The majority of my friends in Atlanta are terrified of the possibility that their lives could change in a matter of minutes. From my experience I completely understand why. A few months ago, I decided to get tested for HIV on the campus of Georgia State University. I never had been more worried in my entire life. For days before my appointment I couldn’t eat, sleep or even pay attention in class. But it’s because of this event that I’m the person I am today.
Everyone, especially those within the gay community, should see if they’re infected. The Health Promotion page on the gsu website explains that, “Of the 950,000 to 1,000,000 million people estimated to be living with HIV in the United States, an average of one-quarter (25%) but as many as one-third (33% to 35%) do not even know they are infected!” Because of the fear and stigma that comes with being a HIV victim, people are more likely to procrastinate on knowing their status.
The reason why I waited so long to get tested was because of my mother. My mother is the boss of two nursing homes. On a daily basis, she sees patients struggling with HIV/AIDS at her job. So when I came out to her years ago, her biggest fear wasn’t that I would get bullied in school for being gay. It was the possibility of me becoming HIV positive. My mindset quickly began to mimic hers. My mother’s fear of the virus became mines. But over time, I realized that I can’t avoid getting tested. I needed to stop caring what others would think about me, depending on my results. HIV/AIDS doesn’t change who you are.
When I walked into the room to get tested, my palms began to sweat. I found the nearest chair I could find and slowly sat down. A GSU student came up to me and started the oral exam. He wanted me to roll something around my gums in order to test my saliva for the presence of HIV. Afterwards, he put the stick into a container and asked me to wait 30 minutes.
I swear, the hands on the clock took forever to move. I thought I was going to die! At the end, the student came back and told me I was negative. I could feel a huge weight coming off of my shoulders. Even though I’m relieved to not be positive, I know that others aren’t so lucky. No matter how positive your status is, you must continually get tested for HIV as long as you’re sexually active.
AIDSAtlanta 
I love that you are discussing an issue that most want to sweep under the rug. What I like most about this post is how transparent and personal it is. Your courage to get tested despite the stigma and opinion of others is nothing less than remarkable. Your writing in this blog reflects both your concern and your passion for the communities to which you belong (who are affected in countless ways by HIV/AIDS).