Back home, you can’t express yourself as a lesbian – you can’t hold hands or kiss

Back home, if they find out about you, they don’t even want to touch you

In this little village in Kent, some of the kids had never seen a black person before. They just had no idea…

I had to bring up my son without a dad because of the stigma of HIV. By then, I just wanted a friendship, just so he could know his son. But he was so scared.

I needed to be able to work to support my children, I couldn’t get pregnant again. I could see them crying and I couldn’t give them anything…

I stayed silent and told no one but my sister. I felt so alone. I lived in fear of being judged a promiscuous black woman…

Back in the Philippines, I saw my siblings drinking water mixed with sugar in order to survive. I knew I had to do something…

It’s hard not to self-doubt – am I being a good mother, am I being a good student, am I being a good nurse?

My girl will have to contend with having a much older mother and come to terms with her conception. I will be honest with her and keep no secrets…

I know that if women had more confidence to say no to sex without a condom, many wouldn’t be in the situation we are in now…