Stonewall Columbus commemorates World AIDS Day

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - Densil Porteous knows what it's like to lose a loved one due to HIV/AIDS; it's an epidemic that has ravaged communities across the country for more than 40 years.  

"My mother did pass away,” Porteous said. “When I was 13, 14 years old, my mother received her HIV diagnosis. [..] It was a death sentence.” 

Porteous told his story Monday night as Stonewall Columbus recognized World AIDS Day by inviting the community to join in cocktails, art, and a blood drive.  

"These are moments for us to take pause, to take a moment and to recognize and remember the human lives that we've lost," Porteous said.  

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 43.2 million people have died from HIV/AIDS related illnesses since 1981. That's almost half of the more than 88 million people who have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS during that time.  

"When I was growing up, you know, in the early 80s and early 90s, as a queer person, I firmly believe that I would contract the disease and that would be something for me,” Porteous said. “That has not been the case for my life.” 

As director of Stonewall Columbus, Porteous works to combat the disease that took his mother. In the 40-plus years of battling HIV/AIDS, the mortality rate rose to a peak in 2005, but has fallen since then, but the stigma surrounding the disease persists. 

"It's not singularly an LGBTQ or queer disease, is not simply a gay disease,” he said. “What we have actually seen in recent history is that the fastest growing population that is impacted by HIV/AIDS are African-American and Black women." 

The fight against HIV/AIDS has been a focus of the U.S. government since the early 1990's when Ryan White died of HIV/AIDS-related illness. His story brought national attention to the AIDS crisis, as a teenaged white male in an Indiana community who contracted HIV through a blood transfusion. His activism helped pave the way for HIV/AIDS awareness across the country, leading to important legislation.  

Now, the fight is entering a new era. Medical advances and research have allowed those living with HIV/AIDS to have largely normal lives.  

"There is a pill that people can take called PrEP that allows the prevention, right, reduces the chances that you may be impacted by HIV/AIDS or contracted HIV/AIDS, I think, about 95%," Porteous said. "Those folks who are on medication, who are taking care of themselves regularly, can go on to live happy and healthy lives. They may be your pharmacist. They may be your doctor. They may be your grocery store checkout clerk. They may be your Uber driver.” 

Stonewall Columbus partners with Equitas Health for events like World AIDS Day.  

For more information on the HIV/AIDS epidemic and treatment or prevention options you can visit Equitas Health here.