‘I Am HIV Positive And Happy.’ – Binyavanga Wainaina
Yesterday, December 1, was World AIDS Day, and so, all around the world, there was a great focus on the conversation surrounding HIV/AIDS.
Part of that conversation was stirred on twitter when Kenyan author, Binyavanga Wainaina, tweeted his HIV status. ‘I am HIV Positive and happy,’ he tweeted, prompting a storm of cheers and encouragement from fans on twitter.
i am HiV Positive, and happy
— Binyavanga Wainaina (@BinyavangaW) December 1, 2016
Here are some of the responses: 
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11 Comments
Mandy
December 02, 07:29First Bisi, then Kenny, now Binyavanga. I don’t mean this in a derogatory way o, but the narrative of the African gay man has become synonymous with HIV. Is it possible one who’s HIV negative will come out? *fingers crossed*
Colossus
December 02, 07:41Well, if you’re HIV negative, what are you coming out for?
“Hi, I’m Mandy and I’m HIV negative” seems a tad insensitive.
Mandy
December 02, 07:51@Colossus, No. “Hi, I’m Mandy and I’m gay.”
And ten years later and counting, there’ll be no follow-up of “Oh hi again, lest I forget, I’m also HIV positive.” 🙂
ambivalentone
December 02, 07:44Because in the end, they av nothing to lose. I imagine the gay and negative guy, fueled by societal pressures, still thinks there is redemption from the gay spirit.
BTW, I see what u think he did there
Mandy
December 02, 07:54Biko what do you see, ambi? I did not see that he did anything o. See my armpit o!
Jaja
December 02, 08:01Mandy, that’s shallow. Shallow single story. Three gay men and we’ve become synonymous with HIV in Africa? Haba. You’re just narrowing the complexities of being gay in Africa, and for what? Here are other out gay men you have to know about: Professor KwAme Appiah, Diriye Osman, and is Jude Dibia positive? Well, HIV has always been defined as mainly a gay thing globally, so your applying it here isn’t surprising.
Delle
December 02, 11:23You do not get where Mandy meant. He is just pin-pointing how the fact that the three most popular gay African men only certifies the shallow belief upheld by our resident homophobes that all gay men are cursed with HIV. There was nothing spiteful or shallow about what he said.
Delle
December 02, 11:25You do not get what Mandy meant. He is just pin-pointing how the fact that the three most popular gay African men are positive only certifies the shallow belief upheld by our resident homophobes that all gay men are cursed with HIV. There was nothing spiteful or shallow about what he said.
Chuck
December 02, 11:19Just try to have safe sex please . HIV is still an undesirable condition – it’s a disease, so try your best not to get it
blueeee
December 05, 17:12The guy that infected me is dead. I wish I killed him myself.
Author and LGBT activist Binyavanga Wainaina is dead at 48 – KitoDiaries
May 22, 07:48[…] “Most Influential People in the World” in 2014, also drew attention to HIV awareness when he revealed on World AIDS Day in December, 2016 that he was HIV […]