A Morehouse student has caused a stir in social media circles by posting on his Facebook page that he is HIV positive.
De'Von Weatherspoon, a 22-year-old rising senior from Detroit, wrote the intriguing post back in May, initially garnering 320 likes and more than 50 comments. He is featured in a recent interview on cocoafab.com, a news and information website geared toward women of color.
He got straight to the point in his lengthy Facebook post: “Hello, I am HIV Positive. I have been HIV positive since September of 2012.”
He continued: “I remember not knowing exactly how to feel. All I could think of was the life that I would never have: the career, the family, the love that I had always wanted. It was all suddenly snatched away from me. It is not easy confronting the possibilities of your own mortality so early in life (I was 20).”
In that post as well as in a subsequent interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Weatherspoon shares how he has been treated since revealing his status, including how some family members, friends and acquaintances took the news. Some were supportive, such as this commenter:
“You have courage, strength, and so much joy. My uncle has been living with HIV for over 10 years. There’s a lot of people who don’t know their status. You are such a blessing to others. You’re awesome.”
Others, not so much, according to Weatherspoon, who said he was initially rejected by his partner, who had tested negative. While his immediate family has been supportive, Weatherspoon said some relatives have shunned him.
“I don’t necessarily feel like it’s something I had to keep a secret,” he said. “We all need to work toward getting rid of the stigma.” He said many of his friends continue to be open, supportive and loving toward him as he continues to find his way.
He said he felt ‘relieved, very relieved’ when he initially posted the item. “I just felt the need to be honest with my truth and my story,” he said. “I’m saying that this is what I’m going through. I know so many (HIV positive) people whose stories are worse than mine, but they remain silent.”
Still, he says, at times he has second thoughts about announcing his status so publicly, and he said his post may have painted too rosy a picture of what it’s like to live with HIV. “Being a student is tough enough, but you add in an HIV positive status, and it’s really tough. There are just so many things to deal with.”
Asked about his current feelings about the diagnosis, he had this to say: “I would say that I was really blessed to have a lot of love and a lot of support surrounding me in so many ways.”
Read more about De'Von Weatherspoon's decision to post his HIV positive status on cocoafab.com
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