Instagram Story Save

SUE=SUE
2) You got me feeling emotions

Here we go! I’m answering your hard hitting questions about HIV - starting strong with a question about the emotional journey I’ve had 💙

If you’re newly diagnosed, or navigating life as a HIV positive person, it’s going to be emotional! My advice to you would be to let the emotions flow, without giving in to the uglier side of that.

Having shame or anger towards yourself eats away at you; you are more than the virus, and you are no less a person because of it.

Once I learned that I really started to get a grasp on how to process the trauma of having HIV. I’m still VERY much on a journey generally, but I am now proud of living with HIV, and that started when I started to change how I spoke to myself about it 🩷🩷

As someone proudly living as a HIV+ person, I like to use my platform and time on the mic to educate, and destabilise the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS 🎗️❣️

Introducing SUE=SUE… a series where I’ll be breaking down misinformation around HIV, sharing my own personal story and answering your hard hitting questions!

1) Let’s talk about HIV! This is a brief intro to me; and I want to hear from YOU!

Keep it cute and classy, but no question is a stupid question. What do you want to know?

Let’s learn together, and we can do our part to fight the stigma, which truly is the disease! 👊🏻

#hivpositive #hivawareness #worldaidsday #ukdrag

My talk from Thursday’s Drag Raise event with @nationalaidstrust ❣️

When I do these events I prefer to just speak from the heart, and I don’t prep much (what good would PrEP do now anyway 😵‍💫). I think there’s a lot of power in just sharing your story as you have experienced it!

Sometimes it takes seeing a regular person up there being honest about what it was like for them to make you have a harder think about something. My journey with HIV has been up and down but I actually cannot believe where I have gotten to and I’m so proud to see it!! ❣️

A few people said my story touched them, or that they learned something from it, which is truly what it’s all about! Thank you again to NAT for the platform and for all the life saving work you do for the community of people living with HIV 🩷

Remember to get tested, undetectable = untransmittable, and the stigma is the real disease! By 2030 we can end new HIV transmissions!! 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻

WORLD AIDS DAY 2024!!! ❣️❣️❣️❣️

Today is a day of celebration of the insane progress we’ve been able to make with battling this epidemic; whilst simultaneously being a day of grieving and mourning for the 40 million + people we’ve lost in the last 42 years.

I’m extremely open about my own personal story and struggles with HIV, having been diagnosed 7 (!!!) years ago when I was only 20 years old. In that time I have progressed leaps and bounds in a personal sense, and have now made it my mission to use any chance I get to talk about it. Because it’s fucking important!!!

HIV/AIDS is deeply rooted in queer history and culture, despite being an issue that can affect anyone. The media and disgusting rag newspapers found it be the perfect excuse to print rampant queerphobia, instilling a sense of shame into living with the virus and creating the stigma we still feel the reeling effects of to this day. Sadly, one of the things the last 40 years have taught us is that this is not something we as a society would learn from.

A FEW FACTS:

- UNDETECTABLE EQUALS UNTRANSMITTABLE. A HIV+ person on effective medication manages the HIV in their system to a point where it is undetectable in the bloodstream. They therefore unequivocally cannot transmit the virus to anyone else.

- IT IS SAFER TO HAVE SEX WITH A HIV+ PERSON ON EFFECTIVE MEDS THAN SOMEONE WHO HASN’T BEEN TESTED. Ignorance is not bliss - if you’re having sex with someone who hasn’t been tested in 3 years but claims to be negative, you are at greater risk than if your sexual partner knows their status and is taking active steps to manage it.

Today if you want to be an ally, do some research. @thtorguk @positivelyuk @bhaleedsskyline @yorkshiremesmac to name just a few do life saving work and can provide so much info. Links in my bio for how to get tested, and what to do if you find out you’re positive.

PLEASE: get tested, educate yourself, and remember ignorance = fear and undetectable = untransmittable. Love you all ❣️

Was an absolute pleasure to be interviewed by @maggiebaska for @pinknews speaking about my experience of living with HIV, and the ways in which performing in drag has helped me to open dialogue on this issue.

