Monkeypox has been troubling for many queers here in the UK and US because of the parallels to HIV. The legacy of AIDS stigma born in the 80s still lives with us today.
This current government has not released statements damning LGBTQIA+ people for monkeypox, but their silence is damning. It has had almost the same effect in terms of drumming up homophobic rhetoric as if they had directly targeted us with this speech.
But 40 years on, we have come a long way - we’ve fought for policies which could end HIV by the end of the decade. There are so many lessons we can learn from HIV for Monkeypox, even though they’re very different viruses. So what are they?
Join us to work out why HIV charities leading the fight to work out just what the pox is going on? This week's guests are:
- Matthew Hodson - Executive Director of NAM Aidsmap
- Susan Cole - Community engagement lead, NAM Aidsmap
- Harun Talunay - Sexual health expert with lived experience of monkeypox
Listen to understand:
- Why this outbreak feels familiar to HIV in the 80s
- What we can learn from the response (and lack of) to HIV - for monkeypox
- How we can talk about monkeypox without stigmatising sexually active LGBTQIA+ people
Credits: Hosted and produced by Martin Joseph. Directed and executive produced by Jamie Wareham. A QueerAF Production. With thanks to all of our guests valuable time.
Resources and links:
- Join host Martin Joseph, and write to your MP with this easy tool by NAT, THT and Prepster
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