Michael Petrelis recalls his 1990 university lecture on living with HIV with monologist/actor/writer Spalding Gray.
Let’s Talk HIV: Finding the Joy in Christmas
Although she always hated the holidays, River Huston finds that living in the Caribbean has helped her view Christmas in a whole new way.
Let’s Talk HIV: The Pope -- The Moral Leader on AIDS?
Earl Plante looks at the role of the Catholic Church and our misguided morality in preventing the spread of HIV.
Let’s Talk HIV: Poz Face
Winter skin takes its toll on Michael Petrelis, as he discusses his longstanding battle with "poz face."
Let’s Talk HIV: My Unconditional Relationship
The infamous River Huston looks at controversy, marriage, and coffee table books in this Let’s Talk HIV blog.
Let’s Talk HIV: Struggling with Stigma
Earl Plante looks at the pitfalls in debunking the myths, misconceptions, and stereotypes associated with being HIV-positive.
Let’s Talk HIV: AIDS Complacency
Michael Petrelis looks at AIDS complacency, noting that 30 years is a long time to ask any community to remain in crisis mode regarding a health matter.
Let’s Talk HIV: Dating and Disclosure
River Huston looks at the pitfalls and pratfalls that come with disclosing your HIV status to a potential partner.
Let’s Talk HIV: Can We Legislate Morality?
Earl Plante takes a look at the child-abuse scandals at Penn State and Syracuse and wonders if we can legislate morality.
Let’s Talk HIV: PWAs Omitted From Obama’s WAD Event
While Michael Petrelis lauded President Obama’s World AIDS Day efforts to assist PWAs, he found their lack of inclusion in AIDS budget discussions very troubling.
Let’s Talk HIV: Laughing Away the Heartache
After decades speaking about living with HIV, River Huston has found a comfortable middle ground where advocacy is balanced with big doses of humor.
Let’s Talk HIV: Prick Me With That Needle
Michael Petrelis takes a look at how alternative healing practices like Reiki and acupuncture complement his search for a more complete wellness.
Let’s Talk HIV: Reflections on World AIDS Day
Earl Plante urges all to get involved in celebrations for World AIDS Day 2011, the theme of which is "Getting to Zero: Zero New Infections."
Let’s Talk HIV: Body Image and Aging
River Huston looks at her long battle with body image; from a young anorexic to a plus-sized PWA to a woman still trying to keep the beast at bay.
Let’s Talk HIV: Barebacking--An Act of Rebellion?
Thirty years into the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Earl Plante looks at the renegade behavior of barebacking, the dirty little secret of a "politically-correct" gay community.
Let’s Talk HIV: Remembering the Dead this World AIDS Day
Michael Petrelis takes a moment to recall five deceased friends and colleagues that were on the frontlines of the fight for HIV awareness and rights.
Let’s Talk HIV: Thinking Positive
After a visit with her mother, River Huston realizes that all the years of therapy and soul-searching have allowed her to stay in a positive frame of mind.
Let’s Talk HIV: I Am Truly Thankful
Earl Plante takes a moment this Thanksgiving to give thanks for all the things that make his life good.
Let’s Talk HIV: What I Give Thanks For This Year
This Thanksgiving, Michael Petrelis shares what he is grateful for -- that he’s alive, that he has a handsome life partner, that his meds are working, and more.
Let’s Talk HIV: Mom and Me
As River Huston prepares to visit her mother on a work trip to San Francisco, she recalls all the hurtful things she and other family members said when she was first diagnosed -- and remembers to let it go.
Let’s Talk HIV: Imagining a Future Without AIDS?
Earl Plante looks at the lack of public interest in HIV/AIDS, looking at the fact that there may be no "magic bullet", and persevering nonetheless.
Let’s Talk HIV: Healthy AIDS Social Marketing
Michael Petrelis looks at the history of HIV-based ad campaigns, from the early alarmist ads to today’s social marketing efforts.
Let’s Talk HIV: Making the Fight Against AIDS Personal!
Earl Plante calls upon each of us this World AIDS Day to do our part to raise awareness around HIV.
Let’s Talk HIV: Freedom From a Life Based on Dying
After years spent miserably waiting to die from HIV, River Huston walked away from her suffering to live in the Caribbean, a huge change that saved her life.
Let’s Talk HIV: Transparency and the LIAAC
Michael Petrelis holds AIDS organizations accountable for fiscal transparency and accountability.
Let’s Talk HIV: a PEPFAR for the United States
Earl Plante looks at Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s ambitious and groundbreaking U.S. action plan for an AIDS-free generation.
Let’s Talk HIV: A Pervasive Stigma
Being an HIV/AIDS educator isn’t always easy. River Huston looks at the stigma against HIV/AIDS, not just in her home, St. Thomas, but right here in New Jersey and Philadelphia.
Let’s Talk HIV: Don’t Mess With TB
Approaching his 50th birthday, Michael tested positive for TB. After nine grueling months of treatment, he had regained control of his health. His advice? Get tested for TB!
Let’s Talk HIV: Running from Ghosts
After years of self-editing the story about how she got HIV, River Huston has come to terms with her past, is living for today, and is looking hopefully toward the future.
Let’s Talk HIV :: Could it end?
Is the end of AIDS a reality, or just wishful thinking? Let’s Talk HIV blogger Earl Plante looks at the 30th anniversary of HIV, and dares to hope for a comprehensive social and moral solution.
Let’s Talk HIV :: The Activist Tide
The third blogger in our "Let’s Talk HIV" blog project is activist Michael Petrelis, an original co-founder of ACT UP. This longtime San Francisco resident will tackle issues from the early days of the epidemic to today.
Let’s Talk HIV :: Living, For Now
Our Let’s Talk HIV blog series continues with River Huston, an HIV-positive woman writer and artist living in St. Thomas, who travels the world presenting and performing on topics from sexuality to body image.
Let’s Talk HIV :: Magic Hour
Our "Let’s Talk HIV" blog series features daily blogs by Earl Plante, River Huston, and Michael Petrelis on issues around living with HIV, from now through the new year.
