This archive report was first published on 21 April 2020.
Body Shaming and HIV/AIDS Activism ¶
Phenny Awiti, a mother of three and HIV/AIDS activist, has been open about her struggles with the disease, including the emotional toll of body shaming.
Awiti discovered she was HIV positive while in high school and has been taking antiretroviral therapy (ARVs) to manage her condition.
However, the side effects of ARVs have caused her to experience significant body changes, including weight loss and redistribution of fat.
As Awiti explained in a post on social media, 'That ass was there, for those who knew me way back in high school. But when I began taking ARVs, it flattened my ass, increased my boobs and thinned my legs.'
Awiti has spoken publicly about the challenges of living with HIV and the importance of self-acceptance and confidence.
She has shared photos of herself before and after her body changes, including a photo of herself with a caption that reads, 'I had to hide my legs for so long, and even in this photo, I have “pushed” my bum bum up. I don’t have them in real life.'
Despite the challenges she has faced, Awiti has found a sense of confidence and self-acceptance, and has encouraged others to do the same.
As she wrote, 'Right now I am confidently rocking anything anywhere without feeling ashamed and I never “fake” the bums. But trust me, that is after twelve solid years starting the ARVs and of being shocked and questioning where my bum bum and somehow fleshy legs went to.'
