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My name is Jane Bruning. I'm the national coordinator for positive women. I've been in that role for eight years now. Um, positive women initially started in 1990 the late 1990. Um, at that time it started because, um, in the eighties really there there was support networks for body positive was available for people living with HIV. But at that time, a lot of the people who were being diagnosed were were gay men. And so the facilities being offered [00:00:30] at the time were very gay men focused. And the women who started to get diagnosed towards the end of the eighties felt that body positive didn't offer the services that they needed that were women friendly. So they started up an organisation for women only. Um, this was helped by car, um, social workers there. And they, um, help the women get the organisation started, and so it really sort of got started in the beginning of 1991. Is the community [00:01:00] AIDS resource team? Actually, they've just changed their name to shiv, um, community HIV team. Um, and they, uh, work out of Auckland Hospital. They have a social worker and nurses, and they work with the infectious diseases clinic up at Auckland Hospital. And so they had two social workers at the time, and they saw the need that there wasn't there wasn't anywhere for women to get together. Um, there were no real services focused for women. So they got some of the women together and and and help them to [00:01:30] get the organisation registered and to get to get momentum to get started. And so in the beginning, it was very much run, um, and led by by the social workers and by non positive people. But over the years, it was slowly handed over to the positive community. And so now it's run by the positive community. What are the big differences between the kind of support or types of support offered, say to gay men as opposed [00:02:00] to other groups with HIV? Yeah, you know, basically, I mean fundamentally, Whether you're a man or a woman living with HIV, you go through the same processes when you're diagnosed. When you when you're learning to cope with it and all the issues around stigma, discrimination, all of that. You know, um, those issues about medications are the same for men and women. But I guess when women change, there are things like, um I mean, women don't go out [00:02:30] into sort of the night clubbing scenes like the gay men do. So the language when you're talking in a group is not the same. OK, so what? Um, you know, um, when you're sitting with a mixed group, sometimes the men actually don't feel comfortable talking about what they would normally be doing because there's women in the group and then women don't understand that. And and if women are talking about, um, you know, issues around pregnancy and so there's just different issues in that regard And so [00:03:00] I'm not saying that it can't be, you know, there there are a lot of similarities, but But, you know, women are different and have different needs. And women like to sit together and to talk and to chat, and they they want to do different things. And so, um, so our services are just very much more focused towards women's needs in that regard. So what are the services? The services that we offer? We, we, um, offer a retreat once a year for women, which is fully funded so nobody has to pay. And, um, that's [00:03:30] a a national retreat. So women from all over the country can come to Auckland. They come for a, um it's a three day, three day residential retreat. And, um, at that retreat, it's sometimes the only time that women get to meet other positive women when we have some women who would be the only positive women only woman living with HIV in her region. So she has no no support. And so, by having them retreated, it offers peer support. Um, they're able to get together. We have sessions where they can sit and talk [00:04:00] about what's going on for them in their lives. And these are facilitated by by counsellors from the New Zealand AIDS Foundation. We offer, um, Mark Thomas from the HIV Special. Uh, HIV clinic at Auckland here will come and talk and about medications. We'll have someone come and talk about, um, safe sex for for for positive women. Um and then we also have some fun. You know, it's about just, um, sitting around and chatting. And that's what women love to do. I I find in the retreats [00:04:30] where all the work really happens is around the meal times and around the sitting around times where they can just chat. Women are really good chatters, and they just love to chat. And so that's That's one of the services we offer. We also offer a family every two years. Um, that's due to funding. We just can't do it every year. And that's an opportunity where where the women can bring their partners, they bring their Children whether they're positive or negative. Um, and you know, for some people they might choose to bring their grandmother or their sister or their father [00:05:00] or or or all of them. And the idea is then to offer also support for people affected because it's, you know, you don't live in in with HIV in isolation and often, um, family members don't quite understand what it's like. So the family who is every two years and that's an opportunity for everyone to get together. And, um, we have different, um, workshops for different people to to go to different things. It might be about positive and negative couples, um, might be about getting pregnant, [00:05:30] um, and about Children, um, how to disclose to schools about Children so we do workshops and and I guess helping people to to live with HIV and how to how to live well with it. We have, um, a