How has your sex life changed since you became positive?

My sex life, or the lack thereof, hasn’t really changed that much. I can actually count on one hand (no pun intended) how many sex partners or one night stands I've had in my entire life time. I would say though that my attitude toward sex and potential partners has changed a bit.

How has your sex life since you became positive?

My sex life has always been a challenge for me. I contracted HIV my first time having sex. So I don’t know anything other than honesty with my status. Although it wasn’t always cut and dry.

How has your sex life changed since you became positive?

I was much more aware about being safe. I was still a little shell-shocked after first testing positive so I didn't want to share my status unless I was asked. But I made sure that my partners were safe. Today I am much more forthcoming about sharing my status. It’s a part of me but does not define who I am. Other than that, my sex life hasn't changed much.

With all of the prevention information currently available, why do HIV rates continue to increase?

I think the cause is lack of education and having the attitude that "it will never happen to me". I think some people just don't live in the reality that it can happen to them. Also a lot of people who are high tend to behave more irresponsibly. I often wonder if people, especially gay men, tend to think that the meds we have these days are so good that no one dies from it anymore so its okay to have unsafe sex. IT'S NOT.

With all of the prevention information currently available, why do HIV rates continue to increase?

The Transgender clubs in Los Angeles have always had a high level of prostitution, and the prevention information has been there for the Trans Community to see. I can recall the prevention information as far back as 1983 or 1984. I didn’t take the information seriously. The trans community isn’t all sex workers. They are sex enjoyers and participants, regardless of what their sexual preference is.

With all of the prevention information currently available, why do HIV rates continue to increase?

My belief is that people are choosing to ignore all the information out there. I still think some people are in denial about HIV/AIDS. Perhaps it is because we don’t have people dying left and right like they were in the early days of the disease. What they fail to see or notice is that people are still dying, and mainly it’s because of the lack of testing. Another reason is that people just don’t give a damn about getting it.

With all of the prevention information currently available, why do HIV rates continue to increase?

I think there is a misconception amongst the general public that HIV/AIDS is over. With the new meds, people are more than just surviving--they're living full and rich lives. When lay people (and by that, I mean people who aren't well educated about HIV/AIDS) hear about the new drugs, it's likely that they may engage in risky behavior because they think they can just take a little pill and the problem will be solved.

Besides participating in this campaign, I advocate for a better future for HIV positive individuals by being a breathing and walking example of a person who is living with, not dying from, HIV. Ever since my diagnosis in July of 1998, I have been taking a pro-active attitude towards this condition. It has, for me, been very easy to talk about my HIV, and I credit this to my immediate disclosure to my siblings and mother. After receiving my mom’s vote of confidence, I felt I could tell the world.

What I pride myself on is being able to be open and honest about my life, whether it is about HIV, recovery, or being gay. I believe being open and honest is everyone’s purpose on Earth. One of the most effective ways that I am advocating for HIV positive individuals is to get involve and stay educated when it comes to new drug therapies, research, and policies. I also try to talk to adolescents as much as I can about HIV/AIDS. For example, I encountered one 16 year old who’s not sexually active, but is dying to experience it.

I advocate a better future for HIV positive individuals by being a role model in every aspect of my life. In addition to being the best Scott I can be (i.e. being a good son, uncle, brother, friend), I also participate in a leadership capacity for the AIDS/LifeCycle ride. By giving something back to our community, I am proving by example that HIV positive people can have a solid future. No one group does this better than the Positive Pedalers--a group of cyclists living with HIV/AIDS who eliminate stigma through their positive public example. They inspire me to continue to be a role model.