wad2010positiveaction
Self Portrait
Artist: Heidi Nass
Photograph
2010
Years living with HIV: 15
I participated because it’s healthy for me to try things I’m not good at and I like to learn. Plus, I find it powerful to explore the terrain of HIV/AIDS alongside others living with it - a rare opportunity because judgment and stigma keep most people isolated and silent.
It seems tragic to still be hoping for this after 30 years of the epidemic, but I want people to see that we aren’t living with HIV/AIDS because we have a particular ‘lifestyle.’ Our lifestyles are that we are human beings in a world with inadequate prevention tools and an attitude of denial. There are lifestyle diseases but HIV/AIDS isn’t one of them.
Self Portrait
Artist: Heidi Nass
Photograph
2010
Years living with HIV: 15
I participated because it’s healthy for me to try things I’m not good at and I like to learn. Plus, I find it powerful to explore the terrain of HIV/AIDS alongside others living with it - a rare opportunity because judgment and stigma keep most people isolated and silent.
It seems tragic to still be hoping for this after 30 years of the epidemic, but I want people to see that we aren’t living with HIV/AIDS because we have a particular ‘lifestyle.’ Our lifestyles are that we are human beings in a world with inadequate prevention tools and an attitude of denial. There are lifestyle diseases but HIV/AIDS isn’t one of them.