HIV Activist urges universities to tackle Sexual Health awareness

Universities need to build a framework and provide speakers to tackle the issue of HIV awareness, former DCU student and sexual health activist, Robbie Lawlor told The College View.

Robbie Lawlor (25), who is a former MA Sexuality Studies student, spoke to a group of DCU students during Shift Week, about his HIV diagnosis and the impact that has had on his life.

Lawlor was diagnosed with HIV in October 2012, just months after he graduated UCD.

Through the tale of his experience, Lawlor explained how he used his HIV diagnosis to make a positive change. He created the first peer support network in Ireland for people living with HIV.

He became involved with “Youth Stop AIDS”, a youth led NGO, in 2015. He participated in a speaker tour of over 17 universities in the UK. The tour had someone from the UK, Ireland and an international speaker, from Uganda.

“We all got to tell parts of our stories, and it’s very interesting to get the disparities of living with HIV in higher income countries compared to lower income countries,” Lawlor said.

He arrived back in Ireland and realised that there was “absolutely nothing” of the kind available here.

The College View asked Lawlor why he aims his activism towards university students, “I’m more comfortable talking to young people because I find them more relatable to me and I understand their mentality and I kind of want to break down the barriers that I had as a student.”

He explained that while universities have SHAG weeks, they are only one week a year and HIV must be a consistent campaign.

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