Gay Comic Shuts Down HIV Gossip in Startling New Video

Another blog from Mark S. King

Writer and comedian Michael Henry has become a sly critic of gay culture and sexual politics, regularly tackling issues such as body image, masculinity, and every aspect of queer desire you might imagine. His sharp wit and social insight have endeared him to nearly 200,000 YouTube subscribers, and if you’re a queer man on social media you’ve very likely giggled at one of his videos on your feed .

The video he released last week, “Status,” begins with the promise of his usual shenanigans, set at a West Hollywood pool party overflowing with hard bodies and catty banter.

And then Michael Henry pulls the rug out from under his audience. The character Jeremy spies Michael (who plays a version of himself) making out with a guy named Rex, and when Rex steps away Jeremy takes it upon himself to give Michael some important information about the guy Michael has been canoodling with.

“Rex is HIV positive,” Jeremy whispers into Michael’s ear.

The look of revelation on Michael’s face is simply brilliant (don’t let it be said that comics aren’t gifted actors). It is a stunned look of betrayal and disbelief – but not in the way some might expect. Michael is shocked that Jeremy would dare disclose the status of someone else, and poor, judgmental, ignorant Jeremy is about to be schooled on HIV stigma and disclosure.

The evisceration that follows must be seen to be enjoyed in all its glory and righteousness. Michael lays out for Jeremy, and for all of us watching, why disclosing someone’s status to a third party is uncool, outdated, and damaging. Michael explains that he is quite capable of making healthy decisions for himself, thankyouverymuch, and throws in an “undetectable equals untransmittable” message for good measure.

Watch video here: https://youtu.be/x8u7ifaJqYQ

It is testament to Michael Henry’s writing (and the work of his co-director Paul McGovern, Jr.) that the character of Jeremy isn’t villainous, just ignorant. Jeremy flails about in the scene, sputtering assurances that he is just looking out for his friend, and he isn’t ultimately convinced that Michael is right. Such is the complicated nature of HIV social and sexual politics these days. There is so much education, and conversations like this one, to be had. It is instructive to remember that every day someone comes out or becomes sexually active. Sexual education isn’t a given. We could all use some patience and a willingness to remain teachable.

When contacted about his video and its strong message, Michael Henry responded like a true ally.

“I wanted to write this video because I feel like this actually does come up in real gay life and not everyone knows how to respond in this kind of situation,” he said. “I know I didn’t know how to in the past. But I do now and I hope people watch this and have a better understanding of how to respond in this situation now too.”

Michael Henry has dipped his comedic toes into HIV content before, with previous videos that touched on the topic of HIV and debated condom usage in the age of PrEP.

On behalf of those of us living with HIV who have experienced stigma both to our face and behind our back, we thank you, Michael. This video episode is a helpful gift.

Mark

P.S. As always, I invite your thoughts in the comments below. And then check the fascinating, ignorant, wonderful comments on the video’s Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelHenrycomedy (and if you comment there please tell them where you saw it). �

So, one day I was looking through Twi6er and a post by an HIV+ gay reverend in Manchester, England declaring that there are homosexuals in Africa and it is okay to be gay and religious. I knew I wanted to know more about this person. So, I wrote him and asked if he'd be interested in being a featured person for POZPLANET Magazine. Fortunately for us he said "yes".

I am extremely curious and happy to introduce Rev. Jide "Emeka" Macaulay.

JE: Hello Jide...it is so nice to finally get an opportunity to chat and learn more about you. How are you today?

JEM: I am fine and elated, thanks for the opportunity to chat, share my story with you and your readers.

JE: Okay...I'm sure our readers would like to know who you are and where you come from. So, would you mind sharing a little about your background and how you became a reverend?

