Andrew R. Spieldenner

SOMOS: evaluation of an HIV prevention intervention for Latino gay men

Latino gay men face multiple barriers to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention, in particular a lack of intervention programs that integrate prevention messages with cultural norms and address issues of social marginalization from multiple communities (gay community and Latino community), homophobia and racism. In order to address these specific issues, a multilayered HIV intervention was designed to incorporate and integrate psychosocial and community factors through multiple session groups, social marketing and community presentations. Participants learned strategies for effective community leadership and were encouraged to provide HIV education and address internalized homophobia in their communities. There were a total of 113 Latino gay male participants. Pretests and post-tests at 90-day follow-up were administered to measure knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to HIV infection, self-efficacy, internalized homophobia and connectedness (i.e. gay community affiliation and social provisions); a risk index was calculated to measure level of behavioral risk for HIV infection. Participants demonstrated lower risk indices and a decrease in partners at 3 and 6 months after the intervention. There was also an increase in reported social support resources, along with an increase in group identification. Connectedness was a strong predictor of the number of sexual partners at the 90-day follow-up. This homegrown program represents a culturally responsive, highly needed and relevant intervention that should be subjected to further rigorous testing.

PrEP Whores and HIV Prevention: The Queer Communication of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

ABSTRACT HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been introduced as another biomedical tool in HIV prevention. Whereas other such tools—including post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and interruption of perinatal transmission—have been embraced by those impacted by HIV, PrEP has been met with more conflict, especially within the gay community and HIV organizations. The “PrEP whore” has come to designate the social value and personal practices of those taking PrEP. This study examines the “PrEP whore” discourse by using queer theory and quare theory. Within these theoretical vantage points, the study explicates four discursive areas: slut shaming, dirty/clean binaries, mourning the loss of condoms, and reclaiming the inner whore. The study illuminates possible discursive strategies that lie outside of the domains of public health and within the individual and community.

Education and Fear: Black and Gay in the Public Sphere of HIV Prevention

In the third decade of HIV/AIDS in the U.S., African American gay and bisexual men constitute the largest growing part of those testing HIV-positive. Education and prevention efforts are being refocused on this population, but there has been a dearth of research on health promotion efforts specifically tailored for this marginalized group. This project examines HIV prevention media campaigns targeting African American gay and bisexual men through a content analysis and a cultural-critical approach. The researchers found that, among 40 social marketing campaigns, the primary tactics were educational and fear-based to promote HIV-related messaging to African American gay and bisexual men.

Statement of Ownership: An Autoethnography of Living With HIV

Gay men are disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS in the United States. There is a dearth of autoethnographies in communication literature about living with HIV/AIDS. In this project, the researcher presents an autoethnography about living with HIV/AIDS. The narrative has with three points: HIV diagnosis, disease progression to AIDS, and AIDS mortality. By analyzing these areas, this project presents stages of identity development and summarizes how these have changed over time. This project looks at how societal symbols around HIV/AIDS evolve due to changes in technology, science and policy. This study works against the distance presented in most social science studies of living with HIV/AIDS; instead it presents an intimate view of current HIV/AIDS discourse and public health.

Scripting hate crimes: victim, space and perpetrator defining hate

Hate crime legislation is meant to address discrimination at a community level. The hate crime categorization involves the justice system and the media – who play a key role in the communitys understanding of the act. In 2008 in Washington, DC, two separate attacks on gay men – one White, one African-American – were categorized differently. One was a hate crime; the other was not. This paper looks at the social scripts employed within the media and police statements that contextualize these events in terms of neighbourhood as well as the race, gender and sexuality of the victims and perpetrators.

Altered egos: gay men reading across gender difference in Wonder Woman

Arguments about representation in comics and other media have largely consisted of simple and direct identity presentation, yet there is growing evidence that audiences construct identification moments in a myriad of ways. Gender identification, for instance, with protagonists in comics may seem straightforward, yet there is ongoing evidence that audience members cross the male–female divide to find themselves within protagonists of another gender. Wonder Woman, for instance, has a considerable gay male fan base. This project approaches Wonder Woman with a semiotic and cultural studies analysis to see how the character is made up of several syntagms that encourage this kind of identification, including same-sex society, fighting intolerance, finding one’s place and thriving in transformation. Rather than a secret identity for the hero, the project calls this relationship an ‘altered ego’ for the reader.