The utility of queer theory in reconceptualising ageing in HIV-positive gay men

Abstract

With the advent of effective anti-viral regimes ageing with HIV has become an increasingly common phenomenon, gay men being the largest sub-group. It has been examined from multiple academic perspectives, the most prominent of which are medical and sociological research. Within this literature HIV as well as a gay identity has been described as causing “accelerated ageing”. However, any such acceleration has always been considered to be occurring in relation to the normative standards of heterosexuality and/or an HIV negative status, leaving HIV positive gay men viewed as somehow deficient to their HIV negative heterosexual counterparts. A queer theoretical approach is adopted to explore the potential ways in which ageing with HIV as a gay man could be conceptualised beyond the ideas of heteronormative deficiencies. In particular queer theoretical readings of vulnerability, temporality and kinship are explored to provide a theoretical basis for future empirical work into this topic.