Mykki Blanco went public with the revelation that he has been HIV positive since 2011, hoping that the announcement would free him from the “fear and hiding” he had been enduring for years since his diagnosis.
“F–k stigma and hiding in the dark, this is my real life,” Blanco, 28, said on Friday. “I’m healthy I’ve toured the world 3 times but I’ve been living in the dark. It’s time to actually be as punk as I say I am.”
Although Blanco had not disclosed the condition to the public or even some of his closest friends, he noted that he had always been sure to tell his romantic partners.
“Always disclosing my status to EVERY person I ever kissed or was intimate with but with a fear of ‘what if they tell people about me,'” he wrote. “It finally hit me … I’ve achieved too much while being HIV Positive to be hiding from this insane society lol.”
While many fans tweeted out their support and even thanked Blanco for his honesty, some were upset at him for keeping the condition secret for so long. To these people, Blanco said, “If you feel sad or betrayed that I could not tell you 5 years ago I understand and I don’t fault you for feeling this way.”
“It is easier for me now living HIV Positive for 5 years to make the statement to say it then it maybe (sic) for you to receive it,” Blanco continued. “Turning 29 this year basically means I’m about to start the next decade of my life as a full fleged (sic) adult completely independent.
“As human beings everything in our lives are interconnected, you can’t hide something and not see the negative affects in other areas,” he added. “The negativity in my life ALL stemmed from a constant feeling of fear and hiding. Hiding my medication when friends came to my apartment.”
While opening up about his condition was frightening, Blanco said that it had also opened up new roads for him.
“Dating just got a million times easier lol, thank you!” he tweeted before later adding, “I want a husband lol, I want everyone to know s-t, now you know, the haters will really steer clear and the friends nearer.”