Bottling attacks and cruel newspaper editorials — this is the story of how the HIV/AIDS crisis hit the LGBTQ+ community in the 80s. Through Switchboard’s unique log book entries, Tash and Adam also uncover the story of a very special volunteer who handled the hardest calls you can imagine. This episode concludes the three-part set of episodes on HIV/AIDS in Season Two, before we move on to other stories found in the log books.
Content warning: Illness, death, archaic language, and ill-treatment and discrimination of people living with HIV and AIDS.
The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute and the BFI National Archive.
TV clip from The London Programme produced by London Weekend Television, 08/03/1985.
For more information about the themes in this episode, take a look at:
From organisations:
All about HIV from the Terrence Higgins Trust
All about PrEP from Prepster
National Aids Trust, the UK’s HIV rights charity
Positively UK, advocates for and supporters of people living with HIV
Positive East, health and wellbeing for people living with HIV
The National AIDS Map, which grew out of Switchboard!
Tonic Living, which seeks to build LGBT+ affirming retirement communities
TV:
BBC Horizon Killer in the Village from 1983
Podcasts:
From Probably True with Scott Flashheart:
Books:
Policing Desire by Simon Watney
The End of Innocence by Simon Garfield
AIDS: Don’t Die of Prejudice by Norman Fowler
Music by Tom Foskett-Barnes
Artwork by Natalie Doto
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