Karl Schmid is an entertainment reporter for ABC’s affiliate station in Los Angeles. Over the weekend, he came out as HIV-positive in a Facebook post that has since gone viral.
In the post, Schmid writes:
Hi. I’m a 37 year old HIV+ man who has been poz for almost ten years. I work in television. And on the side of the camera where, for better or worse it’s considered “taboo” for people ‘like me’ to be ‘like me’. For 10 years I’ve struggled with ‘do I or don’t I’? For ten years the stigma and industry professionals have said, ‘don’t! It’ll ruin you’.
Hi. I’m a 37 year old HIV+ man who has been poz for almost ten years. I work in television. And on the side of the…
Posted by Karl Schmid on Friday, March 23, 2018
Schmid goes on to say he’s decided to ignore that advice. He’s proud of who he is and sees absolutely no reason to feel ashamed or hide his status.
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“I’m me. I’m just like you. I have a big heart and I want to be loved and accepted,” he writes. “So here’s what I say, stand tall, and stand proud. You can’t make everybody happy but you can make you happy.”
Related: This poz bear says he is DONE internalizing other people’s shame and HIV stigma
He concludes the heartfelt post with a few words of encouragement for other HIV-positive people:
Love me or hate me, that’s up to you. But, for anyone who has ever doubted themselves because of those scary three letters and one symbol, let me tell you this, you are somebody who matters. Your feelings, your thoughts, your emotions count. And don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. I’m Karl Schmid, and I’m an HIV-positive man!
Afterwards, Schmid was met with outpouring of support. He expressed his gratitude on Twitter, writing: “Today has been insanely overwhelming. I had NO idea that me sharing something would have such an impact. For those of you who dm’d with your stories THANK YOU.”
Today has been insanely overwhelming. I had NO idea that me sharing something would have such an impact. For those of you who dm’d with your stories THANK YOU. Tonight, I’m hanging out with my best friend and enjoying the talent that is @taylormacnyc in DTLA pic.twitter.com/6X07KVsOaN
— Karl Schmid (@KarlJSchmid) March 25, 2018
Related: These HIV-undetectable men have something important to say, and it’s worth your time
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troyfight
Cute is right….wish he did porn.
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
*facepalm*
Hussain-TheCanadian
@Troyfight
(Hussain throws icy water over Troy) – Queen calm down, get yourself some Ice-cream or Ice Tea…….dayum the thirst is real.
Pneumatikon
That’s okay, troyfight. You be you!!
🙂
rray63
I find it amazing that a man like this would think he would have trouble by telling the truth. Gays only care about how someone looks and what they have materially. I’m gay over 50, 54 to be exact and find it hard to even find someone willing to talk to me. You see, while I’m a decent looking guy, I’m not a gym bunny, don’t have devastating good looks, etc. Gays are one of the most stuck up groups in the country. You won’t even give someone a chance to be friends fi they don’t meet your standards. This beautiful man has everything going for him. Successful, beautiful, everything the average gay man admires, right? You guys don’t care what’s in someone’s heart, only what the package that contains the heart looks like. It’s pathetic and it also should give you an understanding of why we have a hard time with straight people. If we are that shallow, why would they care to get to know and understand us?
Heywood Jablowme
ummmm… This may come as a shock to you, but you are not the only average-looking non-wealthy gay guy in your age group.
You’d have a point if you WERE the only average-looking non-wealthy gay guy in your age group. But you’re not. There are hundreds of thousands of gay guys in your exact same situation. Maybe millions. Many of them – I mean, many of US – manage to find dates and/or sex partners and find new gay male (non-sexual) friends.
If you are the only one of us who CAN’T do that, it’s not the gay community’s fault. Maybe it’s you, dude.
startenout
Maybe it’s more of a poor attitude than anyone being stuck up.
gayjim1969
Most gay men fall into the “decent-looking, average guy” category, and the gorgeous, successful gym bunny is the minority; If you’re for real, and not a troll, your problem may be that you’re only into those beautiful, stuck-up, unattainable muscle gods who are into themselves.