JEM: I am Reverend Jide Macaulay, the Founder and CEO of House Of Rainbow CIC, 57 years old. Openly gay British-Nigerian born in London, a Christian minister since 1998, Anglican Priest, inspirational speaker, author, poet, pastor and preacher, HIV Positive Activist, holds a degree in Law, masters degree in Theology and Post-graduate certificate in Pastoral Theology. The focus of my ministry is on inclusion and reconciliation of sexuality, spirituality and human rights. Served previously as Board of Trustee at Kaleidoscope Trust UK, former Trustee Global Interfaith Network. Currently Chairperson INERELA+ Europe, Patron at ReportOut, Vice Chair One Voice Network, HIV - Mentor at Positive East and George House Trust. Judge at British LGBT Award 2023, nOSCARS Award winner 2014, 2017, 2018, Volunteer Chaplain at Mildmay HIV Hospital and Volunteer Champion at Africa Children's Charity.

JE: Now, I don't know if you have read our magazine before, but we ask this of every featured person in this column. How long have you been HIV+ and what was it like when you found out?

JEM: Thanks for sharing previous editions of your magazine, it was refreshing to see that you have worked with and highlighted stories of others. I was diagnosed with HIV in January 2003, it has been 20 years since that fateful day. HIV diagnosis can be traumatic if you don't have the basic information and there are obscurity in the important knowledge. When I was diagnosed there were still not enough information about living well with the virus and that makes it fearful to those diagnosed like myself and for anyone coming to the knowledge of your diagnosis. Even the laws in the UK was not as great as they are now to protect people living with HIV. At the time of my diagnosis, I literarily thought that I was going to die, even though I was a HIV Volunteer advocate. I had so much guilt and fear, to the point that I self-stigmatised, lived in shame, to some extent in denial and self-discrimination.

JE: Let's talk about you and religion. How did you get into religion and what made you want to become a reverend?

JEM: I was raised in Church, my early memories of Church experiences was in Nigeria, where we went to the Celestial Church of Christ with both our parents. My Dad was a leader from as early as I can remember. I took to religion quite easily because of my interest in God and relationship with Christ. At about age 13 or 14 just after my experience of river baptism, it was clear in my mind that I also wanted to be a spiritual leader. My parents and especially my Dad encouraged us to serve the Lord in all the ways we can. From this I was dedicated and devout in my journey and relationship with God and the church. It was also at this time that I struggled with my sexuality, because I was curious about what the bible said and what I have read and heard from others. This never aligned with my feelings and attraction. So like many young gay christians it seems my sexuality was in conflict with my faith because of what I have heard and been taught about homosexuality. My home was a very Conservative Christian environment, even though growing up I never experienced homophobia at home, there was clearly no doubt that this would not have be a most welcoming subject for the christian household.

My journey to priesthood started when I was young, I submitted myself to formation and formal theological training at my father's institution, the United Bible University and completed the studies in September 1998, when I was ordained. I struggled a lot after the ordination because I had so many conflicts, following a divorce from my heterosexual marriage in 1994 that lasted just three years. Then about four years in a homophobic pentecostal church environment. It was not until 2001, that I was introduced to the Universal Fellowship of the Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) that is 100% inclusive and welcoming to the gay community. This was a departure from the journey of hate and anxieties that I was on. Post my ordination in 1998, I couldn't be the priest I believed God wanted me to be because I had many questions. The MCC church allowed me to be vulnerable and became whole again because I learnt a lot more about God's love for me as a homosexual, and that there was no need for me to pretend or change, I am gay by God and that is what matters. I learned fairly quickly that GAY means God Adores You, God Accept You etc. In 2005, I successful transfer my clergy credentials to the MCC church where I served in active ministry for 5 years, including founding the House of Rainbow church in Nigeria in 2006. In 2010, after I had been in Nigeria for a number of years, I decided to train for ministry with the Anglican Church, the experience was mostly challenging because not only did I face homophobia, I also had to deal with racism, xenophobia, and HIV stigmatisation. I had failed to understand that the church is not a safe place for marginalised communities. Regardless of all the pains, anxieties even a new diagnosis of hypertension, I made sure my focus was on God, the incorruptible and ineffable God, and also centred on the inclusive gospel of Christ. In all of these trauma, I found my purpose, it was tough but I stayed on the cause, such that after nearly ten years of struggles in the Anglican diocese, I was ordained to priesthood in September 2020.

JE: I love that you use your social media platform to spread your message of equality and harmony for those who are religious. Was that always your goal or did it just evolve into this messaging?