community house, which is in Auckland. Um, we are a national organisation, but the the biggest population of people living with HIV and women also is in Auckland. It makes [00:06:00] sense for us to be based here. The funders are here, you know, um, which does leave some of the regional women a little bit more isolated. Um, we do have an 0 800 number so that people can call the office, and it doesn't cost them. So if they ever want to just talk, um, they can do that. And we also put on an after hours phone number on the on our phone line so that they can call me or any of the staff after hours if they need. We do a bimonthly newsletter, um, for all the members so that they can keep in touch [00:06:30] with what's going on. We run regional gatherings so positive women will pay $20 to each woman and, um, so that they can get together in the regions and maybe go out for lunch or go out and do something together. Recently in Wellington, they went out and did a a pot luck dinner. They went to one of the women's houses, and they all just went around and put the food together. Um, try to do, um, sort of road shows. It's a strange word for it, but try to visit the regions at least once a year so that, you know, you can give one on one support [00:07:00] we provide, um, resources. Um, we have some excellent resources, um, around HIV and pregnancy. Um, about, um, another booklet around living with HIV as a woman and sort of women's needs. And so we do do that. Um, And then basically, we do a lot of, um, more in Auckland, I guess, because it's directly, you know, it's easier to contact us. Um, it's psychosocial work. Um, we do a lot of we have a social worker, So, um, we do a lot of [00:07:30] women's work. Um, we advocate for milk formula for a lot of our women now are getting pregnant and having healthy babies, but they're not allowed to breastfeed. And, um, as a you know, and milk formula is expensive. It's not subsidised. So we we advocate and trying to find sources for for milk formula. Um, we advocate on behalf of people who have had troubles at work with discrimination or stigma issues at schools. Um, [00:08:00] so and and just anything. Basically, if someone has an issue they can call us or a question or or even if they just want to talk, we're only a phone line away and they can contact us. So we just There's a variety of services that we offer. You mentioned isolation a couple of times, and I'm wondering, Do you think HIV positive women are more isolated than, say, gay men in the sense that if you've only got like one woman, that's HIV positive in a region and she doesn't [00:08:30] have any support in that kind of area, do you? Do you find that I? I think so. I mean, I don't want to negate that. Gay men are not also isolated because I know they can be as well. But I think what happens especially in a bigger city, is there is already a gay community, and there's some sense of community, although there can be stigma and discrimination amongst gay men in that community as well. But there's a sense of community. Whereas, um, like I said, we have one or two women who are the only women living with HIV in their whole town or even [00:09:00] in their whole region. And they may have Children going to school. Their husband is negative. Um, so they're not gonna tell anybody because they're afraid of the impact on their Children. The impact on their husband. Um so yes, I, I think there is, um, incredible isolation. And because, you know, New Zealand is not a high prevalence country for HIV anyway. But it's even less amongst the heterosexual and than it is amongst the gay community. So So there's [00:09:30] still a whole kind of stigmatised thing about If you're a woman and you've got HIV, you must be immorally corrupted or something's wrong with you to and and so there is that whole sort of stigmatised. And yes, I would say women are are quite a lot more stigmatised. And the fear of of telling they're really there are very few women who are who are, um, open about their status in New Zealand. Because of that fear and protectiveness, which I think creates isolation [00:10:00] and other services are often not available. Counselling going to the you know they may not have. In Auckland, we're very, very lucky. And also Wellington and Christchurch, you have very good HIV clinics and, um, services that are used to working with HIV. Whereas if you get a girl or a woman who's in a very small rural area, um, the medical profession there doesn't really understand. They don't have the same, um, ethics around confidentiality, small town kind of mentality. So often women will travel to, you know, from [00:10:30] a small town into a bigger city just to be absolutely not, um so that make sure that no one in their town knows. So, yes, I would say that women do have a lot of isolation. So those and those retreats, they must be quite special times. Yeah, absolutely. And, um, you know, we see that by the increase, especially in the family, every year we get the numbers increase and, um, it it's also interesting depending on the different, um, cultures and nationalities of the women [00:11:00] as well. We find that New Zealand women will come to these events and then go back home to their environments and just get on with it. And I think that's partly due to the fact that they've probably got family support. Whereas some of the, um, like the new migrants and refugees who don't have family support, um will come to the retreats and make very strong friendships and take those friendships outside and continue them and build on them outside of the retreat [00:11:30] areas. And and I think that's quite understandable because they don't have long history of family support here in New Zealand. So how many members do you have? Yeah, we have around 200. Um, you know, we're not, As I said, it's not a, uh, New Zealand is not a high prevalence country for HIV. So there isn't I think you know, the statistics show there is. Since 1985 to now, there has been just over 500 women being diagnosed, But some of those [00:12:00] have died, and some of those have left the country. So we we really don't have an accurate figure in New Zealand of the number of people currently living here with IV and so we can guess possibly with the woman that there may be 400 maybe 3. 