There are many real guys out there who love other real guys, are down-to-earth, and are searching for love; but I can tell you that you’ll only find sour grapes with your current attitude–no one will respond favorably to your gay-bashing because you’re a bitter middle-aged queen. Get some therapy, perspective, and a different attitude, and love will find you.
If you’re a troll and here just to bash gay people for your lame stereotypes, well, I’ve read the comment policy, and I can’t say what I want to here–maybe you should as well.
DCguy
Whenever a new account comes on that tries to attack the lgbt community and says “THAT’s why we have trouble with straight people” I usually assume it’s another troll screename.
That is one of their lines. “Gee, lgbts, nobody would hate you if only you’d all shut up, go in the closet, and never be heard from again”.
If this was an actual comment, here’s a thought, instead of attacking lgbts, try finding a group where you share an interest in people. If you can’t find people willing to talk to you at your age, it sounds like you aren’t trying to talk to people your own age. 25 year old STRAIGHT girls find 54 year old STRAIGHT men creepy if they’re hitting on them.
Curtispsf
What Heywood Jablowme said. Look to yourself to see the problem. So much hate and anger is NEVER attractive.
Heywood Jablowme
Hey, I’m glad so many of you agree with me. To put it a little more charitably (I hope?), I suspect that guys like “rray63” develop a very cramped, limited perspective of gay life from seeing only internet media &/or the hookup apps. And if he’s looking at hookup apps, he’s definitely looking at the wrong ones for his age.
rray63 may have had almost no exposure to what used to be the ONLY gay life: bars of various types, gay advocacy & political groups, gay social & activity groups, drag bingo, gay bowling, Pride events and so on. (And yes, even bathhouses (gasp).) It wouldn’t surprise me at all if rray63 has never even been to a Pride event of any kind, even once. If he goes to one this June, he’ll see there are all kinds of average-looking gay men there.
I see complaints like his a lot lately but I suspect that’s a negative effect of the internet itself. The modern default is to write a lot on a gay site about how f*cked up gay life is, then they sit back and await results. What exactly is rray63 trying to accomplish with his whiny screed? Apparently he expects every gay man everywhere to read his complaint, then every gay man everywhere will change his evil ways and the glorious result will be that rray63 can finally get a boyfriend! This of course is impractical and won’t work. (I wanted to say something stronger in that last sentence but I don’t want to violate the new comment policy, lol.)
At any rate, it’s easier to change yourself than it is to change the entirety of gay life. Most rational people figure this out.
ChrisK
You can add Queerty and most other gay rag sites to rray63’s complaint. The only reason Queerty cared was that the guys hot. If he was just some average joe Queerty wouldn’t touch him with a 10 foot stick no matter what his value is.
You have to at least admit that to be able to have an honest conversation. Our society is extremely shallow and I have a bunch of gay friends like Ray saying the same thing.
ChrisK
Lastly talking about it does not = hate. There is a problem and censoring others is not helpful.
CastleSF
Another wonderful post, Heywood. I don’t know what’s up with Chris. He just sounds bitter and resentful.
Heywood Jablowme
@ChrisK: um, well… in this case Queerty no doubt got MORE excited about his cuteness. But I can imagine Queerty running this story even if he wasn’t so conventionally cute. If, say, he was a bear type who some of the readership would find hot, and probably most would not. It’s still an interesting story.
But again, if Ray’s only exposure to gay life is sites like Queerty (and there are worse sites than Queerty!), that’s part of his problem. Ray sort of presents himself as an (embittered) expert on Gay Life without ever having learned anything about it first hand.
It’s kind of like someone trying to become an expert about, say, France or Japan, just by reading it (mostly negative stuff) but never actually going there.
cteelphoto
Thank god he’s not ugly!!
Me2
Hmm, my guess is someone was probably trying to blackmail him. Otherwise, I don’t see why a public statement was needed. Either way, I’m glad he was able to speak his own truth and shed the shame.
