Often when we think of influential people/celebrities, the thought of having HIV is never thought but lets me realistically about life, they are all human beings just like you and me.
Due to the stigma created years ago, often celebrities do not publicise their status as these could results in a lot of things that could potentially ruin their reputation and influence their fans.
It is still taboo to talk about your status but we are here to teach you a few things. We can’t deny the fact that being with someone who is HIV positive while you are not can be extremely stressful and you end up finding yourself having more questions than answers on how to manoeuvre throughout the relationship. It is not uncommon, and the HIV stigma has since been toned down thanks to the information provided by our devoted healthcare practitioners.
It is also important to get tested once you discover that your partner is HIV positive so that you can both know how to navigate the relationship going forward. Knowing your status and talking to your partner about it can help you both protect each other and reduce the risk of infection. Knowing each other’s status can make it easy to negotiate condom use in a relationship and can help you practice a healthy and safe sex life.
Here is a list of some of the influential people who have publicly come out and announced their status:
Phindile Sithole – This beauty is one of the South African celebrities who are HIV positive. She contracted the virus 32 years ago when she was born but only discovered her status when she was 19 years old.
Criselda Nakanda– The mother of three tested positive for HIV over 20 years ago, but has been since living her normal life and taking necessary precautions.
Musa Njoko – diagnosed over 20 years ago. This beauty is a talented gospel artist, a businesswoman, and a motivational speaker. She is also one of the South African celebrities who is HIV positive and living positively.
Saidy Brown– This queen only went public with her status after she turned 18. Since then, she has been living loudly and unapologetically positively.
You might find yourself asking this question; “Will the partner living with HIV live a full life?”
Although there is no cure for HIV, it’s manageable and people living with the virus can live a normal, long life if they take their anti-retroviral treatment (ARV) as prescribed and they don’t miss treatment. Taking ARV every day, at the same time, as prescribed by a healthcare provider can suppress your viral load, which can keep you healthy and prevent transmission to your partner. You can get more information on viral suppression from your healthcare provider.
“Will we ever have a normal sex life?”
The answer is yes, for living with HIV does not have to affect your sex life. You can still have a normal, fulfilling sex life with your partner. All you just need to do is ensure that your mind is trained positively and to always use a condom correctly every time you have sex to protect both you and your partner.
“Does this mean we will never have children?”
Yes, being infected with HIV will not stop you and your partner from having babies, provided you follow all safety protocols and your viral load is below detectable. Once you and your partner are at that phase of wanting to extend your family, consult with your healthcare provider so that they can properly guide you to having a healthy HIV-free child.
“How can I protect myself or my partner from the risk of infection?”
There are more options that can assist in you protecting your partner from being infected but the safest way is through condomizing. HIV is not a death sentence; you and your partner can have a meaningful life together.
Main Image: Criselda Kananda/DispatchLIVE
