Out singer-actor Ricky Martin has
congratulated ABC News reporter Karl Schmid on coming out
HIV-Positive.
Schmid, a 37-year-old correspondent for
KABC Channel 7 in Los Angeles, came out in a Facebook post.
“Hi,” Schmid
wrote. “I’m a 37 year old HIV+ man who has been poz for
almost ten years. I work in television. And on the side of the camera
where, for better or worse it’s considered 'taboo' for people 'like
me' to be 'like me.' For 10 years I’ve struggled with 'do I or
don’t I?' For ten years the stigma and industry professionals have
said, 'don’t! It’ll ruin you.'”
On Friday, Schmid thanked followers for
a “flood of touching, personal, kind and heartfelt messages.”
“Again, I honestly had no idea that
me just being honest would resonate with so many,” he wrote in an
Instagram post. “It's time to fight the stigma and bring it and
HIV/AIDS to an end! Undetectable = Unstransmitable.”
“No no no #THANKYOUKARL,” Martin,
who is raising two sons with his husband, replied. “Thank you
brave man.”
(Related: Ricky
Martin: I wasted so much energy trying to manipulate my sexuality.)