JEM: Social Media is still a new phenomenon, but it has helped many voices to be heard. Social media was never part of the plan, however, I have realised that it gave us the opportunity to reach people in places where it was impossible. Before social media, there were bloggers who used my story for so many negative post and their intention was to raise the frenzy of hatred towards me and my ministry. But I have always believed that they too often helped our cause without them realising. House of Rainbow is active on all the major social media platform and we intend to capitalise on the effectiveness of reaching people with our inclusive messages including responding to thematic areas of life that impacts on our communities, especially challenging the abuse of human rights, the need for incredible information about mental health, counselling, therapy, sexual health, particularly HIV and so on and so forth.

JE: And finally, before we let you go...What advice would you give to someone who is struggling with their religious beliefs and being HIV+?

JEM: I say to anyone struggling with religious belief and being HIV positive, that the Lord is your strength and refuge, God does not give us a burden we cannot bear. My HIV diagnosis didn't bring me closer to God, it affirmed my relationship with God who is faithful and the source of my life. We focus negatively on HIV due to fear of stigma, shame, denial and discrimination and sadly the ignorance of religious leader around it. I am also open about my HIV status as a religious leader, because I want religious leaders to be better informed and knowledgeable about it. HIV has changed and it is time that the church and other religious community wake up to the reality, we know that people who are tested for HIV early have a better chance of living a fruitful and long life. There are other illnesses that kills quicker than HIV. HIV is long term and manageable such that with effective medication people can achieve what is now known as U=U, that is undetectable equals untransmittable. Also if religious leaders can speak wisely to their communities about PrEP, Pre Exposure Prophylaxis a HIV treatment that is able to prevent people from getting the virus especially for those that are sexually active, the stigma and shaming will end. I am currently the Chairperson of INERELA in Europe, an international network of religious leaders living with or affected by HIV. If we as religious leaders are not personally living with HIV, we are directly or indirectly affected. And with the responsibility given and granted to religious leaders, it will be a catastrophic failure to ignore the importance of our religious duties in our understanding of science, and health.

Finally, God’s loves for you is not determined by your HIV status, it is important for you to adhere to your medication and find the right peer support for you.

JE: Well, it has been enlightening to talk with you. Thank you so much for doing this interview and sharing a little bit about yourself. I'm sure someone out there needed to hear your story.

CONTACT: Rev. Jide Macaulay (Founder - House Of Rainbow CIC)

Gender Pronouns He, His and Him. http://www.houseofrainbow.org

Official Email: jide@houseofrainbow.org

Alternative Email: ramacaulay@gmail.com

Children's Champion - AFRUCA, http://www.afruca.org

Chairperson - INERELA+ Europe, http://www.inerela.org

Volunteer Chaplain - Mildmay UK http://www.mildmay.org

Personal Mobile +447521130179, Office Mobile +447507510357

Twitter @revjide, @houseofrainbow

Instagram @jidemacaulay

SKYPE ID REVJIDE

The official pre-meeting programme of IAS 2023, the 12th IAS Conference on HIV Science, is now available. All IAS 2023 delegates can attend pre-meetings, which will take place in Brisbane, Australia, on Saturday, 22 July, one day before the start of IAS 2023.

Link: https://www.iasociety.org/conferences/ias2023/programme/premeetings?utm_source=subscription&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ias20 23_pre_meetings_promo

Pre-meeting programme

All pre-meetings will be held on Saturday, 22 July 2023

Putting people first in the prevention, treatment and care of HPVrelated cancers among people living with HIV

Organizer: IAS – the International AIDS Society

Location: Pullman & Mercure Brisbane King George Square, Corner of Ann & Roma Street, Brisbane, 4000

When: 22 July 2023, 09:00-18:00 AEST

About: The event will explore opportunities for increased HPV vaccination and screening to prevent cervical and anal cancer in people living with HIV and other populations, as well as diagnosis and treatment of intraepithelial neoplasia.

