I hope that someone out there will be able to help me in some way. I came from Zambia in 1991 and was diagnosed HIV positive in 1998. My final appeal for leave to remain in the UK on compassionate grounds has been refused. I am at my wits’ end as to what to do. I believe this to be a country where I have been given a new lease of life; yet now I have to face the fact that I may be removed from here. For the last three years I have been forced to prostitute myself to earn a living because I am not entitled to anything. Not only am I putting myself at risk but the people I sell my body to. I try my best to protect myself as well as my clients, but the degradation is too much to bear. Sometimes I have thought about ending it all, but I know I want to live because I have so much to offer. If I work as a prostitute in civilised Britain what chances do I have if I am sent back home? I don’t know who is reading this but if you can help, please get in touch with me via PN
Charlene, London NW5
Can I thank PN for raising such an important issue (see Brothers in Arms, PN July).
Despite the high impact of homophobia and HIV on black gay men, there is a
serious lack of visibility of our issues in the gay and black communities.
More visibility of issues facing African and Caribbean gays and lesbians will
help to reduce the prejudices that we fear so much. The homophobia coming from
our own community is a painful issue, because the black community is where
we run for support when we face racism from others. Being faced with this double
rejection is stressful! I would also try to correct one fact about the Padare
study. The study did not suggest that one in five African men had a same-sex
encounter. The study looked at the behaviour of African men living with HIV.
This is an important difference!
Sheikh T., London SE1
I read with interest your article about Mehrunissa Thomas (PN
June). I live in the West Cross area of Swansea which is close to where
Mrs Thomas lives. She states in her article that she is actively looking
for an evangelical church to join. Please pass on our contact number. We
have an increasing number of young families, and it is a place where she
will be supported and encouraged in her faith.
Meryl Williams, Swansea
I started reading David Terry’s interview in the June Positive Nation full of admiration for the young Malawian women, Mehrunissa Thomas, but finished the article boiling with rage, due to the three words ‘born again Christian’. With all due respect to the beliefs of private individuals, I’m frankly fed up to the back teeth when Christians, born again or otherwise, start parading their usual anti-gay mantra and intruding on my life and lifestyle as a gay man, as if being HIV positive were not itself quite enough to contend with. The article was all the more disheartening as these beliefs were held by an otherwise seemingly sane and intelligent woman.
Andrew Macgill, South Wales, SA11
With regard to ‘Manchester Meltdown’ (PN July) I feel that both Phil Greenham from BP North West and Michelle Reid from GHT were both economical with the truth.
The true reason why the two organisations did not merge was that GHT, who would have been the dominant partner had the merger gone ahead, would guarantee to continue neither the drop in facility, the complementary therapies, nor the food that BP provides for its service users. GHT have helped me in the past, for which I am most grateful, but I feel I get far more out of BPNW. The benefits of being able to mix and talk to other HIV positive people are many and varied, and BPNW facilitates this very well. I for one hope that the merger does not go ahead, because if the services provided by BPNW are lost, they will be lost forever.
J P Jones, Manchester M4
As a gay man who has proudly lived with HIV for 17 years I seem to be surrounded by more ignorance and denial than ever. All the epidemiology seems to indicate that we are going to experience that horror yet again. It’s impossible to believe that we don’t seem to have learned the lesson. I would like to ask all other positive gay men to take the lead in this, as in the 80s. Maybe this time so many won’t have to die. As chair of the National Long Term Survivors’ Group, may I take this opportunity to publicise our ‘Living Proof’ weekends? The last one was held in July. 17 new members contacted us directly through our ad in PN. Thanks also to the Elton John Foundation for the support they have given the group.
Tom Matthews, NLTSG, tommatthews@blueyonder.co.uk
Believe it or not, but I have met the man that I have been looking for through your personal ads. I guess persistence and patience pay in the end! Our first date was on Valentine’s Day in a Thai restaurant, having emailed each other for two weeks and spoken over the phone. We saw each other every other day until it became every day. We have been engaged since the end of March and are due to be married in September! I have met his family and he has met those of mine who are in the UK. I could not have asked for a better man in my life - he is kind, caring and everything I have ever wanted. I would like to thank PN for making life worthwhile and for enabling real love and commitment to enter my life once again!
Sarah
