![queerinsurrection:
thepostgrad:
1 in 3 APIs (Asian and Pacific Islanders) living with HIV don’t know it.
Saving face is a phenomena that commonly occurs in the API community. It is defined as the act of willfully hiding information or the truth for sake of preserving self-image.
Due to cultural stigmas regarding HIV, STIs (sexual transmitted infections), and sex, many APIs do not participate in free rapid testing. The chance of being identified as HIV+ is a very real fear with very real consequences for our people.
Rather than know our status definitely, many APIs choose to forgo testing and think of HIV as a problem for “other people”. This is not the case. Our community actually has one of the fastest growing rates of HIV infection. Yet, we stay silent.
As a result, nearly 70% of Asian-Americans and 56% of Pacific Islanders have never been tested for HIV.
Due to saving face, our testing scores are incredibly low. Due the lack of available data, the CDC and other major funders of HIV prevention see APIs as a “low risk” community. Plainly said, we’re seen as a community not affected by HIV.
HIV resources have been significantly cut for API communities this year. Many group outreach projects, individual counseling efforts, and communication channels have effectively been minimized or let go all together.
This results in our community becoming even more susceptible to misunderstanding HIV transmission and spreading HIV.
So, how can we fight against HIV stigma and reclaim the resources our people need?
For me, I often save face due to my professional background. There are moments that I can’t express myself sexually due to my current job. As a result, I’m forced to keep quiet and that drives me to sometimes engage in risky behaviors.
To prevent myself from saving face, I remind myself that I’m beautiful. I try my hardest to speak openly sex and empower myself and others. If I can create a comfortable and educated space about sex, I can consistently get myself tested.
I’m starting a photo series called “The Dyrty Talk Project”. Over the next year, I’ll be asking API identifying folks to publicly talk about what factors inhibit them from talking about sex and what factors empower them. By visualizing the beautiful faces of our community, we can eventually remove the stigma of HIV and sex education.
As part of The Dyrty Talk Project, participants will pledge to test for HIV every 3 months and to record our experiences. This is our action to increase API testing data and to eventually be refunded as a community.
—-
If you are attending QPC this weekend at Santa Barbara, I will be taking these types of portraits for free.
Swing by my workshop, “Cumshots and Inkdrops: Your Sexual Self as Art” to help fight the cuts against API HIV efforts and to reclaim our bodies.
We can remove the stigma. We can speak out. We are here.
beautiful work nate :]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_luufjci73Q1qzn2u0o1_500.jpg)
1 in 3 APIs (Asian and Pacific Islanders) living with HIV don’t know it.
Saving face is a phenomena that commonly occurs in the API community. It is defined as the act of willfully hiding information or the truth for sake of preserving self-image.
Due to cultural stigmas regarding HIV, STIs (sexual transmitted infections), and sex, many APIs do not participate in free rapid testing. The chance of being identified as HIV+ is a very real fear with very real consequences for our people.
Rather than know our status definitely, many APIs choose to forgo testing and think of HIV as a problem for “other people”. This is not the case. Our community actually has one of the fastest growing rates of HIV infection. Yet, we stay silent.
As a result, nearly 70% of Asian-Americans and 56% of Pacific Islanders have never been tested for HIV.
Due to saving face, our testing scores are incredibly low. Due the lack of available data, the CDC and other major funders of HIV prevention see APIs as a “low risk” community. Plainly said, we’re seen as a community not affected by HIV.
HIV resources have been significantly cut for API communities this year. Many group outreach projects, individual counseling efforts, and communication channels have effectively been minimized or let go all together.
This results in our community becoming even more susceptible to misunderstanding HIV transmission and spreading HIV.
So, how can we fight against HIV stigma and reclaim the resources our people need?
For me, I often save face due to my professional background. There are moments that I can’t express myself sexually due to my current job. As a result, I’m forced to keep quiet and that drives me to sometimes engage in risky behaviors.
To prevent myself from saving face, I remind myself that I’m beautiful. I try my hardest to speak openly sex and empower myself and others. If I can create a comfortable and educated space about sex, I can consistently get myself tested.
I’m starting a photo series called “The Dyrty Talk Project”. Over the next year, I’ll be asking API identifying folks to publicly talk about what factors inhibit them from talking about sex and what factors empower them. By visualizing the beautiful faces of our community, we can eventually remove the stigma of HIV and sex education.
As part of The Dyrty Talk Project, participants will pledge to test for HIV every 3 months and to record our experiences. This is our action to increase API testing data and to eventually be refunded as a community.
—-
If you are attending QPC this weekend at Santa Barbara, I will be taking these types of portraits for free.
Swing by my workshop, “Cumshots and Inkdrops: Your Sexual Self as Art” to help fight the cuts against API HIV efforts and to reclaim our bodies.
We can remove the stigma. We can speak out. We are here.
beautiful work nate :]
