Entertainment News
2007-02-08
Top Design cast member discloses he is HIV-positive
On Wednesday's
episode of Bravo's new series, Top Design , cast
member John Gray discloses that he is HIV-positive,
On Wednesday's
episode of Bravo's new series, Top Design, cast
member John Gray discloses that he is HIV-positive,
reports USA Today.
Gray, a
self-taught designer from Chicago, reveals that
his angry outbursts in last week's episode were
fueled by his increased levels of testosterone, which
he takes to counteract the lower levels caused by HIV.
He had his dosage increased 400% right before TopDesign started because he was unsure how long
he would be away from home.
Gray tells his
cast mates on the show: "I just want everyone to know
I'm HIV-positive. I'm not making excuses or apologies."
The only other
television reality star to reveal he was HIV-positive was
Pedro Zamora on The Real World: San Francisco
in 1994. Zamora, an AIDS educator, used the show as a
platform to educate people and clear up misconceptions
about AIDS.
Gray, however,
does not want to take on that role: "I don't want to
be the new face for HIV or be on the cover of Out. I
felt the cast was entitled to an explanation for my
behavior."
Yet advocacy
groups such as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against
Defamation applaud Gray for disclosing his condition. Damon
Romine of GLAAD says, "This visibility is important in
raising awareness that HIV is a major health issue."
(The Advocate)
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