TikTok sensation: A youthful HIV-positive

“Information is power, so I really wanted to help people understand.” His name is Zachary Willmore, he is 19 years old and he talks openly about his HIV status every day on his page TikTok followed by 1.8 million people! When this young queer American was diagnosed in February, he said he felt like the world was ending. “I really felt like my life was over that day,” the 19-year-old student from San Diego State University told NBC News. “People are so stigmatized when they find out they are HIV positive.” Shortly after being diagnosed, Zachary Willmore returned home to Missouri seeking solace from his friends and family. After taking time to reflect privately, he decided to go public about his HIV status, creating daily updates about his life with HIV for his TikTok platform, which has 1.8 million followers. “It is Friday, February 17. I’m 19. And yesterday I found out I was HIV positive,” Zachary Willmore said, wearing makeup, in the first post of his video “diary” on TikTok. Since launching these everyday life videos, which have racked up millions of views on TikTok, he has used his influence on social media to educate others about HIV. In particular, he has made videos on the modes of transmission of HIV, Prep, current treatments and a video paying tribute to pioneering activists and scientists in the fight against the virus or research on HIV. By testifying with his face uncovered, just a week after his diagnosis, the young TikTokeur received a lot of messages of support and also some criticism and mockery: “When I seem happy in my videos, it’s because I am” declares- he says, making it clear that he doesn’t want people to think he takes HIV lightly. Rather, he wants to emphasize that an HIV diagnosis does not preclude living a normal life. “There are so many people living with this disease in silence. For me, talking about it helps me accept it. That’s how I deal with it, and just talking about it has helped me a lot.” Nevertheless, the young man said he thought about his HIV status every day since the diagnosis and sometimes felt sad. He added that he was going to have to deal with the situation for a while.