What Works for Me
So often in life we strive to be something that we’re not. One of the great things about being a gay man is the...
The Bravest Girl I Know
I’ve had the joy of knowing some incredible people in my life. One of the gutsiest, most unique women I’ve known was at a...
Meet the New Grief, Same as the Old Grief
Too Young to Die
Meet the new grief, same as the old grief
by John Francis Leonard
I thought I was immune to grief by now, but...
Tears & T Cells
Tears & T Cells
My diagnosis was a quiet bomb, but the aftershocks still resound
by John Francis Leonard
Well, as you know, I have your...
Detecting Stigma
Soon after I began writing for A&U last year, my editor informed me that I would also be, partly, responsible for promoting my own...
A Letter to Myself at 18
John—
I’m forty-eight when I’m writing this and I want to let you know a few things. Not a total rundown of everything that happens—your...
HIV & Isolation: Who Me?
Here I am, back in my hometown for eight years now. I don’t regret the move, per se, but it has presented me with...
My Mental Health
It all seemed to start one morning when I couldn’t walk the dog. It was a sudden attack of abject panic, a basic, visceral...
Having the Sex We Desire
The Question
We may be having sex, but are we getting the sex we want?
by John Francis Leonard
Well, I’ve finally managed to do it. After...
Long-Lost Friends
Full Circle
Finally I had the courage to return to the city where I lost my friends
by John Francis Leonard
A few months ago I made...