First person/survivor accounts of HIV/AIDS in gay community
October 19, 2018 6:57 PM Subscribe
I’m seeking published first-person accounts from the 1980s—2000s from survivors or witnesses or caregivers during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, especially in the gay community. Any links are appreciated!
Borrowed Time is commonly considered one of the first AIDS memoirs, and is really beautifully written.
posted by jameaterblues at 7:10 PM on October 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by jameaterblues at 7:10 PM on October 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
David Wojnarowicz comes to mind. Although he did not ultimately survive, he wrote eloquently about what was happening around him at the time.
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 7:18 PM on October 19, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 7:18 PM on October 19, 2018 [2 favorites]
Heaven’s Coast by Mark Doty
Memoir written by a poet following the death of his partner. Lots and lots and lots about caregiving. It’s such an excellent book.
Body Counts by Sean Strub
Provides an engaging survey of the AIDS crisis from an activist’s perspective.
My Own Country by Abraham Verghese
Written by a doctor who practiced in a rural area during the AIDS crisis. Worth reading despite not being an LGBTQ+ perspective for being set somewhere rural—many/most accounts you’ll run into, I think, are focused on urban areas.
Hope this helps!
posted by Gymnopedist at 8:02 PM on October 19, 2018 [2 favorites]
Memoir written by a poet following the death of his partner. Lots and lots and lots about caregiving. It’s such an excellent book.
Body Counts by Sean Strub
Provides an engaging survey of the AIDS crisis from an activist’s perspective.
My Own Country by Abraham Verghese
Written by a doctor who practiced in a rural area during the AIDS crisis. Worth reading despite not being an LGBTQ+ perspective for being set somewhere rural—many/most accounts you’ll run into, I think, are focused on urban areas.
Hope this helps!
posted by Gymnopedist at 8:02 PM on October 19, 2018 [2 favorites]
Watch United in Anger: A History of ACT-UP
posted by brookeb at 8:30 PM on October 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by brookeb at 8:30 PM on October 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
There are many layers of caretaking and grieving in this article, about the famous photo used in the Benetton ad.
posted by kalimac at 9:57 PM on October 19, 2018
posted by kalimac at 9:57 PM on October 19, 2018
Both Derek Jarman and David Wojnarowicz wrote memoirs of this time period. Neither were survivors, though.
posted by praemunire at 10:47 PM on October 19, 2018
posted by praemunire at 10:47 PM on October 19, 2018
AIDS Doctors: Voices from the Epidemic: An Oral History provides perspectives from doctors treating AIDS patients during the epidemic. It is an oral history in book format and I found it a really engaging narrative about that experience.
posted by sevenofspades at 11:10 PM on October 19, 2018
posted by sevenofspades at 11:10 PM on October 19, 2018
Larry Kramer published reports from the holocaust in 1989
posted by brujita at 1:19 AM on October 20, 2018
posted by brujita at 1:19 AM on October 20, 2018
Pedro and Me by Judd Winnick is not first person but has an ally’s perspective within a graphic novel.
posted by childofTethys at 4:00 AM on October 20, 2018
posted by childofTethys at 4:00 AM on October 20, 2018
The 1993 documentary Silverlake Life: The View from Here probably hit me the hardest. It's frankly shocking for those who aren't old enough to remember this period.
posted by WhitenoisE at 6:04 AM on October 20, 2018
posted by WhitenoisE at 6:04 AM on October 20, 2018
In addition to United in Anger, there's a couple of other documentaries to check out if you haven't:
We Were Here
How to Survive a Plague
They contain a lot of first-person accounts.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:36 AM on October 20, 2018
We Were Here
How to Survive a Plague
They contain a lot of first-person accounts.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:36 AM on October 20, 2018
This review of How to Survive a Plague and four other books is replete with personal details and recollections.
posted by aqsakal at 7:45 AM on October 20, 2018
posted by aqsakal at 7:45 AM on October 20, 2018
Jarman’s work is profoundly engaged with this.
His diaries of this time - Modern Nature, and Smiling in Slow motion are amazing.
He also wrote several other works of Autobiography, and several other associated works - such At Your Own Risk, and Chroma.
There’s the paintings, and the films too of course, last of England, the garden, War Requiem, and Blue, but others too.
He also gave lots of interviews too,
An amazing man and a true inspiration
posted by Middlemarch at 2:52 PM on October 20, 2018
His diaries of this time - Modern Nature, and Smiling in Slow motion are amazing.
He also wrote several other works of Autobiography, and several other associated works - such At Your Own Risk, and Chroma.
There’s the paintings, and the films too of course, last of England, the garden, War Requiem, and Blue, but others too.
He also gave lots of interviews too,
An amazing man and a true inspiration
posted by Middlemarch at 2:52 PM on October 20, 2018
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posted by fluttering hellfire at 7:09 PM on October 19, 2018 [2 favorites]