Since coming out last year as HIV-positive, silver medal-winning Olympian Ji Wallace has been a tireless advocate for HIV education and prevention. Recently Ji agreed to lend his voice and boundless energy to support APLA’s “Team to End AIDS,” which will be running the Los Angeles Marathon Sunday, March 17.
Ji Wallace for HIVPlus Magazine – FULL LEGTH VIDEO from BACKSTAGE FIX on Vimeo.
Can you tell me about the events that led to you coming out about your HIV status?
When I first found out about my HIV-status, I wanted to scream at the world, “know your status,” because then people can make educated and informed decisions about circumstances they might find themselves in. I was overseas and wanted to tell my parents but didn’t want to do it by phone. So I had to wait until i made it back to Australia. Then I thought for a number of months about how I could best use my little voice to stop other people from being infected with HIV. It didn’t come to me until I saw an interview with Piers Morgan and Greg Louganis. I loved that interview, because Piers spoke to Greg as Greg—“What have you been up to? How does it feel back to be back at the Olympics? What’s new on the horizon for you? And how’s the HIV?” Piers made it it just a part of Greg. And that’s what HIV is, just a small part of everybody.
I actually wrote to Piers and I said, “Thank you for the interview. You treated Greg as Greg, and you were interested in his story. And you made mention of his HIV but didn’t make it explosive.” And I included a gay Australian newspaper that had been very supportive of my exploits over the years. It all happened very organically. I really didn’t understand or have understanding of the potential impact that something I construed to be a small matter would have.
Your boyfriend Shaun is HIV-negative. Do you feel that being in a relationship with someone who is HIV-negative offers any special challenges?
No. Obviously, considerations need to be made, but outside of those specific considerations, it’s a full-on loving relationship. And obviously it’s special to us, but there are many special relationships out there. The uniqueness of our relationship is Shaun’s ability to say, “We can deal with that. I’m interested in you.” HIV doesn’t define who we are. And it shouldn’t. People outside and people inside the HIV-positive community need to understand that HIV doesn’t define you. Your personality, your ability to love, your ability to care, your ability to strive for more, those are the things that are important. HIV is such a small part of the chocolate cake that is your life.
Do you have any words of wisdom for someone who finds themselves newly HIV-positive?
If you do find yourself with a new diagnosis, educate yourself. Because when you know the facts, it’s not that scary and you can make really good, educated decisions about your future. Just because you returned a positive test does not mean your future does not have life and does not have excitement and does not have love in it. It just means you have one more thing to consider.
READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE!