Learn more and register

IAS 2023 forum: ACT NOW on global HIV migration, mobility and health equity

Organizer: QPP and NAPWHA

Location: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Glenelg Street, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101

When: 22 July 2023, 13:00-17:00 AEST

About: The forum will explore global health equity, human rights and policy frameworks facing people living with HIV regarding migration and mobility. Learn more and register

HIV Cure & Immunotherapy Forum

Organizer: IAS – the International AIDS Society

Location: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre in Brisbane

When: 22 July 2023, 08:00-19:00 AEST

About: The forum will focus on the intersection between immunotherapies and HIV cure research.

The event is fully booked and registration is closed. Add your name to the waiting list by emailing hivcure@iasociety.org.

REGISTER now for IAS 2023 here: h#ps://www.iasociety.org/conferences/ias2023/registra8on?utm_source=subscrip8on&utm_m edium=email&utm_campaign=ias2023_pre_mee8ngs_promo

Listen to the mix here: https://www.mixcloud.com/djrelentlessny/ear-candy-july-2023

Download the video of this mix here: h#ps://krakenfiles.com/view/ZCYsKdAsvt/file.html

Check out DJ Relentless’ Mixcloud page: https://www.mixcloud.com/djrelentlessny

Check out DJ Relentless’ HearThis page: https://hearthis.at/djrelentlesstoronto

It's HOTTER THAN JULY (thanks, Stevie Wonder) - cuz it is July. And this month we have twenty-six tracks to get to. The Weeknd and Madonna make two appearances in our mix this month. Apparently, it's a Barbie World and we just live in it. And there's a little something for everyone in this one. Pop, Hip Hop, Moombahton, House & Club...all here for you! Plus, the first release and music video from Jade Elektra’s first LGBT produced project called PRIDE iUNDERGROUND is also in the mix!

So, let’s get started shall we?

Since it’s summer, I always feel like Hip Hop is a good place to start. And who better to start things off than City Girls with their rewrite of LL Cool J’s “I Need Love”, “I Need A Thug”. While I enjoy the updated version, I am also reminded that TikTok has changed how music is done these days. Everybody is trying to make these 1 to 2 minutes tracks that can fit in a TikTok post. It’s shitty! Artists are purposely writing shorter songs to fit on social media. Are our attention spans really that short?

Our second song is no better. “Bops” by Coi Leray is another short 2 minutes track.

“Me, My Girls N I” by Boys World on the other hand is a pretty solid Pop song. And the music video is cute. I had heard of the group but never heard any of their songs.

Okay…if you haven’t started watching THE IDOL on HBO, you gotta start! The timing of this series coming out could not be more perfect (especially with Britney Spears coming out of her conservatorship). Written and conceived by The Weeknd. The show is about a Pop star who is a little out of control. And a sleazy character comes into her life and takes over her creative process.

Well, our fourth selection is “Popular” by The Weeknd, Madonna & Playboi Carti from the soundtrack. I chose to us ethe original version but there is a great remix by Tennebreck at 115 BPMs.

For our fifth selection I chose “Attention” by Doja Cat. Forgive me but I am still a little upset at the cry for attention that Doja played by announcing she was quitting the business. Bitch please! You ain’t goin’ nowhere! You just wanted sympathy and more traffic on Twitter. But I digressed. I had to speed this track up to make it work for its placement in this set. Not sure what the fascination is with these 80 something BPM Hip Hop tracks but we really need to get back to some party tracks.

Up next is another track that I had to speed up to fit into this mix…“Karma” by Taylor Swift featuring Ice Spice. I applauded Taylor on her “Lavender Haze” video but I kinda feel like she stuck with the same formula on this one with that dreamscape sound and just added a rapper. I could have used the Ardent Club Mix but chose this version to set up the next track in the mix.

There aren’t a lot of male Pop artists that tickle my fancy but Preston Pablo’s “For Keeps” is quite catchy. It’s another 2 minute song, though.

Summertime also makes me think of Moombahton and the VJ Danilo Remix of “Nina Bonita” by Feid & Sean Paul has the perfect vibe for dancing in the park.

And I have been waiting for our ninth selection to drop. I had been seeing promo photos from the video shoot for Janelle Monae’s “Lipstick Lover” and thought “this is gonna be hot!” And I was right! With the rhythm of Sean Paul’s “Gimme The Light” and lyrics about being a lesbian has summer hit written all over it! Just intime for Caribana!

