Emili Ema Sedlar
August 10, 2018
In the past two years, one of the most considerable and educational campaigns when it comes to the subject of HIV and AIDS is the U=U campaign. It is to many a revolutionary project with the hopes of informing and enlightening audiences about new research regarding not only HIV treatment, but breaking the long lasting stigma of HIV. U=U is in simple terms undetectable equals untransmittable, meaning a person living with HIV who regularly is on therapy and remains to have undetectable viral load, is not able to transmit HIV to his or her sexual partner. Extensive research, studies and interviews have been published concerning this subject, proving through case studies how this campaign has been successful. According to Canada’s source of HIV and Hepatitis C information, the findings have been published on two large international studies: PARTNER and HPTN 052, which proved that there has not been a single transmission between an HIV negative person and a partner that was on treatment and had an undetectable viral load.
To many people out there the campaign has changed their lives, where many have started to study extensively the research and also have become strong international advocates for the campaign, sharing the essential message behind U=U through their own experience and interviews. For Positive Women’s Network – USA, fierce activists have spoken out about U=U and the way it has impacted people around the world with whom they have worked.
Lisa Johnson-Lett is a spokesperson for U=U, meaning she introduces the goals of the campaign to others and encourages others to spread the word about this progressive research. Quoting Mary Fisther (AIDS Activist), “U=U is a game changer when we used to teach people how to die with grace and dignity”. To Johnson-Lett:
“One of the main missions of the campaign is to inform people about the importance of being undetectable, yet also raising awareness how in many places many are not able to become undetectable due to several barriers such as access to care, lack of insurance coverage, mass incarceration- where medication coverage is too high and individuals cannot be accommodated. We can now look forward not to merely existing and taking hundreds of pills called cocktails that were toxic to the human body and living in misery with depression and despair due to lost hope of not being able to mother or father a child of your own, but now we can thrive-actually live, long and healthy while developing healthy relationships that are fulfilling. The lost void and disparity we used to face were dilemmas that held us back,” explained Johnson-Lett.
“U=U is a game changer when, ‘we used to teach people how to die with grace and dignity’,” said Johnson-Lett quoting Mary Fisher, AIDS Activist. “One of the pros of U=U,” according to Johnson-Lett is that “it stimulates testing, getting results, staying in care and monitoring treatment. U=U aids in wellness and attaining good quality of life with positive health outcomes holistically. U=U decreases both the internal and external stigma associated with HIV. U=U is simplified all the way to the lowest letter component of U being equivalent to U, yet it is so powerful and impacts those living with HIV/AIDS where it can be celebrated and manifested in the HIV communities causing liberation.” In addition to this, “when it comes to mental health and HIV, the campaign is proof how depression can decline since U=U is a promising study that can guarantee happiness since families can be created. Furthermore, it also will decrease new infections and bring out hope for a cure. Treating the individual who is HIV+ will save money from the cost of new infections. At the same time it promotes becoming status neutral with an understanding that we all can have access to care- the HIV (-) stay on PREP meanwhile the HIV (+) stay on treatment. Both partners go to doctors’ visits and receive counseling, checkups, and labs. Both partners in sero-discordant relationships develop a greater bond with compassion for each other as they develop similar shared experiences of treatment and doctors consult,” she added.
As someone who has worked for a long time in promoting the campaign, Johnson-Lett is reminded how people have influenced each other when it comes to sharing this research, learning together more about it and how to further advocate it. “People were happy that they can look forward to ending the epidemic and those individuals living with HIV- I like myself, is grateful for hope. As I present it seems so surreal and it’s like I am reliving these experiences over and over yet its developing me into a stronger person who has the testimony to be of good effect and implement this component of U=U to every facet,” concluded Johnson-Lett.
Olga Irwin from Youngstown, Ohio is one of the first steering members of the campaign and said how from her experience, “U=U has given people optimism. It gives people hope of planing a family, planing healthy intimate relationship and to stop the criminalization of HIV,” noted Irwin.
From her experience when presenting the campaign, some people were shocked and didn’t believe the message, yet at the same time, many people out there had their self esteem boosted and were joyful about the future. Irwin wishes for this concept to be introduced in schools, so that stigma can be easily eradicated and replaced with the right research.
To Irwin, the campaign has been life changing. “Before the campaign for almost 20 years I felt dirty and had very low self esteem. I have been married since 1997 and was diagnosed with AIDS in 1999. My husband has remained negative. I would not have sex without protection and the very few times that a condom was not used I stayed away from to he got tested to make sure I did not spread the virus to him. So our intimate life was very guarded. Since the campaign we are about to have more intimate contact and sex life is amazing. Also I feel so much better about myself and even sexy,” expressed Irwin.