50. And so, um, you know, we don't haven't reached all of them by any means. And, um and it's not a high number. And sometimes I find that as a as an NGO, we get kind of caught up in the numbers scheme. Um, yes, [00:12:30] there's not a lot of these people, but that that's really the reason we need to be there because there's not a lot of them and that that increases the isolation that they live with and everyone who lives with HIV. It is quite a different, um, disease socially than just about any other disease. So I do think it it It has its extra complications. And people living with HIV really do need to be supported. When you say a different disease. What? [00:13:00] What? What do you mean, what what kind of things? Well, I mean, it's it's different to cancer, right? I mean, if you had cancer and and you went to work and you told your work colleagues that you had cancer, there would probably be a lot of empathy and support If you go to work and tell people that you've got HIV. There would probably be some nervousness, some apprehension, Some, you know, physical questions, Um, possible discrimination, Um, judgments, Um [00:13:30] and and so it it again increases to that isolation. So people are afraid to tell and often that that, um those perceptions that that are taken by the public are also internalised by the person who's got HIV because they've heard those kind of things before. They get HIV. So when they get HIV, they feel they take that on board. They feel that other people are gonna think that about themselves, and they even start to question themselves whether they are that kind of person. I wonder if it's also like, [00:14:00] um, say in a gay situation or a lesbian situation that that whole idea of coming out where, um, you know, coming out as as an ongoing process, depending on whatever situation you're in, Is that the same with disclosure that you're always thinking Am I going to disclose this? Do I need to do I have to? Yeah, I think that's a perfect analogy, and I think it's very, very similar. Absolutely, very, very similar. You're afraid of the reactions. You don't know who who's going to accept you. You're gonna be rejected. What's you know, What are people gonna think? [00:14:30] What are my family gonna think? I think it's a perfect analogy, and it is very, very similar. And it's often process. It's definitely I've seen it with with women who have, um you know, initially, they may tell, um, just their family. I mean, I know some women who have told nobody absolutely nobody, right, Um and and slowly, as they get, it depends, you know, on the situation. If their parents are very elderly, they might decide not to tell them because they're too old and they don't want to burden them with that, [00:15:00] Um, but often it's a process, and by the time, and it's usually time, I would say it's time it takes that time to get used to it. It takes that time to be comfortable with it, living with it yourself, because that takes a long time as well. Um, and then just often, people Well, I'd say 99% of people living with HIV spend a time of where they they are. They're covering. They're walking around with a mask, Really, that there's this sort of public figure. And then there's all these secrets that they're holding, [00:15:30] and especially with women if they're going to. And it's also, I'm sure, with men as well as that. We've got doctors appointments. You're lying about that, Um, women who have babies who can't breastfeed. They're lying about that. Um, but you know, there's all sorts of constant lies that that are going on. And after a while, when people start to get tired of those lies and slowly, slowly, they'll maybe disclose to to them parents or to close friends. And then the longer that goes on, maybe when the kids have grown up [00:16:00] and they don't have to protect the kids so much, if they're single and they don't have to protect anybody else, um, they start to become more comfortable and will start to speak out publicly. I'm not saying that everybody should speak out publicly. Um, you know, But I What I do believe strongly is that if people shouldn't be afraid to have to speak out, and I think that is definitely there with HIV, people are afraid and they shouldn't have to be afraid. You shouldn't. You know, when you tell someone you have cancer or diabetes or whatever. You're not afraid to tell people. [00:16:30] But when you have HIV, there is a fear because you don't know what reaction you're gonna get. Do you find that there is, um, a bit of a time lag between somebody that's been newly diagnosed and the time that they approach something like positive women? Yes, usually, I mean, there are There are some women who will link into us straight away, but they're not really the That's not the majority. Um, it usually you know, anyone who's been newly diagnosed. [00:17:00] There is just so much confusion going on, and they're trying to accept the whole thing themselves and to sort of straight away be positioned into a support network. It's a bit overwhelming, actually, and and people don't even really understand