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Josh Robbins
President Trump can delete mentions of HIV and AIDS from The White House website, but here are 10 reasons to remember: we will be just fine.
Based on the current political climate in the U.S., aggravated almost daily by President Trump, those of us living with HIV or AIDS are seeing national organizations announce the looming apocalypse and we are missing any meaningful support from the West Wing.
For long term survivors and long term allies of ours, the major shade that the Trump Administration appears to be throwing towards any real plan for continuing the work accomplished by the Obama Administration towards ending the epidemic is nothing new. It’s a simple replay of the Reagan inaction and silence from the 1980s.
But for people like me, diagnosed in the last 5 years, we are only thinking about the complete reversal of the protection we have felt and how empathic The White House has been on raising awareness almost monthly even. We know and understand that the Trump Administration could make changes that would affect all of us, but we are freaking out. So, I made a list to cope.
On reports of the Office of National AIDS Policy being closed at The White House, remember this… #HIV2020 #ActUp #HIV #mondaymotivation pic.twitter.com/83WYqQSEF5
— Josh Robbins (@imstillJosh) January 24, 2017
Here’s 10 reasons that those living with HIV or AIDS will survive President Trump:
- Although Trump will probably remain silent on the epidemic, there won’t be silence about the epidemic anywhere else. Actually, quite the opposite. We will engage even more on social media, talk even louder to make sure we are heard, and unify our messages for prevention and support of those living with the virus.
- We are not alone in this journey. Like literally, millions of people on this day, have wisdom to share and we will listen ready to learn.
- Former President Obama did something for us that we don’t even realize yet–he made sure to update the National HIV Strategy through 2020. Literally–through the hopeful end of the Trump Administration. He’s so smart, that Barack. Just saying.
- We have the focus and attention of some of the largest HIV organizations in the country helping us become better, stronger, and happier. AIDS United is killing it right now.
- We will have the opportunity to get in the streets about HIV and AIDS alongside ACT Up. And something about organizing ourselves seems anything but “being a victim” from the Trump Administration, and it feels more like we are about to force action–and that’s a good thing!
- Every single one of us is living proof the strategy is working! We ARE the National AIDS Policy!
- The medical community and researchers will continue to do their noble work. They can’t just stop doing their passionate work.
- The Trump White House is only four years long. (It could be worse.)
- We have the best message we have ever had about those living with HIV: #UequalsU. It would be irresponsible and unethical not to share the information.
- We are living well, not dying. We can refuse to feel like we are finished!
