I grew up gay

– without any role models

– without any heroes

– with a message that I would live a lonely life

– attacked and beaten during walks at night more than once

– with a foregone conclusion:

my life would end by my own hands or by the violent hands of others,

but I survived.

I lived with HIV

– without any hope

– without a future

– with a message that I would die an ugly death

– images of protesters with placards that AIDS is a punishment from GOD

– without a longterm plan:

my life would end soon so why plan for the future,

but I survived.

Now what?

proto credit Harlon Davey