The work I do advocating for HIV awareness is intrinsically linked with my drag character and the way I use my platform, so this was a really lovely interview to get to do and I hope it can help some people 🥰❤️

Link to the full interview in my bio xxx

Was an absolute pleasure to be interviewed by @maggiebaska for @pinknews speaking about my experience of living with HIV, and the ways in which performing in drag has helped me to open dialogue on this issue.

The work I do advocating for HIV awareness is intrinsically linked with my drag character and the way I use my platform, so this was a really lovely interview to get to do and I hope it can help some people 🥰❤️

Link to the full interview in my bio xxx

Was an absolute pleasure to be interviewed by @maggiebaska for @pinknews speaking about my experience of living with HIV, and the ways in which performing in drag has helped me to open dialogue on this issue.

The work I do advocating for HIV awareness is intrinsically linked with my drag character and the way I use my platform, so this was a really lovely interview to get to do and I hope it can help some people 🥰❤️

Link to the full interview in my bio xxx

Was an absolute pleasure to be interviewed by @maggiebaska for @pinknews speaking about my experience of living with HIV, and the ways in which performing in drag has helped me to open dialogue on this issue.

The work I do advocating for HIV awareness is intrinsically linked with my drag character and the way I use my platform, so this was a really lovely interview to get to do and I hope it can help some people 🥰❤️

Link to the full interview in my bio xxx

Was an absolute pleasure to be interviewed by @maggiebaska for @pinknews speaking about my experience of living with HIV, and the ways in which performing in drag has helped me to open dialogue on this issue.

The work I do advocating for HIV awareness is intrinsically linked with my drag character and the way I use my platform, so this was a really lovely interview to get to do and I hope it can help some people 🥰❤️

Link to the full interview in my bio xxx

Was an absolute pleasure to be interviewed by @maggiebaska for @pinknews speaking about my experience of living with HIV, and the ways in which performing in drag has helped me to open dialogue on this issue.

The work I do advocating for HIV awareness is intrinsically linked with my drag character and the way I use my platform, so this was a really lovely interview to get to do and I hope it can help some people 🥰❤️

Link to the full interview in my bio xxx

Another video I filmed with @ladbibletv @ladbible for their “Honesty Box” series - answering confronting questions on different topics! Of course my topic was living with HIV ❤️

Full video in my bio!

Really cool opportunity being able to shed some light on those “taboo” questions people might have, as someone proudly living with the virus and all that it entails. Thanks again @ladbible I really appreciate the platform and you really looked after me!!

Use this video to educate yourselves a bit and if you’re still confused about anything - message me anytime xx

Another video I filmed with @ladbibletv @ladbible for their “Honesty Box” series - answering confronting questions on different topics! Of course my topic was living with HIV ❤️

Full video in my bio!

Really cool opportunity being able to shed some light on those “taboo” questions people might have, as someone proudly living with the virus and all that it entails. Thanks again @ladbible I really appreciate the platform and you really looked after me!!

Use this video to educate yourselves a bit and if you’re still confused about anything - message me anytime xx

Another video I filmed with @ladbibletv @ladbible for their “Honesty Box” series - answering confronting questions on different topics! Of course my topic was living with HIV ❤️

Full video in my bio!

Really cool opportunity being able to shed some light on those “taboo” questions people might have, as someone proudly living with the virus and all that it entails. Thanks again @ladbible I really appreciate the platform and you really looked after me!!

Use this video to educate yourselves a bit and if you’re still confused about anything - message me anytime xx

Had an incredible experience recently where I got to film a video with @jonathanblake4921 for @ladbible - their YouTube series “The Gap”! ❤️

Jonathan and I discussed the generational differences between us regarding living with HIV, as well as how the media and society’s portrayal of the issue has developed over time 🥰

Learnt so much from Jonathan and as always it’s so incredible to get to share my story; especially on such a large platform! Thank you @ladbible for the opportunity and for treating me so well in the process 😄

The full video is on YouTube - the link is my bio! Please watch, enjoy and share!!! Together we can end HIV transmissions by 2030! 💕

Not the best quality BUT I love this video of me speaking about my journey with HIV, and how I’ve arrived at a place where I want to use my status to help other people.

It’s surreal to see this - I had moments where I never thought I’d be able to talk so candidly about my diagnosis - but also it was the most liberating thing you could imagine.

