I have always been a huge advocate for Peer Based Support Services and Systems when it comes to supporting Persons Living with, affected by or at risk for HIV/AIDS. There is no better connection than speaking with someone who is already infected or affected by a disease that has impacted them for the first time. HIV/AIDS has long been the target of stigma and discrimination from every possible avenue including ones you think would be more sensitive to the reality of the matter after all these years of education.

I have witnessed and heard the many stories from people living with HIV and AIDS about how they have been directly and indirectly discriminated against by health care professionals (doctors, nurses, dentist, social workers), their employers and fellow staff, family, friends and sadly even our own government officials.

The gay community also has a dark side when it comes to supporting and not judging our own and others who are living with HIV/AIDS; proven to me time and again when I am out in the clubs and hear the people gossip (whether true or not) about other people’s possible HIV status even when they have no way of confirming their statements. I am fortunate to be out and without fear about my own status; however there are far more who do not feel comfortable or safe about disclosing their status for fear of the well known and often proven reactions of others to that disclosure.

It is these aforementioned fears that have forced so many persons living with the disease to deal with their illness alone and/or in isolation. It is that fear of stigmatization and discrimination that has them living their lives without being able to share and speak the truth about the illness they are trying to come to grips with. It is this isolation that leads to despair and, forms of self destruction like excessive alcohol and substance use. It is this fear that keeps me involved in addressing the issues people living with, affected by and at risk for HIV/AIDS deal with every day by promoting peer based supports and events; the latest being the 2009 Alberta Positive Voices Conference.

This year’s conference proved to be a greater success than I could have ever imagined based on the positive evaluation comments from conference attendees. Many of the presenters were people living with HIV, and representatives from a number of major National AIDS Service agencies. There was a lot of brain work but we also managed to incorporate time to just relax in a beautiful country environment with the opportunity to talk with other people living with the same issues and illness in a safe place.

Participants spoke of finally being able to talk about a “deep dark secret” for the first time with people who understood. Negative partners of persons living with HIV mentioned they had fears removed and could see a future together with their partners even with HIV as a reality. There were no “cliques” of straight, gay, injection drug user, aboriginal, male, female segregation at the conference because everyone present came together under one reality; that we were all persons living with HIV/AIDS in our lives and we had a lot of knowledge, information and support to give to one another over the course of the weekend.

I would like to express my deepest thanks to the donors and sponsors who supported this project without hesitation and with open hearts. If you could see the impact it has had on the lives of those who attended, you would know the value of your kindness could not be measured in any greater success.

Finally I have to thank the organizing committee, our host organization AIDS Calgary, the Alberta Community Council on HIV, our event coordinator and last but not least the individuals living with HIV and their partners who attended for having the courage to come and be part of something bigger for us all to share, grow and learn from.

Overall I think the weekend created an atmosphere of hope for many who attended: hope that there is a future in living with HIV/AIDS, hope that there are current medications and newer ones in development, hope that that there are others we can connect to and support with our needs and fears in living with HIV/AIDS.

The conference was living proof of what the world could be like without the fear, stigma and discrimination that impacts the lives of persons with HIV/AIDS and those who love and support them.

I am forever proud and deeply humbled by you all.

If you have questions or concerns about living with HIV/AIDS, assisting those living with HIV/AIDS or you have ideas and suggestions for future articles related to HIV/AIDS please forward them to m.randall@gaycalgary.com.