It doesn't
take long to recognize there's something more to George M. Johnson than good
looks and debonair grace. Their words are thoughtful and forcefully delivered,
whether written or spoken, and they don't shy away from "all of the very
heavy subjects that oftentimes people say kids are too young to
understand."
This urgency
to tackle serious topics is evident in their recent book All Boys Aren't Blue, which is as much a memoir as
it is a primer for other Black queer youth. Johnson's personal accomplishments,
understanding of complex issues confronting society, and literary body of work
are even more impressive considering their relative youth (Johnson turned 25 on
Halloween).
This activist,
author, and person living with HIV is driven to share their insight and story
so they can inspire others and fight a system that marginalizes those it fears
and does not understand.
Johnson last
year told Out (a sister publication to Plus) they
see HIV as not just a gay issue but also one rooted in the struggle for social
justice. This observation seems all the more prescient today considering the
global COVID-10 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests against ingrained
equality and police violence. When Johnson spoke of Black people not just dying
at the hands of police but also suffering disproportionately highter HIV
infection rates, they might as well have been writing the script for
2020.
It's this
forward-thinking approach to confronting injustice and helping others that led
them to write All Boys Aren't Blue. The memoir covers Johnson's
life from their early days growing up in New Jersey and into their college
years. They speak frankly about their lack of sexual experience and knowledge,
and how this double-edged sword can place other closeted queer youth in danger
much like they were.
All Boys
Aren't Blue was largely written for young adults
at this same intersection of Blackness and queerness, Johnson says,
specifically those lacking the tools and resources to safely navigate through
adolescence and into adulthood.
HIV will
always loom large for Johnson, but they hope their message and efforts can help
other queer Black youth overcome a society that oten seems designed to ensure
failure. Their goal is to help these marginalized youth see there is a way out
and around the harsh inequalities of life.
"November
19 will mark 10 years of being HIV-positive," Johnson tells Plus.
"I've gone from playing out my own mortality to planning the next 50 years
of my life. As long as I have a voice, I will use it to share my story, help
others on their journey, and adamantly fight to end the epidemic."
Find
out about more "Amazing People" here.
SOURCE: HIV PLUS MAG
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