God Positive : My journey of coming out, being diagnosed with HIV and finally finding faith

"I worked so hard to get out of the closet. HIV put me back in there. My faith burst the doors open again…"

In this powerful memoir of overcoming and self-acceptance Philip Baldwin tells of his experience of coming out as gay, receiving a double diagnosis of HIV and hepatitis C and discovering a profound faith that would transform his life. After experiencing abuse and sinking into self-loathing, Philip surrendered himself to a life of after-hours night clubs, Ibiza parties and casual hook-ups. But following a devastating HIV diagnosis at age twenty-four, he found religion. Empowered by a new Christian faith, he became a speaker and activist, advocating for those in the LGBTQ+ community. This new life came with new problems as Philip was publicly attacked for both his views and his identity as a gay Christian man, living with HIV. After much bravery and self-reflection, he battled the shame that had entrapped him to find a new freedom and, after much heartache, he fell in love. Philip is now elected to the most senior level of the Church of England, the General Synod. He is also an activist, writer and columnist for The Gay Times.