what a support network is. So So we usually find And we have a really good, um contact with most of the, um, infectious disease clinics. And what we ask them to do is to to mention us to the to the person and to ask the [00:17:30] the the woman if it's OK to give her phone number to us so that we can contact them. And often what we will do is make the initial contact and say, You know, we're here and when you're ready, give us a call and we just make sure that we have their details so that we know they're there and we can keep an eye. And I would say normally it takes about two years, and that's quite common. So they might just kind of tap in from time to time. And then after two years, they might come to a retreat or they might call us and, um, [00:18:00] because they've had gone through all of the emotional stuff themselves. But then they start to want to talk to other people, and they the the isolation starts to set in. So they're ready to talk to other people and and, um and and also going back to the self stigma. Sort of. Sometimes women are have this feeling that a support network for for women living with HIV might be a bunch of sex workers and drug addicts and and people with AIDS that are dying, you know, so they don't. They also have a perception [00:18:30] of that, and it's often, you know, you hear it so many times when they come to the retreat, they sit and they look at everyone and go, Oh, everybody is so healthy and everybody is so normal. And so sometimes it's about getting over that barrier as well. How do you get to those people in in that in that two year period? How how do you let them know that the support there? I mean, you say that you you give them a call. But are there other things that your organisation or other organisations do to help people in that period? [00:19:00] Um, it's a difficult one. I mean, it's it's a voluntary thing. It's not like, you know, it's not compulsory to join, so So So you can't force people and you you need to give people the space um to and the only thing that we just keep, especially the way that we feel we can do it is through the the community HIV team through the the um HIV specialists around the country through the New Zealand AIDS Foundation, just to keep reminding [00:19:30] them that we're there when we feel sometimes that we there could be more of that, um, you know, just to remind people that we're here, um, and to to keep coaching people to join us. But I mean, to answer your question, I mean I. I guess we we're not quite sure what more to do. We We have newsletters, and we, um we don't really advertise. It's it's expensive and there's not a lot of people. So it's It's difficult to to know how to reach those other women. And, um, I guess we just keep [00:20:00] working through working through the medical clinics is because everybody has to go some time through a medical clinic. So that's the way we really try to operate through that. You mentioned, uh, people coming to the etcetera and and and and seeing just normal people. What can you Can you describe the kind of demographic of your membership, you know, in terms of like age and ethnicities? And what kind of people are in your membership? Our membership would. It's about 47% [00:20:30] European or New Zealand kiwis or Europeans? Um, we have 34% now of African migrants, Um, and then the rest would be a mixture of Maori, Pacific island, Asian, um, and other ethnicities. Um, the age group I, I guess, would be majority between 25 and 45. Um, we have, uh, quite a lot of Children. We have about 25 [00:21:00] under under 18. And, um, we we run special, try to run special services for the Children as well, and then a few older than that. But most of them would be between 25 and 45. Actually, I, I would even say up to 50. Yeah, that's sort of we We're getting a lot of a lot of people that are, um, been living longer with HIV. So we're getting a lot more people in their in their fifties. How does something like the recent media attention [00:21:30] about the the child in the creche up the North Island where? Where I think they had to disclose the the rest of the creche. How does that kind of media attention affect your membership? Um, it doesn't really affect our membership. I mean, those that family did become members, so And we did get involved in that in that process. Um, but it highlights why, um, families are so scared [00:22:00] to disclose. It just reinforces to our members that they don't want to disclose and that they have to keep quiet because that kind of attitude happens. And so, in a sense, it just reinforces all of their fears. Um, there were some good outcomes in the end, but it, um you know, and we have had lots and lots of complaints, very similar complaints, but nobody wants to take it out public. So we work behind the scenes at talking to the, um daycares or to the schools or to her, to the employer [00:22:30] and, um, work on a one on one. We often can't even get to the point of of going to the human rights or to the to make an official complaint, because the woman doesn't want to be that public, because you have to come out to really quite openly like that family did to, um, to make those complaints. So things like that really, Um, on one hand, I think the whole, um, scenario was excellent in regards to educating the wider community. It was a shame it took something like that [00:23:00] for it to happen. But I think, um, you know, Campbell Live did excellent work around, um, especially on the second night afterwards, about explaining about HIV and and the whole stigma and discrimination. So So it was a great opportunity for for educating the wider community. But for the HIV community, I think it just