March 2010 Archives

When I heard that Ricky Martin officially outed himself, I paused. Was it true? Only after I read his blog post did I believe it. And he did it not under threat of outing, but on his own terms. I immediately knew this would make headlines.

What I couldn't believe were the reactions on Twitter and in the blogosphere. The so-what attitude that was so prevalent was not only a surprise, but I found it offensive (and trust me, I'm not easily offended). I will try to explain.

Martin didn't sustain his crossover into the English-language music scene, but his megastar power in Spanish-language music has remained undiminished. He continues to sell millions of records worldwide. He won a Latin Grammy as recently as 2007.

His appeal is obviously limited in the United States, but I was still shocked at how culturally ignorant most people commenting were about Martin's status as a top-tier celebrity on the rest of the planet. Such lack of understanding, whenever it reveals itself, saddens me.

To LGBT youth in Latin America, Martin's coming out has the potential to break down a huge chunk of the remaining homophobia and transphobia.

To LGBT youth in Latin America, Martin's coming out has the potential to improve their self-esteem and thereby diminish their risk for HIV.

To LGBT youth in Latin America, Martin's coming out is, to borrow Joe Biden's phrase, a big fucking deal. Millions of people have been moved.

And to the critics who say that he is only coming out to boost sales of his upcoming memoir and albums, I say: Really? He was doing fine financially without coming out.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't. No wonder celebrities hesitate to come out. The immense good that Martin's coming out will do far outweighs any criticisms.

Check out this blog post at Blabbeando for a comprehensive review of reactions and this blog post at Blabbeando for an excellent in-depth exploration about why Martin's coming out matters.


Oriol on:

Despite being HIV positive for nearly two decades, I've otherwise been in good physical health. Apart from the occasional cold or flu or sinus infection, that is. I'm actually still recovering from one of those thingamajiggies, which caught me off guard last week.

My doctor said it was a virus that was "going around" and since then I've unscientifically confirmed that said virus has indeed been a severe nuisance to many people in my six degrees of separation. I eventually took some sick days. At least I wasn't suffering alone.

The combined sinus pressure and chest congestion made my life quite unpleasant for too many days. For several nights I had high fevers reaching over 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Pills and rest. Time passed. Virus went away. If only HIV behaved the same way.

This unnamed virus is still lingering in a cough that diminishes ever so slowly (and is driving me, my coworkers and my boyfriend crazy). I will not be sorry when it finally departs. I've never liked uninvited guests, especially ones that don't know when it's time to leave.

As much as I hate being sick, it is a useful reminder every now and then of some essential truths about health. Being sick sucks. Anyone that tries to paint a happy face on that fact is slapping lipstick on a pig.

To deny people their pain is futile. To understand how that pain fuels their need to be well is wise. To help people get well and stay well is smart. To facilitate their wellness is humane. To obstruct their wellness is unjust.


Oriol on:

I'm late to the party with most Internet pass alongs, so I don't usually post them. This video, however, is just starting to make the rounds, so I couldn't resist posting it.

Marriage for couples of the same sex may be difficult for many adults to grasp, but not so for this kid. Out of the mouths of babes, as the saying goes:



Now, if only making some of those adults understand were as simple...

Oriol on:

The winner of the New York City condom wrapper design contest is Luis Acosta of Queens, New York. His design of an electric power button was the top vote-getter from more than 15,000 votes tallied online.

"I hope my package design reminds people that they're in control," said Acosta. "We all have the power to protect ourselves from sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS and unplanned pregnancies."

For the record, this wasn't the one I voted for. Nonetheless, I congratulate the winner and I hope the new design helps the city increase distribution (and use) of its free condoms!





Oriol on:

I often receive snail mail from readers for various reasons, but I received one recently that made me want to share it.

An HIV educator wrote me to praise our latest version of POZ Focus (a single-topic special issue of POZ) for those newly diagnosed with HIV.

He requested a stack be sent to him so that he could hand them out to members of his local board of education when he next speaks before them.

Being newly diagnosed with HIV is a challenging moment in a person's life. I am proud that POZ developed a tool that so many people find valuable in dealing with that moment.

Click here to read it online and click here to order bulk copies.


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