Having this open dialogue about what a lot of people consider to be a loaded topic helps to break down the barriers of stigma and helps reinforce all that HIV actually is now - a virus. The long term effects are not what they used to be, and the sooner we can get used to people openly talking about this, the sooner we can learn, and the sooner we can look forward to a brighter and less judgemental future.

Thanks again @bhaleedsskyline for putting on this event and the platform, there were so many other amazing stories in the room and I truly left feeling inspired! ❤️ #worldaidsday #leeds #uequalsu

It was such a privilege to speak at yesterday’s #WorldAIDSDay event, thank you for having me @bhaleedsskyline ! Getting to share my story in front of an audience for the first time was surreal and amazing!

So many inspiring voices in the room, left the event feeling fulfilled and hopeful 💕 together we can end HIV transmissions by 2030 #worldaidsday #uequalsu

Today is #WorldAIDSDay and I couldn’t be prouder to be sharing my story - I want to use this profile to be open about my experiences and to help other people be proud of their status.

Remember - the stigma is the real disease, HIV is not a scary thing, and U=U. Link in my bio to more facts about HIV and AIDS ❤️❤️

#worldaidsday #uequalsu

Today is #WorldAIDSDay and I couldn’t be prouder to be sharing my story - I want to use this profile to be open about my experiences and to help other people be proud of their status.

Remember - the stigma is the real disease, HIV is not a scary thing, and U=U. Link in my bio to more facts about HIV and AIDS ❤️❤️

#worldaidsday #uequalsu

Today is #WorldAIDSDay and I couldn’t be prouder to be sharing my story - I want to use this profile to be open about my experiences and to help other people be proud of their status.

Remember - the stigma is the real disease, HIV is not a scary thing, and U=U. Link in my bio to more facts about HIV and AIDS ❤️❤️

#worldaidsday #uequalsu

Today is #WorldAIDSDay and I couldn’t be prouder to be sharing my story - I want to use this profile to be open about my experiences and to help other people be proud of their status.

Remember - the stigma is the real disease, HIV is not a scary thing, and U=U. Link in my bio to more facts about HIV and AIDS ❤️❤️

#worldaidsday #uequalsu

Today is #WorldAIDSDay and I couldn’t be prouder to be sharing my story - I want to use this profile to be open about my experiences and to help other people be proud of their status.

Remember - the stigma is the real disease, HIV is not a scary thing, and U=U. Link in my bio to more facts about HIV and AIDS ❤️❤️

#worldaidsday #uequalsu

Today is #WorldAIDSDay and I couldn’t be prouder to be sharing my story - I want to use this profile to be open about my experiences and to help other people be proud of their status.

Remember - the stigma is the real disease, HIV is not a scary thing, and U=U. Link in my bio to more facts about HIV and AIDS ❤️❤️

#worldaidsday #uequalsu

Today is #WorldAIDSDay and I couldn’t be prouder to be sharing my story - I want to use this profile to be open about my experiences and to help other people be proud of their status.

Remember - the stigma is the real disease, HIV is not a scary thing, and U=U. Link in my bio to more facts about HIV and AIDS ❤️❤️

#worldaidsday #uequalsu

Today is #WorldAIDSDay and I couldn’t be prouder to be sharing my story - I want to use this profile to be open about my experiences and to help other people be proud of their status.

Remember - the stigma is the real disease, HIV is not a scary thing, and U=U. Link in my bio to more facts about HIV and AIDS ❤️❤️

#worldaidsday #uequalsu

Today is #WorldAIDSDay and I couldn’t be prouder to be sharing my story - I want to use this profile to be open about my experiences and to help other people be proud of their status.

Remember - the stigma is the real disease, HIV is not a scary thing, and U=U. Link in my bio to more facts about HIV and AIDS ❤️❤️

#worldaidsday #uequalsu

Today is #WorldAIDSDay and I couldn’t be prouder to be sharing my story - I want to use this profile to be open about my experiences and to help other people be proud of their status.

Remember - the stigma is the real disease, HIV is not a scary thing, and U=U. Link in my bio to more facts about HIV and AIDS ❤️❤️

#worldaidsday #uequalsu