reinstill and reinforced their fear about about disclosing their status. What do you think? Works better having a, um, something that was very public like that. So, you know, you built up an educational campaign or [00:23:30] just working in the background very quietly. Do you have any thoughts on which works better? Um, I'm conflicted around it, to be perfectly honest. I guess if I'm if I'm truly and truly honest, the biggest impact would be to have some of the things that public I think it, um, the biggest impact for the wider community. Not the biggest impact for people living with HIV. Um, but it really did raise awareness for a lot of people around the country. And, [00:24:00] you know, ever since I, I go to a lot of talks in schools and to community people, and I get asked about that situation. So it has really raised the awareness. So I guess you know, reality that made a big effect. Um, and like I said, we've worked behind the scenes many times on similar, and it's not. Nobody is the only people that have really, um, gain from it is the people that we are working with directly. Um, so I think we need to have both hand in hand. Um, [00:24:30] there's not many opportunities where someone's prepared to be that public. Um, but it it Yeah, it did raise a greater awareness amongst the general community. Raising awareness is one of the things that the queen of the whole universe beauty pageant does. And, um, this weekend is the 10th and final performance of of the beauty pageant. And positive women are a beneficiary of of some of the funding that's generated through door sales. Can you tell me how [00:25:00] how you became involved with the queen of the whole universe? Well, my my friendship with Jonathan goes back many, many years. Um, he when I first came to, I MH HIV positive myself. And when I first came back to New Zealand, um, Jonathan was running a peer support network, and he was the facilitator. And, um so we got to know each other through that we've worked together on, um, public speaking trainings And so over the years we've we've worked, um, on a number of occasions and become very [00:25:30] good friends. And one of the things I really admire about um, Jonathan and Kevin is that they actually realised that, yes, in New Zealand, it's mostly the gay community that are affected by HIV. But they also saw that actually, women and families are are are also affected and that they are they They are struggling with finances, and they're, um, an unheard voice. And so, um, I think it's about five years ago they approached us and said, We would like to donate some of the [00:26:00] funds from the queen of the whole universe towards positive women, which has been just fantastic. We use the money, um, solely for the for the family who we, um and, um, we take a percentage of every time when we get it. We take a small percentage of that and put it into the to fund. Torrance Fund is for the teen camp. There's a team camp that they do in Australia for 13 to 18 year olds and because we don't have a lot of Children here and and the team camp in [00:26:30] um, Australia has been running for many, many years. Um, we we we send our Children over to Australia, so we pay for their air fares. Um, everything else in Australia is covered, so but it's mostly their air fares, their visas and and insurance and the cost to get them to go over to Australia. So those are the two things that the it's totally it's not spent on any administration. It's it goes straight to the people affected by HIV. And, um, as I said the family is is is every two years, it's very large. [00:27:00] We get over 100 people come to it, and so it's very expensive. And, um, a lot of this year in particular, nearly two thirds of the money through the queen of the whole universe, depending on what we get this time will go towards the, um, paying the cost for the family who are in November. What changes do you see? I'm thinking when you send somebody over to Australia for one of those teenage camps, what changes do you see in the person coming back? It it [00:27:30] makes you really, um it makes me appreciate what I do in my work. It makes me feel very proud. Um, which is not what it's about. But I do. It's It's a time when you see these kids come back. These kids live in total isolation. They go to school, you know, 13, 14, 15, they're going through. Um, you know, puberty. They're looking at girlfriends and boyfriends, and they're told not to tell anybody. So they keep it all to themselves, and they know [00:28:00] they're different. And it's it's difficult enough going through puberty and the boyfriend, girlfriend and whatever relationship, without having an added thing like like HIV, which is sexually transmitted and and so going to something like that. First of all, they don't feel so isolated. They see other people. They see people that have are a bit older, that are in relationships, and so they know that it can happen. Um, and so when often when they go, they they for the first time they're quite meek and mild and and and [00:28:30] timid, and when they come back, they're just exuberant and vibrant and so much extra confidence. And then for those that just go repeatedly, it's almost like, you know, they've got this little gang and they've got this extended gang, which is in Australia, because they make connections with the groups and with the kids in Australia. They keep in touch via, you know, emails and stuff through. So it gives them a little community, and it just boosts their confidence. And it's a huge, um, huge significant benefit for them. Yeah, [00:29:00] the queen of the whole universe is I mean, not only a beauty pageant, but I mean, underlying that is