COVER STORY
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How did you become an HIV activist? After I finished freaking out in the early years, I felt I needed to give back and become a part of this movement, especially since I’m one of the fortunate ones doing well. I started delivering foods with Gods Love We Deliver while I was on lunch at work. Basically it’s for people who are home bound with AIDS. You bring them food. I would run around and deliver to like 10 people and go back to work. I was supportive of AIDS walks and the charity events that would go on as well. And then Project Runway came along. I had been positive for like 18 years already. The producers asked me if I would talk about it on the air. And I was like, “Me? Yeah, I don’t care.” I didn’t really think about the impact that would have. But the HIV community was so desperate for some person to relate to it. Overnight it exploded. Except for the winner of the season, the producers were like, “You have the most press requests of anyone we’ve ever had on the show.” People were just dying to hear my story. It was crazy. But then I started to think that maybe this is my new purpose in life, be an activist and role model for those who can’t speak on their own and don’t have a voice.
Lately, Project Runway has been doing some all-star shows. Will we see you on a future season?
[Laughs] No. I love the show and franchise and I totally support it, but that ship sailed for me.
Why do you think you had such an impact on the show despite having to withdraw from competition early? That one moment of saying I’m HIV positive and they show me I’m taking my pills. It looks like I’m taking 500 pills but actually I was taking 54 | THE MIRROR | WINTER 2012/13
a lot of multi-vitamin pills as well. They made it this very dramatic moment, which is fine, for some people it really needs to be dramatic. If I would have just said off the cuff, “Oh, by the way, I’m HIV positive,” which is how I act, I think most of America would have been like “What? I don’t get that.” For me, it’s really commonplace but for most people it’s like, “What the fuck?” It was a big moment for a lot of people, especially young people, who can’t relate to Magic Johnson. Or don’t think they know anyone that’s HIV positive.
How did the show affect your HIV activism? People feel really shameful and isolated. So for me just to be out there, bigger than life and say, “Here I am. Here’s my story.” I think a lot of people really appreciate that. So that’s why I continue to do it. People always say, “Oh, you’re always naked.” Well, you know what, I’m from the Ben Cohen school of thought. He has this amazing organization, the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, and he’s like, “If I take my clothes off and people pay attention to my issues that I’m speaking about, I’m happy to do it.” I feel the same way. I know if I do an article and just talk about HIV activism people will appreciate it, and say, “That’s nice.” But if I take my shirt off and show my ass, ten times more people will read the article so that’s my approach.
Anything else you’d like to add? If there is anyone who is HIV positive out and are freaking out, feel free to reach out to me. I’m totally accessible. It’s really easy to get a hold of me. I have 5 Facebook pages. I’m on Twitter. I’m the only Jack Mackenroth in the whole world. Single? And dating like a tramp. [Laughs]. 43, but feel free to typo that and I also live in South Beach. Near Flamingo Park. Lennox.