Spring Break
Couple looks to change perspective about AIDS
Alexa Bonacquisti
Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: News
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It's not exactly a question you would ask on a first date, but it's one that Gwenn Barringer is making sure people think about.
Barringer is married to Shawn Decker, who has been HIV-positive since age 11.
The couple presented an event entitled "A Boy, A Girl, A Virus and the Relationship that Happened Anyway." The program took place April 16 in the Bossone Auditorium.
Decker and Barringer introduced themselves and explained the story of how they each got involved with HIV/AIDS education and how that brought them together.
Decker and Barringer started out as friends but they soon became romantically involved and are now married.
An HIV-positive woman who came to speak at her college inspired Barringer, and she decided that she wanted to educate high school students about HIV/AIDS. However, since she did not have the disease herself, an organization put her in touch with Decker who was HIV-positive.
Decker, a hemophiliac since birth, contracted the disease through contaminated blood transfusions.
He admitted that he originally tried to ignore his HIV-positive status and did not wish to discuss it with anyone, but he later created the website www.mypetvirus.com. He also began writing about his experiences for the magazine, POZ.
Decker said, "Once you take control of what you perceive to be your biggest weakness, it led me to meet my best friend and the love of my life."
Dineen Williams, the vice president of programming for the Panhellenic Council and the coordinator of the event, explained what brought the couple to the University.
"A member of Panhellenic Council last year saw Gwenn and Shawn at a conference. She loved their story and wanted to bring it to the Drexel community. They are well known for speaking at many college campuses, and I feel the story is something that is both informative and it is also entertaining."
The couple speaks at colleges because over half of all new HIV infections occur in people under age 25 said Barringer.
Decker said he wanted to prevent people from needlessly putting themselves at risk. The couple was very open about their relationship and their commitment to keeping Barringer HIV-negative, using her health as a testament to the effectiveness of condoms.
After Decker and Barringer shared their story, they encouraged questions.
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