Gay London Life | Dec '25 Edition - Magazine - Page 22
Jason Reid
Surviving
and Thriving
Ahead of World AIDS Day on 1st December,
Jason Reid reflects on two decades of living with HIV
and everything he’s learnt during that time
before me, I feel an affinity with them
viral load cannot transmit the virus to
and think of them often. Most likely
others through sex. I never thought
because I’ve been where they were
such a thing would happen, but here
— in the hospitals and AIDS hospice,
we are. Science is amazing!
emaciated and racked with pain;
scared and confused.
The stark lottery of life is
For me, dealing with complex
mental health issues post-AIDS
has been a huge challenge. There’s
illustrated by the fact that I survived
been manic depression, social
yet those who came before me didn’t.
anxiety, PTSD, bipolar, and I’ve
And even today there are people in
recently been diagnosed with
the world who can’t access lifesaving
combined type ADHD.
HIV treatment.
Over the last 20 years, I’ve
In the depths of despair, I
almost gave up a number of times
made a conscious effort to honour
(that’s a whole other article).
AIDS victims whenever I can.
I’ve leaned heavily on coping
Keeping their memories alive is
mechanisms, both healthy and
important because many were
toxic, in an attempt to escape the
ostracised when they needed love
overwhelming mass of thoughts.
most and their stories reflect such a
Forcing myself to refocus on what
pivotal time in LGBTQ+ history.
and who matters most in my life
I want future generations to know
has helped. Deep and meaningful
that when AIDS was decimating
connections that I treasure, that
gay men, the collective strength of
keep me motivated.
the community kept many going. I
As I reflect on this 20-year
20 years?! How the fuck did that
expert care, and a support network
want them to learn from the efforts
milestone, I take pride in the fact
happen? This was genuinely my first
that has afforded me what was taken
of drag queens, like Lily Savage, who
that I turned my life-changing AIDS
thought as my AIDSversary rolled
away so brutally from those AIDS
fundraised for funerals. I want them
experience into a force for good
around again. Of course, the answer
victims who came before us: the
to know about the crucial role that
through my advocacy/activism, which
is: I’m here and able to reflect on
prospect of survival and a full life.
lesbians played in providing care
is driven by a desire to educate and
and support to gay men with AIDS,
empower others.
being an AIDS survivor because of
Though I obviously don’t know
incredible advances in treatment,
those who died as a result of AIDS
some of whom had absolutely no one
The abuse I receive on social
because they’d been disowned by
media when speaking about HIV/
their families.
AIDS is dwarfed by the genuine
The AIDS Memorial on Instagram
gratitude from people when I share
is, without question, one of the
beneficial information about what it
most special accounts on social
means to live with HIV today, such
media. I implore you to follow and
as U=U. Many of my followers are
read the stories of loss, love and
not part of the LGBTQ+ community
remembrance. When I talk about
and are unaware of this information.
keeping their memories alive, The
I strongly believe that reaching
AIDS Memorial is exactly what I mean.
people beyond our sphere of
My hospitalisation with AIDS-
comfort is vital in order to reduce
defining illnesses came to an end in
stigma and equip people with facts,
December 2005 when I left Mildmay
not misinformation.
AIDS hospice, after almost 4 months
On a broader scale, this year I
in various hospitals. Since then, I’ve
worked with Specsavers to change
seen such incredible strides when it
their guidelines for people living
comes to living with HIV. Back then,
with HIV across the whole of the UK
I took a cocktail of pills each day.
after I was refused earwax removal
Now, I take one solitary pill each day.
treatment. In doing so, I wanted to
The effectiveness of treatments has
ensure that people living with HIV
also vastly improved. I remember
are not discriminated against in the
initially having to work my way
way that I was because I understand
through several combinations of
how degrading that can be and the
pills — the first literally made me
damage it causes to one’s mind.
psychotic — until I found a combo
that was tolerable.
This AIDS survivor of 20 years
has come from being on death’s
One of the most consequential
door with a CD4 count of 9, to living a
changes for people living with HIV
fulfilling life, and I have become a more
has been Undetectable equals
rounded and empathetic person
Untransmittable (U=U). This means
because of my struggles. Here’s to the
that a person with HIV who is on
next 20 years!
effective antiretroviral therapy and
has a consistently undetectable HIV
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@jasonreiduk
