Selfie, 21 May

I came home from university on Monday feeling rather brilliant after getting my two major essays back, both with ‘A’ grades. Then I read this blog post by Daniel Reeders and this review by Dion Kagan and I realised I was just an old duffer again. Daniel’s insightful analysis of a real-world encounter with HIV stigma, and Dion’s brilliant synthesis of multiple streams of nostalgia and documentary-making, put my first-year legal blatherings in their rightful place. Thanks to Dion I now have the terms ‘melancholic disavowal’ and ‘traumatic unremembering’ at my disposal.

Still on the subject of stigma, last week I had the opportunity to talk about the stigma that is increasingly apparent around hepatitis C virus infection among HIV-positive gay men, at a public forum hosted by Living Positive Victoria. I recently came across Gareth Owen‘s 2008 paper ‘An “elephant in the Room”? Stigma and Hepatitis C Transmission Among HIV‐positive “serosorting” Gay Men’ that examined this issue and I used some material from that paper in my talk. One sample quote:

‘The hep C situation on the scene is much like HIV was in the early days, so guys will avoid having sex with other guys who they definitely know have hep C. Though they tend to assume that guys don’t have hep C if it isn’t mentioned.’

I also used some anonymised quotes from a prominent serosorting/bareback hookup site to support my observations – I found dozens of texts like ‘žnot on here to get hep c guys so please be upfront about it’ and ‘I’m Hep C neg and not really into putting that at risk, being poz is enough as it is.’

It’s impossible to ignore the obvious parallels with similar statements made by HIV-negative guys about HIV.

Marriage equality was in the news. The French president signed their newly reformed law, angering one right-wing idiot so much he shot himself in front of the altar in Notre Dame Cathedral. Meanwhile, a political stoush unfolded in the UK with right-wing Tories and UKIP cranks trying to derail David Cameron‘s marriage reform efforts. Talk of ‘swivel-eyed loons’, ‘lesbian queens’ and ‘aggressive homosexuals’ peppered my Twitter stream. Rhodri Marsden had the best comment:

Norman Tebbit: “But what if a horse married a cupboard and then a baby happened? What if a Viscount bummed an apple strudel? What then?”

— Rhodri Marsden (@rhodri) May 21, 2013

Here in Australia, Kevin Rudd issued a press release announcing he had written a blog post announcing he had changed his position on the issue of same-sex marriage, and was now all for it. The country rejoiced, because every time Kevin Rudd gets his name in the papers it’s good for the national conversation and no-one thought he was being the least bit political. The ACL responded, predictably, by declaring that same-sex marriage would lead to ‘another stolen generation’. Skipping forward several steps, this led to Helen Razer accusing Adam Bandt of Manichaeism.

The Eurovision Song Contest was won by Denmark, represented by a barefoot hippie and a Christian Slater lookalike in a military uniform. My favourite contestant, Romania’s vampiric über-camp countertenor Cezar, dressed in an enormous black Jean Paul Gaultier frock, finished a creditable 14th, while Bonnie Tyler, representing the UK, somehow got 23 votes. Despite featuring some memorable eye candy, Ireland came last – a fact that every British media outlet felt compelled to include in their reports.

I was at the MCG on Friday night to see the opening game of the Indigenous Round, in which my Sydney Swans beat Collingwood by 47 points. A great performance by the team, but the game will principally be remembered for an ugly incident in which Adam Goodes was subjected to racist abuse by a 13 year old female Collingwood fan. Goodes’ compassionate, caring press conference on Saturday morning was inspiring. Some of the responses on Twitter weren’t.

Nushawn Williams, incarcerated for 16 years for sexual offences including infecting several women with HIV, claimed in court that he is HIV-negative. Tony Abbott let slip that he is already drafting his victory speech. A British soldier was horrifically murdered by a pair of religious zealots, leading to ugly reprisals by right-wingers. Ríos Montt‘s genocide conviction was overturned. Hazel Hawke died, and The Age had her obituary online within four minutes – a pity they forgot to fill the details in first. I went on a mushroom-foraging tour: didn’t find any edible shrooms but met some nice lesbians. The Doctor Who season finalé had a massive reveal leading countless idiots to believe the Doctor’s real name is ‘John Hurt’. Brent is still overseas but he’ll be back on Monday. I start hep C treatment next week. I saw a Tawny Frogmouth. Life’s good.

Noticed the #Goodes trend. So she called him an Ape. Big deal. People have abused me my whole life. Get over yourself. Harden up princess.

— Guy C. Griffin (@6run6e) May 25, 2013

https://twitter.com/danschmitt79/status/338118217643986944

https://twitter.com/cobb_bill/status/338114505525567488

I think it’s fair to say Goodes went ape shit :-/ shhhh I’ve heard worse directed at me and I’m White! #AFL #witchhunt

— Paul Rosenthal (@Slinky8319) May 25, 2013

The one thing I will disagree with Goodes is that racism will never be totally stamped out as we are society that values its free speech.

— John Murray (@SidebySidePies) May 25, 2013

i reiterate that Goodes is a top cunt in general and it’s not nice to say mean things but there is such thing as free speech i guess.

— Lucas Shipsides (@radioblaster) May 24, 2013

OMFG young girl calls Adam Goodes a “APE” and he goes APE shit over it that is not Racist !!! Umpires get called dogs and cunts all the time

— Damion Maher (@Damion23) May 25, 2013

People are going crazy over the girl who called Adam Goodes and “ape”. Like its horrible but she’s only 13, probably talking about his beard

— tash vassallo (@Tash_1D) May 25, 2013

@newscomauhq get over yourself goodes, what about getting an apology for all the robberies, car thefts your mob of bludges do.

— Daniel Mozuras (@gazasux) May 25, 2013

So now I have seen that its an idiot kid being racist. So Adam Goodes should grow a pair and address it in the appropriate forum.

— Tony (@FTJGR) May 24, 2013

Dear Adam goodes if you were actually called an ape and that’s as far as it went. Then do yurself a favour and grow some balls you softcock

— Chris Bonfa (@ChrisBonfa) May 24, 2013

@chriskkenny Actually, no. Calling a man an ‘ape’ is not racist and not demeaning. Rude, yes. Unnecessary, yes. poor behaviour, yes.

— Sinclair Davidson (@SincDavidson) May 25, 2013

(Tweets which are rendered in text only have been deleted since this post was published)

These boys stole the show