Leatherpage

So, here is the reality. I make shirts. I make shirts with goofy sayings on them. I make shirts that make people laugh. But… and there is always a but… a few years ago after posting my “status” on facebook on World AIDS Day I realized that I had no shirts that talked about HIV or living with HIV or being HIV positive and honestly thought it was just time. So, here ya go. Let me say… this shirt isn’t for everybody. You seriously have to be “ready” to wear it. I can’t think of a time someone hasn’t made a comment, good and bad, whenever I wear it.

I can honestly say I am by no means the sharpest tool in the shed, the brightest candle, the one you go to when you need to know how to spell something and lord knows I probably would fail on the first question on “are you smarter than a fifth grader”… but, oh shit, another but…. I do know a few things about life. As a community we have lived under the rock of discrimination for so long that is has almost become the norm. Well…. not for me. I live proudly as an HIV positive man, and as a gay man, and as a kinky fucker at times…. but all and all I just live without the shame that can sometimes be associated with HIV.  I know this isn’t the case for everybody. I know that not every person who has HIV is open about it. I know that it can be a scary thing… but…. damn it another one… if just wearing this shirt makes it easier for one person who is scared or lost or afraid… or whatever. I guess it has served its purpose.

Next time I think I will talk about one of my goofy shirts… sorry if this was a little “heavy”.

that’s all for now….  Mitch – the bearded guy of thebeardedguy.com