Many people diagnosed with HIV in the 80s and 90s had very different experiences to those diagnosed today. The lived experience and the development of a positive identity has changed dramatically in the last 30 years. In the early days, stigma developed within the gay and wider community and the shame associated with being HIV positive forced many into a secret life.
Today, HIV-related stigma has improved and the younger population has involved a confidence and a call to action. The conversations between older and younger gay men reveal valuable insights into the past and the present HIV epidemic.