Question of the month

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October 2019:

October is the month many celebrate all things scary and frightening, but what about HIV? Is fear an effective motivator for keeping people negative or does it do more harm as a reason to NOT know your status? Is fear a good thing or a bad thing when it comes to HIV?

Previous Question of the Month

March 2024 - Is there a woman or girl who advocated for you, inspired you, or supported you along your HIV journey?
February 2024 - Does being undetectable relinquish the responsibility to disclose your status to others?
January 2024 - From an advocacy perspective, what do you hope to bring to the 2024 campaign that is uniquely you?
December 2023 - Complete this sentence: In 2023 I SLAYED ...
November 2023 - How does your gender identity impact your HIV treatment and/or advocacy?
October 2023 - What is one word that best describes your HIV journey?
September 2023 - Have you ever been marginalized while doing your HIV advocacy? If so, how did you feel? How did you handle it?
August 2023 - Do you view A.I. as a useful tool or as more of a threat when it comes to the future of HIV advocacy?
July 2023 - Since we just celebrated the Fourth of July, do you feel like, as an HIV positive person, that you have lost your independence in any way?
June 2023 - This year we are celebrating Pride at a time when the LGBTQ community's human rights are under attack across the country. What do you see as the greatest threat to people living with HIV, and what should be done to prevent or change it?
May 2023 - What stigmatizing HIV message did you have to overcome and how does that show up in the way you maneuver in the world today?
April 2023 - U=U means you have gotten HIV under control, but what about YOU? How did you heal yourself mentally / emotionally from the experience of receiving a positive diagnosis?
March 2023 - Did HIV factor into your decision to have or not have children? Explain why or why not.
February 2023 - Has your HIV diagnosis changed how you feel about love?
January 2023 - How does HIV factor into your goals you set for yourself
December 2022 - What specific experience in 2022 has impacted or changed the way you are going to approach living with HIV in 2023?
November 2022 - Who would you give thanks to for helping you to be where you are today in your HIV journey?
October 2022 - Have you ever experienced stigmatizing language or behaviour when engaging with any healthcare professional about your HIV? If so, what needs to be done differently to ensure it never happens again?
September 2022 - Do you feel that being an HSWM Spokesmodel can be a heavy burden, why or why not?
August 2022 - As someone living with HIV, how are you navigating life in a post Covid world and with the emergence of Monkeypox?
July 2022 - As someone living with HIV, what does "healthcare is a human right" mean to you?
June 2022 - The category is Pride: What did you have to SLAY in order to find your pride?
May 2022 - As someone living with HIV, do you feel that your own "sexiness" or sexuality is limited?
April 2022 - Knowing your own journey with HIV, what tool from your toolbox would you give to your younger self?
March 2022 - Who is a woman or girl that has directly or indirectly shaped your advocacy?
December 2021 - Have you ever fantasized about your life had you not become HIV positive? If so, what do you imagine it would've been like? If not, why not?
November 2021 - Most people are struggling to balance Covid safe living with their longing for human connection. If you were hosting this year's Thanksgiving Dinner , what would you need to feel comfortable bringing people together? What "specialty dish" would you be serving?
October 2021 - Has sex and intimacy been impacted by the pandemic for you? If so, how and why?
September 2021 - Are your health decisions, in response to the Covid pandemic, impacted by living with HIV?
August 2021 - How has your community accepted the science behind U=U?
July 2021 - What effect do you believe injectable HIV medication will have on your advocacy and/or treatment?
June 2021 - June is Pride month in NY. For some it's a moment to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and for others it's a season to celebrate themselves. Which is it for you and why?
May 2021 - May is Mental Health Awareness month. What effect is the Covid vaccine rollout and the reopening of NY having on your mental health?
January 2021 - This is how I roll model?
December 2020 - When you reflect upon 2020 what experience impacted you the most or what accomplishment are you most proud of as a spokesmodel?
November 2020 - Tell us about a Transgender advocate (past or present) who has inspired or helped you become a better ally?
October 2020 - If you could chat with your number one presidential choice, what changes would you tell them you'd like to see around support for the HIV Positive Community in 2021?
September 2020 - How do you feel television and movies have portrayed the stories of PLWHA? Create a tv show or movie and tell us a HIV related storyline you would like to see.
August 2020 - Do you feel disconnected to a particular group within the HIV community and why? What steps have you taken or can you take to change that?
July 2020 - With the advent of COVID-19 do you think people are going to have more empathy for PLWHA? Why or Why not?
June 2020 - What song makes the advocate in you come alive and why?
May 2020 - What are the key resources you are accessing right now for treatment, and what roadblocks have you encountered if any?
