HIV Futures, in Australia

Just spent about an hour doing the latest HIV Futures survey; the 7th one they've done. I was sent the link a while ago in a Positive Life email, but have been a bit daunted at how long they said it would take to get through it. As I do think the info is important though I eventually got around to it today, as it's Australia day and a public holiday here so I have some time. 

 About the survey

HIV Futures is run by the Living with HIV program at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University. The survey has been developed in consultation with a variety of community groups and it is officially supported by the National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NAPWA), the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) and the Australasian Society of HIV Medicine (ASHM).

The HIV Futures survey is an anonymous survey of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Australia. The survey asks about health, treatments, work, and the financial situation of PLHIV. It will provide up to date information on what living with HIV in Australia is like at the moment, and ensure that education and support services for positive people are the most effective they can be. HIV Futures is conducted every two years.

 It was very thorough, going into financial information and sexual practices. But it's all anonymous and secure, so that was fine. I've not filled out one of these before. I think it is important as it's a way for us positive people to give accurate and useful info on the issues affecting us. I guess it gives us a real voice.

Yes it's Australia Day here. Holiday for all. I'm not doing much as I've got to work tomorrow and don't want to be too celebratory. 

One thing I'd have to say though, is that I made the mistake of taking a bit of an interest in the Presidential candidates in America yesterday after a funny opinion piece about them I read in the local paper here. I ended up spending about 2 hours going through YouTube videos, mouth hanging open, utterly gobsmacked, shocked at horrified that someone vying to be the most powerful man in the world was so incredibly blinkered and ignorant about gays. 

Using arguments long ago disproved in other countries (Australia let gays in the military way back in 1992 for example, with gays being no threat to the Australian military). Yet here was this guy Santorum raving on like some delusion fool from an outdated god squad. It's unfathomable here that such a bigot would even be able to be a candidate for the Presidency. WTF is going on over there? And what do people think over there: if that's their attitudes to just being gay, what the hell do they think about an HIV+ gay person? I can only imagine the sort of guilt that American gays must have to overcome, not only about being gay, but about being positive as well. I do so much feel for them.

So yes, today it's Australia Day. Today I'm proud to be an Australian. And I'm also very very glad. Glad that I live here with HIV, and not someplace where society adds the burden of guilt for no reason. Things could be a lot worse.....