AB: How do you feel about being on television? In some ways your privacy will never truly be yours again.
JM: Um, yeah – for a while, at least. It’s a bizarre, because six weeks ago I was a clothing designer that nobody knew and now, by being on this little square box in people’s homes, I garner all this attention, which is totally random to me. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel famous – I don’t even know what that means. What does that even mean: you’re famous? People know who you are? I don’t feel any different and I don’t feel like a celebrity. I don’t think that I actually am. It’s weird every time someone comes up to me and says they recognize me. Does that answer your question? I tend to babble on and on and forget the question!
AB: No, that’s great. But, how do you feel now that – if you were in Chelsea – well, actually, I ran into you the other day! Your anonymity is gone.
JM: Yeah, my anonymity is gone. I knew that going into the show. It’s fine. Actually, to a certain degree, I think the anonymity will reappear. Will people be talking to me in two years? Probably not, but, that’s fine. My main goal going into it was to catapult my career to another level. Out of this came this whole HIV reputation that I didn’t really expect so much. I didn’t really think it through – it wasn’t planned. Once the show started airing, I started getting all these emails about being an “inspiration” and I was like, “Wow”. When you sit back and think about it, there really are not any public figures that are honest about their HIV status. I think that’s powerful and I’m glad to do that. I think it’s needed. Especially for people like your friend: people who have converted recently. Like you said, there’s not a lot of follow-up. Even still, I think that because people aren’t dying the way they used to when I found out. Like, the education – unfortunately I get really uneducated emails from people.
AB: Like what?
JM: People who are in their twenties who should know all the information there is to know about HIV. Some are still unclear on how you contract it, what things are safe, what things are not. Someone wrote me a message on MySpace saying they were having sex and the condom broke. They asked, “Do you think I should get tested?” I was like, “Absolutely. Anyone who is sexually active should be getting tested on a regular basis.” So, I think there needs to be more education about that. There also needs to be visibility. If everyone that is HIV positive were honest about his or her status, then the stigma would be gone and you would see that there are tons of people leading normal lives, doing amazing things. It’s not the death sentence it used to be. There’s hope for people who are HIV positive.
AB: HIV awareness campaigns – a lot of them – rely on celebrities or a big event to spread the message. I worry that it’s become – first, that the celebrity overshadows the message and I also worry that it’s become so banal. It’s so familiar, these messages, that they’re just not doing anything any more.
JM: I think that if there’s one thing that has contributed to the apathy is that current generation of young people – I mean, my boyfriend died in 1996, I had friends dropping dead right and left. When you go to twenty funerals – that makes you want to be an activist. It makes you conscious of mortality and being careful and the rules – all of those things. I think now, because that’s not happening and people don’t see – I mean, I used to see human corpses walking on the street – and there are still people out there struggling – but it’s not like it used to be. I think it needs to be more visible. I’m glad to be a part of it.
AB: So, what’s next for you?
JM: Lots of stuff. I did a full menswear line, the samples, in the hiatus – they’re on my website. I don’t really know where I’m going to go with that, because production is really expensive. If anyone out there wants to give me a million dollars, that would be cool! [Laughs] But, you know, I’ll continue designing no matter what happens. I’ve been approached by various charities to do HIV education. I have to muddle through and find who I want to focus on, what I want to focus on. There are drug companies approaching me, as well. But, at the end of the day, I’m just going to go back and design. That’s what I like to do. I might write a book.
AB: Oh yeah?
JM: Yeah, I’ve had some weird shit go on in my life.
Don't forget to share:
Thirsty for more?
Subscribe to our newsletter to indulge in daily entertainment news, cultural trends, and visual delights.
Comments are closed.
naprem
While it’s definitely great that Jack can put a face on the fact that living with HIV is possible and not an automatic death sentence, I do worry that it shouldn’t go so far as to say that having HIV is a good thing.
Thankfully Jack does make that distinction in this interview, but unfortunately it’s a horrible irony that healthy long-term non-progressive HIV+ individuals are actually contributing to the idea that catching HIV is no big deal, which is leading to the still-rising infection rate.
Dean Orlosky
It’s spelled Berkeley.
Rowen
We’re supposed to care about him, why? And, oh, good lord, he wants to write a book.
Tim
Jack is a great guy. Good Luck buddy in whatever you do…you are an ispiration.
Tim
inspiration
Kelly
I loved Jack on the show and really hope he returns next season.
Jake
Just another cute gay guy who’s WAY to queenie!!!
jbran
Jake- to each his own dude. Why do you need to put someone down?
KB
I really dig Jack for being his own person and showing us his personality and sharing his life via Project Runway, and after. He is a quiet warrior. Go, Jack! And I love the way he carried around “Pocket Gay” Cristian when he was on the show. Obviously, the other designers enjoyed him very much.
Adam
Jack is a brilliant person, I know because I am his younger brother. I just wanted to clear something up… My curfew was midnight! Great interview! PS- Jake is a tool, Rowen..you too.
John
But is Jack still dating mega hunk Dale? Now there’s some pics I’d like to see! =>
Daryn Lewis
I give Jack his honnor for being himself.His gay and HIV positive.Well I’m gay and dont know how to break free.Its so easy to criticise other people for who they are but still gays cannot hide the way in which they act so yeah,His my role model even though His HIV+,He will remain who He is and I will remain who I am.