Welcome to the 2022 edition of The Positive Side!
This year, our magazine ties in with two exciting events. 2022 sees the return of the International AIDS Conference to Montreal, and to commemorate we have an oral history of the 1989 conference (“Setting the Stage”). In our set of interviews, you’ll hear first-hand from activists who banded together to disrupt the conference and change the field of HIV research for good. We also have a feature interview with cover star AA Bronson, a multidisciplinary artist, healer and former member of the art collective General Idea. This summer, the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa opens Canada’s first retrospective of General Idea’s work—click here to hear his reflections on the show and the role of HIV in his work.
Elsewhere, we’re tackling some difficult—but important—topics. People living with HIV can face structural barriers like racism and stigma towards drug use, which are amplified by stigma towards HIV. In this issue of The Positive Side, we’re diving into the challenging issues that affect the most vulnerable members of our community. In “A ‘Wicked Problem’”, Alexandra Kimball unpacks intimate partner violence as it relates to HIV; in “A House of Cards”, Jonathan Valelly explores the housing crisis in Canada; and Elene Lam from Butterfly takes us through what the law says about sex work. Across all of these, we show how frontline workers and community organizers are fighting back to improve the lives of those who are most affected.
As we roll from spring into summer, we’re looking to brighter days ahead. New kinds of HIV treatment are also opening up more possibilities for managing your health—Darien Taylor gives us the low-down on the new injectable treatment and what it could mean for our readers. Do you have a story to tell or an idea for a future issue? Here at the Positive Side, we love hearing from you! You can email us at contribute@positiveside.ca.
—Dan Udy