the whole kind of, um, safe sex message. Can you describe to me what that kind of means? Having that kind of exposure to that many people I. I mean, I. I don't think I can can. Actually, I just think it's It's, um I just think what they do is just amazing. It's absolutely phenomenal. What what Kevin and Jonathan do with this queen, and I'm really going to miss it [00:29:30] and not so much in regards to funding for us. I mean that that is a wonderful benefit. But what what they do? Not only do they, um, raise awareness for HIV, but I think they actually also help to normalise and and have greater acceptance of the gay community. so I think it has a double kind of benefit in that regard. Um, and I think it's gonna be really missed. I mean, they've done an amazing job and it's become a bit of an institution here in Auckland. And, um, [00:30:00] as I said, the gay community are respected more as they have become more respected and more understood and has become more normalised through that. And also people are becoming more aware slowly, slowly. Um and I don't know how we're going to fill that gap when it stops. I think it will be a big gap when it's stopped. So I hope he does something else becoming more aware of, um, I guess safe sex messages and HIV and AIDS in New Zealand. I'm wondering what [00:30:30] is the status now of HIV AIDS in New Zealand In terms of you know, what are the biggest issues facing positive women in New Zealand at this time? I think the the biggest issues still facing HIV women but also um even the gay community in regards to HIV would be stigma and discrimination, and we really need to and and together with that is is this lack of education especially to the to the wider [00:31:00] community. New Zealand is considered. You know, we have a focus or or a targeted prevention, um, attitude as far as the Ministry of Health is concerned, and that's not a bad policy. I mean, obviously, you know, you you target the most at risk group, and the most at risk group is is gay men. Um so all the funding and all the focus is predominantly, um, targeted at gay men. So I think there's a lot of very good, um, awareness campaigns being done by New Zealand AIDS foundations and and at and targeting [00:31:30] that community. But there isn't anything being done to the general community. So a lot of which I think, um, manifests the whole thing, that it's a gay disease. Um, you know, I think it increases that kind of stigmatisation. And it also, um, I think creates an atmosphere that HIV is not in New Zealand. And if you are heterosexual, you're not going to be affected by it. And I. I think that's still the current, um, understanding around HIV in New Zealand. It's it's not really [00:32:00] thought of something that's gonna happen to me, and I think, um, if we don't do something about that, I mean, I think for the future. I see, um, I don't really ever see New Zealand being an epidemic country. We have done some amazing things. Um, you know, one of the first countries to have the needle exchange programmes, Um, we've, um, you know, had the homosexual law reform. Um, the sex workers law reform. All of those things have helped to make sure that we can We can be open and public [00:32:30] and and work with these communities and accept the communities and and break down the stigma around those communities. So we've done some amazing things here, and and they they could most definitely have helped to keep that down. Um, but I think we will see a slow, steady increase. It won't ever be an epidemic, but there will continue to be a slow, steady increase. Um, in the heterosexual community amongst women, because there's a lack of understanding and a lack of awareness around HIV. I think in the gay community is going to [00:33:00] continue because, um, there's this whole thing now around the new medications and the a RVS and that Oh, well, if I get HIV, I'll just take a pill and I'll be fine. Um, which, Yes, you can still live with it, But it's not just, you know, there's a whole lot more that surrounds that living with HIV than just taking a pill, which you have to take for the rest of your life and has all sorts of side effects. But I do foresee, Um, and it's not just something that's happening in New Zealand. It's happening on the global sense as well. Is that that the gay [00:33:30] community are sort of thinking, Oh, I can just, um you know, I don't If I have got HIV and I'm on antiretrovirals, I can probably have unprotected sex because I'm not going to pass it on. And people who, um, are not HIV positive are going to think, Well, I don't It doesn't matter because I can take this pill and I'll be fine and and and that's, um, I'm not putting the community down in any sense. It's just a reality of what we're seeing, which is happening, and it's happening globally. Um, and and you know, I wouldn't even be surprised if one day that [00:34:00] we see because they're really, you know, the UN aids and all of those those sort of people are are working towards. You know, maybe, um, medication is a form of prevention. So if everybody is on medications and their viral loads are down, they're gonna be less contagious. Um, so they're not gonna pass it on. But then I think the people who are not positive are gonna think Oh, well, it's fine. And that can That could also go over to the heterosexual community. But I feel and I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound [00:34:30] like I'm just sort of splitting the communities, but, um but I do feel that in the general community in New Zealand, you know, in the schools in the public Forum, there's not enough awareness about HIV.
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