So, how many of you remember when Amy Schumer was cast as Barbie? It was at the height of her popularity. I was excited for her. And then suddenly she quit the project. And now she’s doing Tampon commercials. I heard it was because Amy felt the project wasn’t feminist and cool. It would have been a really great vehicle for her, but she was replaced by Margot Robbie. And with the movie release coming up on July 21st, songs from the soundtrack are dropping every other day.

The soundtrack features all types of artists and “WATATI” by Karol G featuring Aldo Ranks is bringing the Latin flavor to the movie. Of course, I don’t understand a word of the song…I really should get in touch with my Puerto Rican heritage.

But that Latin rhythm makes me wanna dance. So, our next track keeps that energy goin’. “Pin Pon” by Dowba Montana, Di Adoni & Rochy RD has that bounce that you can’t help but dance to.

For a while I was beginning to put Ty Dolla $ign is the Pop Whore category (meaning he would do a guest rap on anything if offered). But his new song “Motion” makes me look at him in a different light with its House influenced production.

Our thirteenth selection is the David Michael Club Mix of “Dance The Night” by Dua Lipa. From the music video you definitely know that this is another Barbie soundtrack hit. I’ve already heard six remixes already but this one worked the best with this set.

So, a few months ago I reconnected with a friend and fellow recording artist, Aron Prince and we talked about a collaboration with my alter-ego, Jade Elektra. I had also convinced Justin Songrit to go into the studio to record a Club version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” The collab with Aron turned into “I’m Black & I’m Gay” and the next thing I know, I’m the executive producer of the PRIDE iUNDERGROUND E.P. on iUnderground Records. And the first music video from the project is the Erik Elias Remix of “BaeBeeBoo” by Canadian LGBT Pop group, RiVerse! I am so proud of this project. It features RiVerse, Aron Prince, Justin Songrit, Joey Alvarado, Jeffrey Cheng, Jay Light & Erik Elias. These are the kind of tracks I would love to hear during Pride. I will be featuring more tracks from this project in future months. I hope you will check it out and support us. Because if we don’t support our own…who will?

The fifteenth track in our mix is the DJ Fudge Soulful Mix of “Use Me” by Diplo featuring Dove Cameron & Johnny Blue Skies. I have to tell you when I watched Madonna’s announcement video for her tour last year and Diplo got dared to dip his balls in his margarita and he drank it afterwards, I began to think of him as sexy. Then he later did an interview with Men’sHealth where he told them that getting a blowjob from a guy isn’t that gay. Okay…now he can get it!

But I digressed. This is a nice track. I’m glad to see Dove featured and this remix has a good solid House production. Will it be a big hit? Nope. But I’ll play it.

So, The Weeknd makes his second appearance in the mix with his collaboration on “Creepin” with Metro Boomin’ & 21 Savage. This song has been out for a little while and I had intended to work it into one of my sets but finally the Joe Maz Remix came along and I had to program it.

When I heard about our seventeenth track I was a little skeptical. I mean…I liked Madonna’s vocals on “Popular” but I thought she’s really trying to give it the ol’ onetwo-punch by doing another collaboration with another high profile artist. I’m talking about “Vulgar” with Sam Smith There seems to be a discrepancy on whether Marlene Dietrich called Madonna “vulgar” or not but either way it is the title of the new song. At first I thought Madonna was mocking Marlene but turns out she and Sam were just being “vulgar for vulgar sake”. The lyrics are ridiculous, and it feels like a powerplay to get more hits and likes on social media. Many are gonna say that I am just being a hater but they both look and sound thirsty. It is no wonder that “Popular” with The Weeknd is doing so much better on the charts and views/listen on sites. I never wish anything bad on anyone. So, I hope she’s okay and recovering after being hospitalized on June 25th with a serious bacterial infection.

