Do You Take Your HIV Meds For Granted? These People Consider That A Luxury Of The Few

If you are a gay man living in the United States, here’s a reason to count your blessings today: you probably have access to HIV medications if you need them, whether PrEP for prevention or treatment for infection. In the global scheme of things, that makes you an enormously privileged person.

In his striking – and humbling – new video from AIDS2016 in South Africa, gay blogger Mark S. King takes you inside a massive protest through the streets of Durban, and what he sees might change the way you look at your own life. He also introduces us to advocates, gay and not, who took to the streets to demand that HIV treatment is made available to people in Africa and around the world who need it.

Meanwhile, in a bonus video report, Mark chats with PrEP advocate Jim Pickett from the Chicago AIDS Foundation about why Jim believes the international gathering should now be known as “the PrEP conference.” Jim also has some very choice words for an agency that is trying very hard to block a California bill that would provide education about PrEP to those who need it.

Coming up in Mark’s coverage this week are the activists fighting HIV criminalization, the Global Village, and a candid look at exactly how cruisy the conference really is, with all those healthy gay advocates sharing the city together.

Find out more about the work of MSMGF, the organization working for the health and rights of gay men around the world, or get more information about AIDS2016 or HIV/AIDS at the most comprehensive HIV resource on the net, TheBody.com.