Our very favourite homegrown queer podcasts, I’m Grand Mam and Poz Vibe, have teamed up for an unmissable World AIDS Day collaboration.
In the ultimate podcast crossover, the Cork ‘girlies’, PJ Kirby and Kevin Twomey, invite the HIVIPs, Robbie Lawlor and Veda Lady, to spill their ‘T’ and share their stories of coming out about living with HIV.
The new episode, titled ‘I’m Poz Mam’, opens with a risqué bang as Veda quips, “You know when they say Gonorrhea is spreading everywhere? Well, it’s actually spread from my balls to my a**hole.”
After PJ exclaims in a high-pitched tone “REALLY?”, Veda, Robbie and Kevin erupt into laughter, prompting the former to sheepishly admit, “I’m too gullible!”
The inimitable warmth and humour of the four make for a super sweet listening treat, and all in the name of destigmatising HIV and sharing the poz love.
The chat continues with PJ apologising to Veda for stretching her iconic thigh-high leather boots, but he quickly dubs himself as her drag daughter and welcomes himself into the house of Veda.
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After the Poz Vibe babes share their excitement over the news that the film How to Tell a Secret will be streaming on Netflix from this Friday, December 1, Veda shares why she decided to come out about her HIV status in song after 5 years of being in the closet.
She also reveals how learning to openly accept being HIV positive also allowed her to come out to herself about being non-binary.
She explains how she believes this has helped her to do the work she does, saying, “I don’t ever give interviews and say… ‘You know, it all came good in the end, and now I’m this amazing activist, and I’ve done all these great things’.
“I don’t feel that way, I regret it, I regret it, and I don’t want people to make those mistakes and that really fuels me in what I do, especially with HIV.”
She poignantly continues, “I’m not here to force people out of the closet, but I just want them to understand they don’t need to go in at all.”
In true I’m Grand Mam style, Robbie gives a loving shout-out to his mum, who massively helped him to come to terms with his diagnosis.
He also emphasised the importance of the role parents play in breaking down stigma, explaining, “Asking your child to hold in a secret is the most damaging thing you can do.”
The I’m Grand Mam, Poz Vibe collaboration ends with Robbie sharing the U=U (Undetectable = Untransmissible) message, explaining how current medication has led to people who are living with HIV and on effective treatment no longer being able to pass on the virus.
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Hopefully, the ‘I’m Poz Mam’ episode won’t be the last time we hear these four gorgeous girlies teaming up together because we definitely want more, more, more.
Episode 122 of I’m Grand Mam, ‘I’m Poz Mam’ is out now and is available on all podcast streaming platforms.
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