Our eighteenth selection is the Kay Stafford Remix of “What’s The Point” by Darin. I chose this track mainly for the title. We just had a mayoral election where Olivia Chow wiped the floor with all the other 102 folks running for the office. Early on she had like a 38% lead in the polls. What was the point of all those candidates? And the great thing about her winning was that for a change the suburbs didn’t control the outcome. The downtown core voted and said this is our city. We are the people who work and live in the actual city and we should decide what direction we are going. This conservative bullshit view is backwards and limiting the growth of our city.

As for this remix of Darin’s song, Kay Stafford did wonders with this one. The original is a terrible 80s sounding Pop song. And the video clip for this is really bad too. Apparently, the blonde guy at the table must have paid for it because he’s featured almost as much as Darin is.

So, as an HIV activist I have been speaking a lot about the rebranding of HIV/AIDS. The TV commercials for injectable meds and PrEP are giving governments false impressions that the crisis is either over or under control. So, they are defunding a lot of AIDS organizations. This is really dangerous. It’s not over and we need those services since people living with HIV are living a lot longer than they expected.

I bring this all up because the same thing is happening with Country Music. Suddenly we are being inundated with male Country songs getting remixed into Club tracks. This is a rebranding. Assholes like Morgan Wallen are soaring to the top of the charts while not apologizing or even acknowledging when they are caught on video using the n-word. I don’t know if Luke Combs is one of those assholes but when I went looking to find concert footage to create a video for the VAVO Remix of his cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car”, I noticed that he did once acknowledge that the song was a cover or by a black singer songwriter. So, I kinda feel like Tracy should be the feature in this mention. She deserves the credit here and I take my hat off to a fellow LGBT artist.

And speaking of artists from the 80s, I recently came across the IMC Remix of “Run To You” by Canada’s Bryan Adams. Back then I had no idea that Bryan was not a U.S. artist because he was all over MTV. I kinda miss those days of MTV being my complete source of music. This remix is a good way to reminisce and introduce the song to a new generation.

The twentieth track in our mix is the DJs From Mars Club Mix of “Baby Don’t Hurt Me” by David Guetta featuring Anne-Marie. I bitch about this all the time, but it continues to be an issue…rebranding and renaming songs. This is a rewrite of Haddaway’s “What Is Love”. The original version of this rewrite also features Coi Leray but this remix does not have her in it. This will probably be the version I would play if someone requested it.

Much to the dismay of my husband and every Sylvester fan around the world, Adam Lambert has done a cover of “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)”. While it will never compete or even come close to the brilliance of the original, I don’t really mind his version. It’s no worst than Jimmy Sommerville’s or Sarah Collins’ but if I had to play a cover of this classic, I would play the Bryon Stingily or the late MJ White versions.

Apparently, the only thing Hip Hop and Pop songs can only be about sex and money these days in order to get the kids interested. So, it’s no surprise that a song like “Slut Me Out” by NLE Choppa is making the rounds. I listened to the original and thank God for the CARLYLE Remix or I wouldn’t be able to stomach this one at all!

And following in it’s footsteps is “Treat Me Like A Slut” by Grammy winner Kim Petras. My original critique of Ms. Petras was that “what legacy is she going to leave as a trans recording artist?” Most of her songs have this kind of message. Is this a good look for the Trans Movement? And hey…I know it’s not her responsibility to speak for all trans women….but in my opinion we should all try to be ambassadors for our people. We aren’t living in the 80s or 90s when slutty was chic. Your actions kinda reflect on the entire community with what you do today. And the Trans & Drag Communities are being hit hard right now and used as scapegoats to take LGBT rights away.

And I am assuming that the Barbie movie is why there is a new Tiësto Remix of the 90s hit “Barbie Girl” by Aqua. It’s a nice updated version but I think the hybrid “Barbie World” by Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice is the real new version of the Pop anthem. It’s at Trap speed and I am looking forward to a Club or House remix. I don’t normally spin at 70 BPMs. So, a remix would be very welcomed.

Well, that’s all of our tracks this month. Be sure to take advantage of the download link back at the beginning of the article. See you in August!

Don’t be fooled by all the injectables and PrEP TV commercials. We have a long way to go towards getting a cure. Because unt il we do, “HIV IS EVERYONE’S BUSINESS” https://www.facebook.com/groups/1471719986427887