His face is emblazoned on billboards and postcards: our role model Markus was part of the nationwide campaign for World Aids Day under the motto "Living positively together". We enquired how Markus overcame the media onslaught
Markus, how was your World Aids Day?
Exhausting! But that's what I wanted. I got up at six and wasn't back home until one o'clock in the morning. I had my first interview in the car, a Frankfurt radio station called.
Sat1 has also interviewed you. Have you seen it yet?
No, when the programme was broadcast in the evening, I was at the central event for World Aids Day in St Paul's Church. But I will get the programme sent to me.
Did you know the answers to all the questions?
Yes, I now have some experience in giving interviews. That goes quite well. The questions were often similar: whether and how you can live with HIV, and who I came out to. I tried to come across as relaxed. I didn't want it to sound like: I have HIV and I'm sooo sad!
What was your favourite performance?
The presentation of the campaign at the Federal Ministry of Health. It was still very exciting for me. And a lot of people from ICH WEISS WAS ICH TU were there. Here in Frankfurt, I was often the only positive person again.
And after this campaign, you are now the Positive in Frankfurt.
I don't mind that. But it would be nice if the campaign led to more positive people coming out.
Even if it's not on the posters, many people now know that you're gay. Does that bother you?
No, not at all. I was just annoyed by a discussion in an online forum that I came across by chance. People were writing that the men on the posters all looked so gay and then they were cooking in the photo of all things. (I'm referring to the poster with Ambassador Kay, editor's note) They should have been handed a football. But no matter: the comments show that the campaign wasn't a waste of time. People are discussing it.
At your workplace - a public place - you told a colleague about the campaign so that she would spread the word. Did she do a good job?
That was no longer necessary: the postcards with my motif were suddenly also available at my workplace. I was surprised at how much my colleagues supported me. They immediately told a colleague who wanted to whisper about me to stop talking and ask him himself!
What did they say to you?
Most of them said: "Cool that you're doing this! Why didn't you tell us beforehand?" One of them came up to me and asked if he could ask me a private question. He wanted to know if I was positive. We then chatted for half an hour. That was very good! That's exactly the aim of the campaign: people should ask questions if they want to know something.
And your friends Pascal and Sebastian haven't regretted posing with you on the poster yet?
No, the media hype has passed them by. They're still proud as punch. And they have every right to be.
What has the campaign done for you personally?
I think I've grown as a result. Even though I was already relatively relaxed before, I feel even more relaxed now. Even if someone were to get angry with me now because of my infection: I know what I'm doing and have found my centre.
(Interview: Philip Eicker)
