Building Intergenerational Solidarity Around the History of HIV

As the perceived threat from HIV has declined over the decades, many AIDS service organizations have closed. Solidarity around HIV has lessened within queer communities. However, HIV rates and HIV stigma remain high. There is a need to rebuild solidarity in the HIV response. As part of the “HIV in My Day” project, this research analyzes over one hundred oral history interviews conducted in British Columbia with long-term survivors of HIV/AIDS and their caregivers. Engaging past narratives of HIV alongside modern experiences given new medical developments in HIV treatment and prevention, can help queer communities build solidarity around shared experiences. This research uses political solidarity, especially empathetic solidarity, and related moral concepts, like trust, in order to structure this oral history into research that can be used to guide future community-based research, HIV policy, and AIDS activism. This work will foster intergenerational dialogue in order to advance the modern HIV response.

Faculty Supervisor:

Nathan Lachowsky

Student:

Michael Montess

Partner:

Community-Based Research Centre

Discipline:

Epidemiology / Public health and policy

Sector:

University:

University of Victoria

Program: