H is for Human: Stories of strength, courage and hope

We have released a new edition of our Humans of Scotland series, focusing specifically on tackling HIV stigma.

In partnership with the Peer Support Scotland project at Terrence Higgins Trust, the ALLIANCE have released the third volume of the Humans of Scotland series. It is a special edition sharing a diverse range of perspectives on HIV, from people across Scotland living with HIV, as well as health professionals who have worked in the field.

The contributors to this book have shown incredible bravery, resilience and courage in sharing their stories. We hear what it was like to be diagnosed back in the 80s, the horrendous side effects of the medications in those days and the incredible loss they suffered. We spoke to healthcare professionals, counsellors, nurses, physiotherapists and people working in peer support.

Through the darkness in some of these stories there are beacons of light. The kindness and care shown by some of the people working in the NHS at the time, the love and care some people received from their loved ones and support systems, and the resilience of the people who have survived and are telling their story, and the stories of those they have lost. They are doing this to break down the barriers of this virus and to dispel the misinformation around HIV. As Stephen says in his story “some people don’t want to believe the facts, and they use their own ignorance as a weapon of abuse” but we must work to change this and to change the attitudes towards people living with HIV.

We have come so far, but so much more can and should be done to tackle the stigma that still exists around HIV.

Our hope, by sharing these stories, is to address the misconceptions and fight the discrimination and misunderstanding still faced by those living with HIV. That’s the thing, you can live with HIV, you can “thrive and not just survive”.

Niamh from Terrence Higgins Trust says in her introduction “when I was first diagnosed…I wanted a handbook – a guide how to live, and live well, with HIV….I wanted to be able to take a book off the shelf and connect, through stories, with others. To know I wasn’t alone.” Hopefully this book will be that vital resource for someone in need today and for years to come.

You can find the new edition here, along with the rest of the Humans of Scotland series.

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