April 2020 - In the wake of COVID-19 what are some things you have been doing to maintain your wellness and peace of mind?
April 2020 1 - In the wake of COVID-19 what are some things you have been doing to maintain your wellness and peace of mind?
March 2020 - If you had to write a letter of love to the strongest supporter you've had on your HIV journey what would it say?
December 2019 - Looking back on 2019, What is the most important lesson or message that people need to get about your community and living with HIV?
November 2019 - Truth be told, the holidays can be a very rough time for many people to get through. It could be made even worse If you also happen to be struggling with some aspect of HIV. Did you ever hit a rough patch dealing with HIV, especially during the holidays? Was there a person or group that helped you through it? Share your story and any advice.
October 2019 - October is the month many celebrate all things scary and frightening, but what about HIV? Is fear an effective motivator for keeping people negative or does it do more harm as a reason to NOT know your status? Is fear a good thing or a bad thing when it comes to HIV?
September 2019 - Now that being positive no longer means a shortened life span, and people can expect to live well into their senior years with the virus, What changes or progress to HIV treatment do you think will be necessary as the population gets older?
August 2019 - How do you feel about injecting your HIV medication once a month versus taking a daily pill(s)? What recommendations would you make for educating communities - that are already harder to reach about HIV prevention and adherence to medication - about injections?
July 2019 - When it comes to being HIV positive what do you find is the easiest part of your story to talk about? What is the hardest?
June 2019 - As someone who continues to grow while living life with HIV, what community do you most feel most connected with and take PRIDE in being a part of?
May 2019 - What are three self-care tips you have for readers that you practice personally to deal with the stress living with HIV can cause?
April 2019 - Why is being a spokesmodel important to you and what specific impact would you like to make on your community in 2019? Give a specific example of something you have in mind.
March 2019 - As the support and acceptance of undetectable=untransmittable (U=U) continues to grow, what do you anticipate to be the biggest challenges or obstacles that will be faced in the community you serve?
December 2018 - After a long-term battle with cancer, we recently lost one of our most dedicated and passionate spokesmodels - Elizabeth. This month, as Hardcore Treatment Advocates, we ask our spokesmodels to share their favorite memory or lesson learned from their time spent with Liz.
November 2018 - Have you ever been surprised by the love or support you received from someone after disclosing your HIV positive status?
October 2018 - What do you believe are biases that exist in the way healthcare services are delivered that affect how and who utilizes treatment? How would you recommend these biases be addressed and corrected?
September 2018 - How has your attitude and knowledge towards health care in NYS changed since becoming HIV positive? What do you do currently to stay informed?
August 2018 - Based on your experience and thinking outside of the box, what is something that should be implemented that would be effective in limiting the spread of HIV?
July 2018 - If you could write yourself into a storyline on your favorite show, what would your character represent about living with HIV that your audience needs to know?
June 2018 - As a Treatment Advocate, what message do you personally hope to communicate during the Pride season and how do you plan to do it?
May 2018 - What responsibility do you take in becoming HIV+ and at this point of your journey how would you answer the question: Why me?
April 2018 - What does being a hardcore treatment advocate mean to you?
January 2018 - What impact, if any, do you believe this will have to people currently living (long term or short term) with HIV?
November 2017 - When people view your video diary or your microfilm, what specifically do you hope to EXPOSE them to about your life and HIV?
October 2017 - Do you feel that individuals born during the baby boomer era (1946 - 1964) and even generations before are being forgotten in the fight against HIV/AIDS?
September 2017 - What was your experience entering the workforce once you were diagnosed with HIV?
August 2017 - What was your experience telling the children in your life about your HIV status?
July 2017 - How has your race/ethnicity informed your experience with living with HIV?
June 2017 - As we approach June Pride, share an experience where you were not proud of yourself, or you were made to feel not proud of yourself. How did you find your Pride? And is it important to you to celebrate Pride Month?
April 2017 - What do you feel about smoking as it relates to HIV treatment and living with HIV?
March 2017 - If you were a congressman/congresswoman what new law would you write to address whatever you believe to be the biggest issue facing people living with HIV/AIDS?
February 2017 - How do you plan to be a resource to PLWHA in 2017?
January 2017 - As we move into 2017, Are you optimistic or having concerns about the future of ending the HIV epidemic in NY? Tell us what needs to change or continue for this year to be successful.
December 2016 - As someone who's living with HIV, what do you do to protect yourself and others from transmitting the virus?