Working in the Frontlines of the HIV Pandemic Since 1989

Eight Characteristics of Long-Term Survivors of HIV

twilder@thebody.com (Terri Wilder) — Mon, 6 Jul 2009 18:14:36 GMT

Hey everybody. At the beginning of June I volunteered for THRIVE! -- a one-day educational and empowerment workshop in Atlanta for people living with HIV. I love doing this workshop and think that it is a valuable guide for people on living a long life with HIV.

Thoughts About Women and Oral Sex After Visiting the NYC Sex Museum

twilder@thebody.com (Terri Wilder) — Tue, 16 Apr 2009 03:26:19 GMT

I was on my spring break and felt like I should do something "wild" since historically, spring break is the week that college students are supposed to "let loose." Since I am a 41-year-old student and not 18 anymore, I felt like making a visit to the New York City Museum of Sex was about as wild as I was going to get during spring break. So, for the price of $11.50 ($3.00 coupon deducted from the original price), I spent two hours roaming the exhibit halls of the Museum of Sex fantasizing about the life I wish I had.

The Death of an AIDS Organization

twilder@thebody.com (Terri Wilder) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:15:40 GMT

My heart is breaking. It is not breaking over a guy rejecting me or not paying attention to me, but from the end of something amazing. I just found out that the HIV/AIDS organization I used to work for is closing.

Standing My Ground With Latex

twilder@thebody.com (Terri Wilder) — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:17:19 GMT

Dating sucks. I hate it and wish I didn't have to participate in it. I realize that no one is forcing me to date, but does it have to be so complicated? Can't we just go out, like each other, find each other attractive, have great safer sex, get tested, get married, have kids, live happily ever after and avoid the BS that comes with dating?

Where is the Martin Luther King, Jr. of HIV?

twilder@thebody.com (Terri Wilder) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:17:19 GMT

World AIDS Day has come and gone. The theme for World AIDS Day 2007 was "leadership." The commentary on the World AIDS Day webpage noted that this theme can be "as flexible as possible to accommodate a range of campaigning needs." Isn't this type of "flexible" attitude around HIVpart of the problem and the reason that we don't have the resources to get rid of this epidemic!

Coping With a Friend's Diagnosis -- and a Race-Blind Virus

twilder@thebody.com (Terri Wilder) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:00:00 GMT

March 10th was National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Out of curiosity, I went to the awareness day website to see what events were going on -- what posters they had available, fact sheets, etc. I was shocked! The poster actually had a white female on it, but ... there were no fact sheets on white women and HIV.

Remembering a Great HIV Advocate

twilder@thebody.com (Terri Wilder) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:00:00 GMT

It has been well over a year since my friend Dan Dunable died. We think he died on October 4th ... but we are really not sure ... we don't know, we are guessing. What we do know is that he was dead when we found him on Wednesday, October 4, 2006.

How We Talk About HIV

twilder@thebody.com (Terri Wilder) — Sat, 1 Dec 2007 12:00:00 GMT

Have you ever thought about how we come to believe what we believe or why some people think what they think?

An HIV Fighter Tells Her Personal Story

twilder@thebody.com (Terri Wilder) — Wed, 1 Aug 2007 12:00:00 GMT

Hi. My name is Terri Wilder. I am a person ... a weird, opinionated, compassionate person who has worked in HIV for 18 years. I didn't start out in the field because I was personally affected. That came later. I started in the field because I was walking through the School of Social Work at the University of Georgia and found a brochure ... one brochure, announcing an AIDS-related workshop.