Zakaroo
Hey Me2, I don’t think anyone is trying to blackmail him, but he is just sick and tired for being in the closet and it is a personal decision to just say who he is as gay and HIV+. In this day and age, HIV+ is not a death sentence or any reason to show prejudice. If you do, then you don’t know enough about what the situation is with HIV+ people today. Do I know this? Yes, my boyfriend/ partner of 9 years and legal husband of almost 5 years is HIV+ and I am HIV- and we remain the same and have a wonderful time being together and great sex. We are still of the same status, but now, my husband is HIV-undetectable, healthy and gorgeous….. not sick or pathetic. If this man who is very hot and apparently healthy and free needs to “come out” and that makes him feel more free and confident, then I totally support him and applaud his honesty and his health to enjoy his life.
masterwill7
Although I kind of admire his courage for doing this, I don’t think it’s necessary to “come out” with your HIV status to everyone?? If it gives him peace of mind that’s great, but I don’t think it’s anyone’s business but your own.!?
DCguy
Why not? Other news folks have come out with cancer diagnosis, efforts to get pregnant, marital issues, etc….
Heywood Jablowme
Lots of poz people enjoy the advocacy. They see practical results from their advocacy. Karl can probably be helpful. Others are more withdrawn (might not tell anyone about cancer, for instance). There’s no right or wrong way.
Aromaeus
I’m sure being a conventionally attractive white guy had nothing to do with that. Definitely not.
GayEGO
Excellent news. Although my personal gay life is my business, people I worked with would chat about their “other half” and I would introduce mine as my roommate. Some had a suspicion that I might be gay, but I maintained my work ethic and went on. Then, in 1991, I came out to them and because they knew me, it was not a problem. In 1993 I changed jobs, and in 1994, I was asked how my other half was doing, which shocked me. In 2004 when marriage equality became the law in Massachusetts, my partner and I got married and the company I worked for gave us a marriage reception party. Now, our marriage is recognized by our federal government, we are both retired and living the American dream!
RobtheElder
I’m not HIV-Positive, but I’m certainly gay. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s the bank where I worked was looking for an officer to head up their assistance to an agency in Oak Park, Illinois, called Community Response. No one would volunteer, because it was tantamount to admitting that you were gay, since only gay men knew enough about HIV to be sure whether they could be infected if they helped the HIV-Positive community. I knew I wouldn’t be infected, and further knew that I hadn’t been infected to the point I accepted the volunteer position to help my brothers to cope. Most of my charges were broke, having depleted all their resources attempting every potential treatment and medicine that was being tested. It was my task to bring them meals and to arrange their medical appointments and provide transportation. Most of my associates at the bank were proud of the work I did. Several were jealous of the time off the bank gave me so that I could support my stricken brothers. I never let their opinions bother me in any material way, and retired in 1994 after 35 years in banking. I hope that all the HIV-Positive fellows are maintaining the regimen necessary to keep the disease from spreading unabated. I salute all my brothers who contracted HIV before the ramifications of the disease were understood, and pray for all those that have become infected in the time of full knowledge, when avoiding infection is as simple as following the rules… RobtheElder
basicguy58
I feel it’s a little narrow minded to dismiss rray63’s opinion because of his age, and maybe a little ageist? Anyway, the life experiences of people his age and older is SO much more valuable than this online crap today it is worth listening to. Bitter or not, there usually is a reason for it. I don’t care if it’s the 1980’s or 2018, gay people can be snarky, self-absorbed, shallow, snobs. Most of you are proving it here. My first thought about this article was this guy is cute, why would he think people would turn on him? He appears healthy and I’m sure he has a loyal following. Naturally, the first comment proved my point! Then the conversation turned from the article to rray63’s comment and how “plain looking” guys should stay in their own lane if they want to be happy! That’s baloney! It doesn’t matter when you came out, how old you are, where you live. We all have issues and NO ONE should be looking down their nose at anyone else, “charitably” or not.