Vivian

Hometown: New York, New York
Positive Since: January 1996
Relationship Status: Married
Age: 56
Hobby: Anything to do with art and design

I was born in 1952 in New York City. I was the eldest of six children. My parents were from Puerto Rico and family was always very important to all of us. However, growing up as a transgender woman I had to fight a lot of discrimination, violence and sexual abuse. As a young adult I kept some distance from my family, but I always knew I had their love and respect. Throughout my life even though I’ve battled addiction and prostitution, I’ve always had a job. I’ve worked as a factory worker, dancer, barmaid and office assistant.

HIV/AIDS is something that has really affected my life. I allowed myself to get infected over ten years ago by my husband. I know now that it was not the right thing to do, but its what I did. Looking back I have a lot of mixed feeling of what happened or why it happened. However, now I look forward and try to live in healthy and productive way. My spouse and I work together to live healthy lives. I would like people to know that you need to love yourself first and that means you have to protect yourself - it is the only way that you can really help anyone you love.

Because I have lost a number of family members and close friends to AIDS, I now work as a peer educator at Housing Works. I have a real passion to educate other transgender women in HIV awareness as well as other life coping skills.

I have been HIV positive for over a decade now and I’m very happy living with my husband. My family and I are much closer. I would like to continue to improve the safety and quality of life for all transgender women, as well as educating society at large about this very targeted and at risk community.