By: Arbër Qerka-Gashi
I have now been in my placement with the NHST for four months and it has been a truly enlightening experience. Working closely with cofounder Paul Coleman to explore his personal journey, and engaging with the stories preserved in the HIVstory archive has been both educational and deeply meaningful for me. As I engaged with this material and continued my conversations with Paul, I kept returning to the same thought: do people truly understand how important this archive and the themes it explores are?
February marks LGBTQ+ History Month in the UK, a vital time to remember and reflect on the remarkable figures, historic movements, and societal contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ+ History Month is an essential opportunity to honour and foreground the rich history of this community. I have always been obsessed with LGBTQ+ history across diverse contexts and working with the NHST has offered me insights into personal histories I might not have otherwise encountered.
Working directly with the archive, I have been continually reminded that the intersections of LGBTQ+ and HIV histories are sometimes overlooked and not afforded the representation they deserve. In honour of this month, I would like to highlight some of these archival oral histories, people who used their voices, activism, and lived experiences to advance conversations around HIV and AIDS, often in very hostile contexts.
The first story that comes to mind is that of Dr Rupert Whitaker. As one of the longest-surviving people living with HIV in the UK, he has dedicated more than four decades to advocacy, medicine, and public health in support of those affected by HIV and AIDS. His activism is deeply intertwined with the life and loss of his partner Terry Higgins who died in 1982, being the first named person in the UK to die from HIV. Following Terry’s death, Rupert went on to co-found Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), now one of the UK’s leading HIV and sexual health charities.
I also then discovered the story of Martyn Butler OBE, the other co-founder of Terrence Higgins Trust. His account was profoundly moving, tracing his journey from growing up in Newport, South Wales, to relocating to London, where he encountered the vibrancy of Soho and the wider LGBT+ community. The way he spoke about his activism at the height of the HIV and AIDS pandemic was deeply inspiring, conveying both the urgency of the movement and the vital importance of advocating for people living with HIV.
Martyn recently passed away at the age of 72. He will be remembered for his unwavering activist spirit and his advocacy, which positively impacted the lives of so many. If you would like to hear more of his story, it is digitally accessible through The London Archives. Preserving his testimony within our archive underscores the enduring importance of our work: stewarding these histories so that future generations do not forget them.
A figure who spoke powerfully about the importance of educating younger generations on the realities of HIV and AIDS from the archive is Janet Green. Her work as a volunteer with the London Lesbian Line, a helpline dealing with matters related to Lesbian women, eventually led to her involvement with the Terrence Higgins Trust. Her story places particular emphasis on ensuring that present-day generations of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly gay men, understand the profound challenges that accompanied the HIV and AIDS crisis.
This resonated deeply with me as a gay man, reinforcing the importance of continuing conversations about safe sex within my own circles, even in light of the significant advances that have been made in HIV and AIDS treatment. Janet speaks about the devastating reality of hospices rejecting gay men who were nearing the end of their lives, yet another example of the structural discrimination faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community and those experiencing HIV and AIDS at the time.
In addition to this, the HIVstory Archive encompasses stories that are deeply rich and wide-ranging. This is clearly illustrated through Krishen Samuel’s story, which offers insight into the complexity of HIV and AIDS within communities in South Africa. While Krishen was not born when the AIDS pandemic began , he was raised in a country that experienced some of the highest infection rates for HIV. Something that has stuck with me is how he discusses the racial prejudice within South Africa and how it affected communities experiencing HIV and AIDS. Branded as an infection that “only affected the Black African community,” it reminds me, and I hope those reading this, to reflect on the many social, legal and political implications that continue to manifest stigma in varying ways for those experiencing HIV and AIDS.
When I encountered Arnold Gordon’s story, it emphasised much like Krishen’s, the importance of recognising how race and ethnic identity shape experiences of HIV and AIDS. As someone from a Muslim background, I understand firsthand how belonging to a different ethnic and religious community can influence experiences within the LGBTQ+ community. Arnold powerfully describes how, finding HIV support services inaccessible for the Black community he established Blackliners, which initially started out as a helpline providing resources and support for the Black community. It eventually went on to become a HIV support group for the Black community.
These are just some of the stories I felt were important to share in honour of LGBTQ+ History Month. They are a small selection of the many powerful stories in the HIVstory Archive and I encourage you to explore the HIVstory website further to listen and learn more.