Everyday is World AIDS Day

I wrote this blog 2 years ago as a guest blogger for BET.COM and I wanted to share it with you because I don't think much has changed.

For the past week I have been asked the same question, “Marvelyn, what does World AIDS Day mean to you?” Honestly I have to agree with MAC on this one: every day is World AIDS Day. However, it makes me sad to see that some people only want to talk about AIDS on December 1st. Meanwhile people around the world are becoming infected and dying from the disease daily.

I am grateful for the World AIDS Day programs and events that raise awareness, but what happens on December 2nd? I want to see AIDS talked about all the time and in the same way I see those eye-catching beer commercials that make you laugh or those movie trailers that remind you that that the hot new Denzel flick is coming out. Picture this: One summer day, you are sitting with your girls eating popcorn in the theatre, waiting for the movie to start and that guy who does all the trailers says, “Coming to a theatre near you…H-I-V.” Would you pay attention?

Last October, I was headed to Tuskegee to speak for The Black AIDS Institute. As the plane was delayed on the runway, my mouth began to get dry. One reason was because I’m scared to fly and another was because they made me throw my Pepsi away at the security checkpoint. Finally, in the air when the plane reached 10,000 feet, the flight attendant came over the intercom and said, “In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the proceeds from each $2.00 can of pink lemonade will be given to breast cancer research. But do not worry if you are a drinker, you can purchase a pink martini for $5.00.”

At that moment, I thought back to the times when I wanted to tell people I had cancer instead of HIV because I felt that people would respect me more. People would glance at the small red ribbon tattooed on my left risk and I would say to myself, “What am I going to tell them?” Depending on whether I was in public or by myself, I would tell them it was in support of breast cancer. At that time, I was so scared to reveal my HIV status to random people—you never know what their reaction will be. Are they going to cause a scene? Or give you that look of, “I wonder what she did to get it?”

I’ve found that people have more sympathy for people living with breast cancer than they do for people living with HIV. I know that breast cancer has come a long way from its days of silence and stigma. I hope that HIV can follow.

Maybe next year when I am traveling, on World AIDS Day or not, the flight attendant will tell the passengers over the intercom, “The proceeds from each $2.00 can of tomato juice will be given to AIDS research. If you’re a drinker, don’t worry, you can get a Bloody Mary for $5.00.”