Jesse, age 59 | Ellicot City, Maryland, USA
I was aware that I was likely positive. My late partner died of AIDS in 1985, and I am very certain that I had a transmission in about 1982 …
Activism
Bob, age 69 | Warkworth, Canada
HIV is the kind of thing you can’t really understand until you experience it, because remember, in those days we’re talking about, it was a death sentence. And since then, …
Rick, age 60 | Pretoria, South Africa
Originally I was from Scotland. I’ve been in South Africa now for 36 years. I think I befriended my little virus in South Africa – that’s 30 years ago. …
Proscovia, age 55 | Tororo, Uganda
For a long time, I have been working with the media. I have been writing my stories, and that’s how I’ve been getting support. …
Ron, age 50 | District of Columbia, USA
I was a closeted gay man working in international development. I had been a Peace Corps volunteer and was going to school for public health, …
JP, age 52 | Namibia and Vattholma, Sweden
My partner at the time was having problems with his eyes. I had been speaking to him for some time about getting tested together. I said …
Julian, age 58 | South London, United Kingdom
I’m the typical “helper.” Actually that’s really good therapy, it makes you reflect upon yourself. I was an activist in the ‘70s, in gay liberation, …
Luwiza, age 51 | Lusaka, Zambia
Despite the health personnel saying that, “You isolate her,” my sister was there for me. My mother was there. Would sleep in the same room. My sister would be next to me …
Meng Lin, age 53 | Beijing, China
I told my family, and I do not have a full knowledge about HIV/AIDS, but I tell them I’m HIV-positive. The same day I’ve been kicked out by the family. And all my friends get away …
Doris, age 58 & Randy, age 48 | Canada
Doris: I was caught up in my addictions, and I thought the weight loss was connected to my substance use, until I started seeing …
Challenging Stereotypes, One Bus Shelter at a Time (Part 2)
July 8th, 2014
As we mentioned in our last blog post, earlier this year The Graying of AIDS worked closely with New York City-based AIDS research, education, and advocacy organization ACRIA to create an intimate portrait series of older adults – alone and with “partners”
Challenging Stereotypes, One Bus Shelter at a Time (Part 1)
June 30th, 2014
Our Ground-breaking Portrait Series for NYC’s “Age is Not a Condom” Campaign:
Here at The Graying of AIDS we think it’s a problem that we rarely see older adult intimacy in our media – it suggests that older adults aren’t sexual, or that their bodies should be hidden; ; on the rare occasion that we DO see older bodies in a sexual context, the images are often disrespectful or comical. We have long wanted to counteract this ageism
A Time of Dialog and Reflection in NYC
June 26th, 2013
This summer New York City is offering a variety of opportunities to gain perspective on the history of AIDS and learn more about where things stand today. In addition to exhibits at the La Mama Galleria (closing this weekend) and The New York Historical Society …
Video Feature | Standing up to Stigma
“What if there are many other older people, and this is the first wave of them, who are not used to speaking out about anything, and they’ll just quietly pack up their blankets and leave? And I thought, damn, that’s not right.”
International Transgender Day of Remembrance: Care Providers Have a Role to Play
November 21st, 2011
“Being transgendered is such a singular experience, how can you adequately explain it to someone who isn’t transgendered? There is no common frame of reference. I can go on and on talking about the years of wandering alone in the darkness, searching, lost and confused and the blissful sense of serenity and peace of mind that I feel at this instant.”
–Ashley, quoted from My Right Self…
GET INVOLVED
If you find the stories and issues explored in The Graying of AIDS compelling, we urge you to channel your energy, ideas, and other resources into meaningful action. …
HIV 50+ Activist Ed Shaw
January 28th, 2011
Congratulations to Graying of AIDS advisory panel member Ed Shaw, whose lengthy career as an HIV/AIDS educator and activist was recently highlighted in a piece for AARP Bulletin (photograph by our own Katja Heinemann).
The piece highlights Shaw’s journey living with the virus and situates it in the context of the overall aging of the epidemic. It also draws attention to his extensive work in the community, with a particular focus on his role as chair of New York Association on HIV Over Fifty, his intergenerational work, and his recent advocacy work on the state and national levels….
Standing up to Stigma
December 2nd, 2011
In honor of World AIDS Day (12/1/10), the website for the AARP Bulletin highlighted the story of Dr. Robert Franke and his family. The multimedia piece (created by Graying of AIDS Project Director Katja Heinemann) and accompanying article explore the challenges the family faced after Dr. Franke decided he was no longer able to care for himself, relocated to Little Rock …
Larry, 61 | Springfield, IL
I wanted to do something that made a difference, and that’s why I took the job for Mayor Daley as his representative to the gay & lesbian community. …
Los Doctores (Louis, 51 & Rosalia, 47) | Fort Lauderdale, FL
Louis: She took a chance with me. It’s funny, I’m positive, but I didn’t wanna ask a woman that was negative if they would like to go out with me, because of the rejection that I might get. …